The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-21
DUFFhR OF YALE DOWNED.
He Was of tho Class Of 1905, and Few Yale
Men Knew Him.

ing all the notabes Of your university do not know
DulicT, and you never will | made buffers &C
quaintancc quite by accident, though had seen
him around for several years II was at the Yale
Princeton game Of five or six years ago. The
Yale quarter back secured the ball in his own
territory and went racing down tho field with IT,
You remember the event The quarter lodged
the whole Princeton rush line in the first twenty
yards of his run We who were watching the
game and who knew how important II was that the
ball should be landed down near Princcton's goal
saw the quarter back grab the ball. tuck II Sc
curcly under his ARM and then for half minute
disappear from view. II was only by the commU-
ton among the Tigers that we were able to guess
where the quarter back was, for he was small
When he popped out into the open field running
for his life, with score Of men closely following
and only two men between him and the Princeton
goal We breathcd hard. You remember how he
kept on with the ball until the Princeton full back
downcd him within ten yards Of the line and the
shout that followed the play. When the shouting
died out some one tugged at my elbow, and a
familiar voice said
81 beg your pardon, sir but that is great gain
for US tSn'tit?'
1T is said l.
My qucstioner old Hodson who for many
years was the jani,or Of the bachelor apartment
!
son, and there something about the man.
possibly the neatness with which he dressed that
suggested better days Hodson never nsinuated
in any way that he had seen better days. The
men in the house had that impression however
and they oil treated him in kindly fashion. As
he stood beside me, wrapped up in n big ulster
which Johnson had given him several years be-
fore when johnson got married and gave up his
rooms. noticed that he wore huge blue ribbon
in his buttonhoe.
We are putting UP still game sir aren't we?'
continued Hodson You see, sir. it's tho first
game that have ever SEEN and now that am
going regularly want TO know something about
football want to cheer our boys ntelligcn,ly,'
why, Hodson didn't know that you were
an old Yale man
81 am not sir. though | was nearly prepared
for Yale when-when it became impossible for
me go. am loyal on the buffers account
And who is the DuTcr' asked.
MY son, sir. His real name is John, but like
to call him DuiTcr, and he likes it better
This puzzled me- because II was understood
that liodson was wdowcr with only one child,
boy about 10 years old
az didn't know that you had boy in college.
HodSOn, | aid
him playing around the hail Sturdy little chap.
Just ten this last September. that's tho DuiIer.
sir, and he's going TO enter Yale in the class OF
The bali was carried over the Princeton line
and the irba over the touchdown interrupted
our discussion Of buffer 1905 When the game
was fnishe with the score in our favor had
glimpse Of Hodson breaking across the field to
applaud the victorious team, Several days after
| met liodson in the hall and he remarked:
We'll: we did Princeton up brown didn't We
| think from his build that Dufer will he in
do YOU think about him?
well he may, make q good tackle, said !,
said Hods0n Luck has not always been with
me- sir bit when really make up my mind to
didn't laugh about Dufcr, when | told you his
class haven't any ambition for myself ! do
want Dut!cr to get ahead and a year ago | began
an account in the savings bank in buffers name
The more / thought of Hodson and DuHer
the moro they interested me. and fell into the
habit II dropping in t. sec Hodson and the boy
Whenever ia the tmc. DufIer was sturdy.
H"dson was an unusual man: He would get in.
formation from me- about life at Yale without
seeming to question me: and he stored up every
stray fact for buffers benefit One evening he
shoNc1 me with pride an oak desk which he had
purchased chcaplv from one Of his tenants
lis that about what the boys use at fale?
he asked
Its rather better than the average students
desk replied
1T VIII b. none to good for Dufer / nm
going II box il M and put il away for him It's
the irs thing that have bought for his room
next five months. He bought desk chair. two
big leather covered chairs and pair Of Bagdad
curtains, an old-fashoncd student lamp and
a lounge
These things are Just the beginning. sir he
said, and want DuTer TO be comfortable in col
, lcge He will have hard enough time Of il when
he graduates You said that some Of the boys
had cpored English prints in their rooms sir
and know where | can pick up couple for
Another foot ball season had come around
AMI for several davs after Princeton had defeated
II =,
death in the house
III don't like to discuss that game sir said
Hodson. 1 couldn't help, feeling, when saw
men as DufTer will be when he enters college were
badly nceled Duifcr saw tho game with me
and he felt just as badly as did, However, We
have always had lots Of sand at Yale. haven't
We, sir think that We may pull out Of the hole
before another season is over
1T 81 happened that there were half dozen
Vale men who lived in this bachelor apartment
house and hid ,old them oil about DufTer, Yale
1905 They all Liked llodsOn and they frequently
pleased him by asking about DufTcr II was a
proud day for lIodscn When we presented }ele
swcaer nTr1 md Sm ~ footnoi one night t
| hall with bundle under h is C0a'
Haven't been robb.ng house, Hodson hope,
well pretty nee! it,, said Hodson, VIVA.
r, under his ~@ S l.G %nt very n ,s sign
what on,carth have you brought that home
| for asked.
| signs Just rs good Mi Hastings Was telling
| me the other day ahc"t the signs he used 10 steal
! when nc was in college thought il there was
| any s,ellrg u tc done hat I'd better do il and
| stock buffers room with so many signs that he
| would have no tcmptgtiou 10 steal Do you think
! TINT one Will do nuiICr is getting strong IN
! arithmetic and think that mathematics will be
! his bent He is beginning 70 talk good deal
! abnu. college since you gentlemen gave him that
| Yale Swcnt r.
! Il always suspected that the plumbing was bad
! in that apartment house. HOdson and Dufer
/ lived in the basement Two or three days after
| DufIer became II, We, who were his Trends heard
| Of it, II didn't look serious until the physician
| announced that DufTcr was suffering from typhoid
| fever Hodson riCd 10 be hopeful
| ~ guess the ball is in buffers territory he
would say in response to our questions, but buffer
| is a Yale man and he has sand, lie will make a
/ long run for safety soon am sure oft Duffcr
| can't I've downcd now They will need him in the
! rush line about 1908. | have put his signs up
| where he can sec them and the Yale sweater is on
| the chair beside him. Duf'er is going to pull
| through.
| Several days later lIodson was not quite so
| sure of the case Instead Of asserting that Dufer
was g,.ng = pull out all Eight he asked US il We
| buffer rcr,shrd and with him Hodson $ hopes and
| ambitions We placed floral wreath on buffers
| coffin marked Yale, 1905 and Hodson came
| around 10 thank us two days later Then he
| threw up his lob and disappeared Can't help