Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-07-15
LITERARY.
A College Boycott.

A College Boycott.
The train creakingly drew up to the
! little station. \ score or more of pas
| sengers alighted. There We're many
| young men and young women on hand
/ to note the arrivals. The coming Of
! that train was one Of the daily events
| in the college town. 1t was the only
| link that bound the quiet place to the
| noisy outside world.
But this particular train meant more
:han usual. II brought visitors, par
ents. friends. trustees. For this was
commencement time.
Among the arrivals was quietly
dressed man Of middle age with a gray
mustache and keen blue eyes \ tall
young man pushed forward With out
stretched hand.
Father
John. my son.
y moment later the two We're walk
ing up the long main street beneath
the beautiful naples. the young man
| lightly carrying the heavy travelling
bag.
BY George, my boy" cried the older
man. as he drew in long breath and
gazed admiringly at the youth. lit
does me good to see you-and to see
You here. | seem to See myself again
trudsing up this Very street-not quite
50 tall. perhaps. but | fancy much the
same build. And how are YOU my lad?
You know | haven't laid eyes on you
for nearly a year
quite well. father. and in exccllern
spirits"
And the football knee"
Seems all right again. Ill prove it
to YOU when we do a little of that hill
climbing that you promised me-"
Yes. yes. my boy" cried the old
man with a merry laugh. I'll show
You where your father got in mischief
in those dear old days. And To think
that I've let all these years slip by
without revisiting the old home.
As he spoke a group Of merry boys
and maidcnS passed by. They swept
along without n glance at the tail
youth. The older man turned and
looked after them.
'How's that. my boy?"
What. father?''
why, it seemed to ne that they
meant to snub you. Do You know
them?''
Yes. father; they are Ill college
mates. They meant to snub me all
right. Fact is. I'm Eoycotted."
Bless my soul, Boycotted?"
"Boycotted, father. It's n funny
story. You know I came here deter
mined to devote a year to rest ana
special study. l had the lame knee to
get in shape. and there We're certain
lines of work l wanted to pursue with
Professor Patton. He's the only man
in the college or N the town who knows
who John Sturses' father is. Perhaps
| wasn't very friendly at the start. Tho
boys wanted me to join them in sew
eral things. They wanted me to try
for the football team
But YOU promised me you wouldn't
play again"
Il kept my word. though it was
temptation"
me older man chuckled
What's the joke. father?''
1 was laughing to think of the
greatest half-back Of '96 trying for a
place on village team
OF course they didn't know, and
they didn't like my excuse-the knee
! said | was too busy. That was the
beginning. I'm pretty sure they con-
sldered me stingy. too. Perhaps you
don't know, but | made up my mind
to go through this extra college year
on the same amount that you worried
through on. That didn't leave me much
Tor outside trifles- When they asked
me for contribution for the gymna-
SUM fund l had to refuse them
That was quiXotic. my boy
the young man looked his father
in the face.
Besides, dad. there is girl in the
case
The older man started.
"A girl in the case" he duly re-
peated.
Yes. father. "A charming girl.
But poor, very poor. She started in at
college, but had to stop. Now she's
teaching in kindergarten. I think the
girls-her college mates. you know
snuDbed her because she couldn't dress
quite up to their standard. And I
think, too. they completed the boycott
on me because I sympathized with her
ana paid her some attention. But she's
quite clever girl, father. You must
meet her"
Yes. yes said the older man, 4
little hastily. Then he suddenly
laughed. so you're boycotted, both