The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1899-06-29


fellow playing his piano up there"
"Why, you don't mind it, do you?"
"No-but you see-I'm proctor in the
building"
"You?" the lad laughed. "Why,
you've just graduated. You're joking,
aren't you?"
mo, l really am the proctor"
"Oh, what a cinch I've got" chuckled
the boy, impudently. Good night, old
man-that is, l mean, sir"
The exclamation annoyed Bolker
vaguely. What if ever as proctor he
should have to--nonsense! His fears
were groundless. The fact that he was
proctor did not in the least hamper
the acquaintance from ripening, as
time went on, into friendship. The
freshman was young and liked the
proctor's quiet reserve, his sophisti-
Gated advice, and Bolker became equal
ly fond of the wild lad toward whom
his solitary heart turned with a tender
ness almost fatherly.
One night there came from Watson's
room more noise than was usual 1t
began early, and prolonged itself in
definitely. The proctor went to bed
doubling The noise continued; it be-
came intolerable. Jumping into his
slippers (Which were always, toes out,
precisely at right angles to the bed)
Bolker raped at the door. For an in
slant the noise ceased; then the proc
tor heard from within: Let me 60.
| oil - I tan nd
Shut up; get in there quick; I'll 60"
in the voice of Watson, who thereupon,
looking extremely silly, appeared at the
door.
Wont you please stop the noise?'
faltered Bolker. II can't sleep if you
don't"
"Were we making a noise? Really
/"
'It doesn't matter at all if you'll only
stop. Good night
Good night, sir" The door slammed
with a scuffle and blended chorus of
"You old liar--eh, eh-give me that
whoop!"
Bolker slipped into bed, very miser-
able. He hated to do it. Out in the
reproaches, blasphemous diatribes
against all proctors and reluctant good
nights. But it was long, despite the
succeeding quiet, before he slept.
Next morning Watson appeared for
an instant to iterate his regrets. Just
a beer night, you know-my eighteenth
birthday. 1t won't happen again, | as
sure you. Ta-ta!"
During the next week Bolker was
wretched because his neighbor did not
appear. Doubtless he was angry. To
have stopped his birthday party was
but ones duty Rot! Ones duty was
to have waited at least awhile longer.
AS a matter of fact Watson, as Bolker
should have known, was too busy for
visiting, in that year before the mid
years. To keep off probation would be
hard struggle. He had determined ac-
cordingly to work hard and did, so that
he scraped through ingloriously.
One day after the troublous times
were over the proctor was disturbed
in his work by well-known bang at
the door, and in answer to his Come
in" Watson appeared all breathless.
81 say, my folks are in the next room.
They surprised me, and l want you to
meet them now, please"
I'D like to-" replied Bolker, nervous
ly, "but-but I'm busy, that is"
"Bosh, my dear fellow; there's no
one but mother and sister. I've told
'em SO much about you they insist on
seeing you, and when they insist you
might as well give in right off; it saves
time. They'll be insulted if you don't.
Come on, there's good fellow"
Bolker had never before met any
ones people, and didn't know quite
how to do it. So it was only after many
misgivings that he at length consented.
But he found Mrs. Watson much like
her son, and a brief talk with her made
him forget his hands and feet. Later,
to Miss Watson's sincere thanks for his
looking after her brother and to her
interested queries that disclosed abso-
lutte ignorance OF all things academic,
Bolker found himself answering with
more freedom than he had ever dreamed
of. The girl had all the unaffected
frankness of her brother, augmented
by a thousand little womanly graces,
thatoquite captivated him.
At the end of blissful hour came
the climax; they asked him to dine.
And when he perforce declined, they
sweepingly rebutted his arguments; he
was not stranger; they had seemed
to know him for ages; he had been so
good to Fred. In short, he accepted.
At the end of week Watson's peo
pie took rooms in Cambridge. Mother
likes the place better than Boston" eX-
planned the boy. I'm the chief at
traction, and they want to be near me.
Oh-and they want you TO call, often.
Sis thinks you're just about the right
Sort Bolker flushed. That's very
nice, I'm sure"
And he did call often; the girl was
wonderfully attractive. When, after
two months stay, she and her mother
left, Bolker for the first time fn his
college career, felt lonesome.