The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-01-20
OF an hoyrr Ieefore time

fehree-QuarterS OF All hour before 'tfme
was up, he handed in his book and sour.
Eried out.
When the examination ended liolker
faint and trembling, strobe to the room
of his friend. Through the open door
he deserted the goody collecting in
1.-The floor.
"Where's MIR. Watson?" he demand.
ed, fiercely.
"Why, he's jest this very minute went
away, swearin' around that he'd never
make his train! Such mess you never
seen, sir! He's terrible careless, is Mr.;
Watson, sir, and was to say good-by
for him"
Bolker slammed the door. His anger
was rapidly oozing away. Poor little
chap, he's SO young! 1t was an awful
temptation and he yielded. Bolker, you
blackguard, you hope he pulled
through. You do, strand it's enough
to have stopped HIM, made him fall
Yes, and why, why? For big, grind.
ing corporation called Harvard, OF
which you are the tool, the spy. For
that you've sacrificed your friend, your
only one, her brother!"
All thorugh the summer Bolker toiled,
solitary and wretched, hoping, praying.
in spite of himself, ,hat Watson had con-
trived to pass and would return. Never
had summer seemed SO hot, so long, so
uncomfortable; never had he accom-
plished so little; never had he made
such childish mistakes; never felt so ut
terly alone.
AS October drew near. he became
more and more Respondent. fearing he
should never again see his by now
canonized friend. He even thought of
resigning, for the reason that in allow
ing another to cheat he had himself
cheated.
But one morning he was startled and
shocked by hearing the voice he so we'll
know: Hello, Bolker; lend me match,
will you?"
"Natson, Watson" he cried. spring.
ing up. "Did you"
"Well, i guess passed everything
pretty we'll; two DIS, two c Minus, and
don't faint nova B-yes, sir, a B
in English. You must have been my
mascot that day when you were in the
room. Oh, and say-good news! My
family are coming to live in Cambridge;
they liked it so much-and they want
to be remembered. Now, didn't for
get to tell you, did I? You're surprised
about that B. HIM! Clearly, sir, you
have heretofore moderated my ability!
Well, I always liked Ben and Dome and
that lot-but what's the matter with
you, man? You look funny. Whe-ew!
I remember now. So you did believe
was cheating in that exam? Why, at
the time l thought surely you were
joking. But, do you know, it bothered
me often during the summer, because
remembered how serious you looked,
and that you changed with the other
proctor. Lord, man, you ought to have
known better! I'm sorry you thought
that of me. am sorry! Don't deny it,
man-you can't! Oh. I'm not angry,
but you must have thought me a beaut!
remember it now, and suppose it did
look suspicious, and ought not to have
done it. But couldn't help it. There
was an awful grind in front of me. He
wrote like steam engine. two pages a
minute, you know! I liked watching
him scratch away, but didn't look to
see what he was writing. I'm not as
bad as all that. Don't be foolish.
Bolker. You look as if you were going
to cry. You haven't shaken hands yet.
Put her here!"
Bolker, unable to speak, covered Wat.
sons big hand with both his own and
looked away.-Harvard Advocate.