The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-02-19
AN EXPERIMENT IN FRIENDSHIP


ir rdgsty ana Inclined 10 talk. OF object
81 fndinerence ~ quiet and tacslurni rnop
y vel dressed: ncneLtlty g. ike himself.
SHABBY In those fenr years 81 toll Boiker
nerer commifted the conventional college
sins of drinking szroklng or ioaans. In
stead hs spent his time on mathematics.
nou computing. ulth indnite patience.
hon long IL takes fdisalioRins frictioal
Tor drop of water 10 aow from the north
pole 20 the equator. and now mastering
the eccentrloitles 81 PARTICLES and other
dpYHish curves. Hls mathematics
stamped themselves on bis appearance
hia habits and his character. The part IN
his black halF vas the perfection q
siraightnoss Just as regular a. seven
thirty twelve and SIX came each day. 90
regularly be RECALLED himself AZ fo1croft
A. Tor work. hiz was Invariably ready
three days before The required iifne-
B0Iker rraaratea finally with a summa
Gun fhiElast hanors j. maihematies). an
ahnorrnaiiy developed character and
vague l0nEInE THIS last be proved con-
cIuaiVeiy 10 himself was for q conuuu
ance u bis student llfe. and in hopes of
satisfying II he pleaded success ssluily % the
regent fer 3 pr3ctofship-
The uext fail found him ensconced iu
office. heartily trusting he should never
have 20 assert himself While beaut.fy-
4aE his new quarters on the day bef0fe
college opened. with a much connotlns
sheeQelln he was startled by a loud. on
excuse me-but viii you lend me q
matchf from a well dressed lad. standing
az the door.
Certainly. yes; come in." siammered
The proctor. blushlng.
Thanks awfuiiy said the visitor Il
dldnt really want a match sou know.
im your neighbor. and J thought we
might a. well meet. I'm 4 freshtnani my
names Watson"
Strangely, the proctor was nok bored,
indeed. be was glad. Nine hs said,
holding pll his hand tlmlily Is Bolker."
The inseauoua Intruder gfasped q heart
ily
'whai a jolly room you hayer'-ii was
a. reality almost bare-'I suppose you're
. senior"
40. I'm a graduate this year.
That 8 dignihedi What an axe Il must
seem since you came. But 4 see you're
busy fixing up I ought TO BE-. too. I'm
such @ lay dog. though. I'd sit around
end talk an day. IL you'd let me. Well,
% long. Come and see me- Fifteen.
right next door" and out he strode
vhistiinE.
Bolkers heart seemed pushing up to-
ward bis coilarbone. ie had not mem
toned that he was proctor because ne
feared the boy. once knowing III would
not come back. and he wanted him back.
wanted him 70 come ofieni
FITS wish was gratihed. That very night
Watson dropped Ia, now without excuse.
He spoke Of the stranEeneas 81 the place.
of how thoroughly Insignificant one felt
in IT rs though no one would care II you
lived or died wherein it WAS all quite
different from home (home being IN Day.
".|t -.
Boiker surprised himself by playing the
comforter
"arust you be orr Re said. sincerely
sorry, when the lad finally rose to go.
Yes. ] want 10 start u well ana get
up early. I'm tremendously Obliged to-
whew. its later
BY Jove. ! had no Idea q was 80 late.
HAN past tent IN have 70 stop that fel-
low playing his plano W there"
why. you don't mind n. DO your
-Ac-but you see-im proctor IN the
building"
'YouY' the lad laughed. why. you've
Just graduated. You're Joking. aren't
youg"
"No. / really am the proctor"
"Oh, what a cinch I've got" chuckled
the boy. impudentiy Good night. old
man-that is, I mean siri"
The exclamation annoyed Bolker vague
Isl. What II ever a. proctor he should
have 20 = nonsensei lis fears we're
eroundless. The fact that he was proctor
ana not in the least hamper the acquant-
ance from ripening, as time went on.
into friendship. The freshman was young
and liked the proctor's quiet reserve. his
sophisticated advice, and Bolker became
equally fond Of the Wild lad toward whom
his solitary heart turned with a tender
ness almost fatheriy.
One night there came from Watsons
room more noise than WAS usual II be
ran early and prolonged itself Indefinite
lv. The proctor went 20 bed doubling
The noise continued. IL became intolera-
BILE Jumping into his slippers (which
wose always, toes out precisely az right
angles 10 the bed), Bolker raped at the
door. For an instant the noise ceased
then the proctor heard from within LET
me go. I'm an right i tell YOU and
an angry shut up. get in there quick;
fu 70. in the voice Of Watson, who
thereupon. looking extremely silly ap-
pcared az the door.
Wont you please stop the nOisef fal-
tered Bolker. ~ can't sleep. il you don't"
Were we making a noise2 Really -
aIt doesn't matter at an II you'll only
STOP Good night
Good night. sir" The door slammed
with a sc-nie and q blended chorus Of
"Tou old liar,-eh. eh-give me that
Wn00pl
Bolker slipped into bed, very miserable.
lie hated TO do g. Out 90 the hall he
heard another scuhie. mournful re-
proaches blasnhemous diatribes against
an proctors and reluctant good nights.
But It was long, despite the succeeding
ouict. before he slept.
Next morning Watson appeared for an
instant 10 iterate hts regrets. Just
beer night. sou know-my eighteenth
birthday ID won't happen again, I as-
sure sou. Ta-ta'
Daring the next week Bolker was
4rcfched because bis neighhor did not
apnear. Doubtless be was angry To
have stopped hts birthday party was
bat ones duty, Rot. ones duty was
fo have waited al least a while longer.
As a matter OF fact Watson as Bolker
shouid have known. was too busy for
wishing. in that week before ihe midi
wear. To keep on probation vouii be a
hard struggle. He had determined ac-
cordineiv. to work hard. and did. SO that
lfe saraped throuah ingioriously
one day after the troub.ous times were
ever thc proctor was disturbed in hts
work by = wen knovn bang at The door
rnd In answer 10 his Come in. Watson
arncared an breathiess - say. my folks
nra in the next room. They surprised
~ and ! want you 30 meet them. now.
please.
..l-f IKE to rcnifcd B8lkfr. nervous