The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1901-11-26

other connection offered her the post
or nursery governess. Lillian, except
for the promise of possible ability in
painting, had no money making gifts
and no training. She tried the aunt
for six weeks and then wrote to Law
renee that she had accepted the gov
erness place. This news reused Perci-
val as he had never, been reused in his
life. Lillian, with her delicate beauty.
sensitive nature and extreme youth.
alone and unprotected! The thought
was not to be borne. He bestirred
himself as he had never done before.
he asked favors Of friends, Of ac-
quaintances, of strangers even. He
begged for testimonials and creden.
tials; he Knocked at every possible
door, and now at last the tide had turn.
ed. His old luck had come back.
The letter he was reading there in
"study" contained the offer Of pro-
fessorship In a small but distinguished
college. The place. the work, suited
him exactly. and he would be able to
marry that summer. 'The chair will
be vacant at the end Of this year."
wrote the president. "and the appoint
ment is practically in my hands, but /
wished, before mentioning your name.
to find out yOur feelings on the mat
ter. know your writings, of course.
and what you stand for. but it is what
] have heard OF your work with boys
and young men that makes me feel
you are the man for US. We want
some one who will attract and win our
| students-some one who. both in the
| lecture room and outside 1t, will be a
power In their lives"
The gong Changed fer supper, and the
quiet schoolroom changed on the in
slant into noisy life. Percival put the
letter In his pocket: he would write to
the president of Y. college that even
ing, and then-then he would write to
Lillian! His other letter was from her;
but he always kept her letters till the
last, and now he would not read this
one until he should be alone.
As he came up from supper the head
called ont: Can you stop in my study
for moment. Percival?" and the two
went in together to a room unlighted
except for a fire lazily smoldering on
the hearth-the May evening was chill
and for the sunset glow outside. The
head turned on the light, but did not
draw the curtains, and Lawrence drop
ped into a chair
1--we Just had a letter from Stanley
Irish. the head began. "You know the
man mean?
| Il have read his book" the other an
swered.
"Well. he's q fine fellow and sound
scholar, but shy, reserved and hard to
know. That book got him professor
ship at X. college. and now he writes
that he is being forced to resign"
whats the matterf" asked Law
renee.
"Oh. he doesn't get on very well with
the students-his electives are not pop
ular. I confess I don't think Irish ex-
actly the man for undergraduate work,
but It will be very shortsighted in x.
not to keep him. They are going to en-
large their graduate department, and
he's just the man for that; but, as it Is,
he isn't popular, and he suspects, too,
that they are disappointed that he
hasn't published anything more. The
idea! Why. that first book Of his was
the result Of ten years work-that was
why 1t was good for something! ]
know how 1t is: He has put his best
work into his lectures-they have been
lover the students heads. and he has
not had time for writing. 1 call it mon.
strously unfair?'
"But see herer' said Lawrence. 'The
good Of the whole must be considered
before that Of the Individual. You
would not keep a master here who
was bad for the school?"
THAT does not sound like you. Law.
renee" answered the head. mo good
can come to the whole which, In my
Ieyes. makes lawful an injustice to the
Individual And you know how I fee
in matters like this-make all the In
lQuiries you can beforehand; then Civ,
10 man fair chance. After that, Il
he's Enthusiastically lazy or worthless Of
hopelessly incompetent, get rid of him
But you know how 1t is often done
A man has q bit Of reputation; he il
there is no adequate Investigation into
his fitness for the place, and when fol
come reason bis star wanes he:
thrown overheard. You remembeI
Lewis? ] think this is just such an
other case. l do not think Irish ha.
been fairly treated. They took hin
from a place which, II not very good
was at least sure. and he has only beer
q short time at K. He writes to N,
1 ozx- ~~,-t~r s%rV <hlcl xI,-o,c 49,, -
in making a fight. He does not wfsl
to do so. but his wife is slowly dyin,
of an incurable disease, and he would
do anything TO stave off resigning Jus
now. Poor fellow! He's had that owe
bIm all the time. and he says 1t hai
been the anxiety, Joined to getting ac
crstomed TO new work. that has KEEP
him from publishing. Possibly b.
summer he might have had somethin,
ready. His friends tell him the matte
has been brought to a head by tn,
board having an eye on man the!
think will be strong card for X. Ha,
the right man not been found just nov
the affair might have dragged aloni
end Irish would have had a decen
chance"
Percival had risen and gone to tn
window. The dark stems Of the elms
: with their lacelike fringe of leaves
stood out against the pale rose Of th
: fast fading sunset. Groups Of boy
: were scattered over the lawn, an
, from the tennis courts foated "
shouts and laughter. As the hea,
finished Percival turned back to tn
room.
"It's A pitiful story" he said