Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1902-06-13
The. Rivalry Of.
| Brock andHigby.
By J. II. RAFTERY


n, HIs medical students didn't quite
understand David Brock. of
Lexington, KY. He was red
haired giant, with bright, brown
eyes and smile that must have won
his way with women if he had cared
10 try it. But he didn't. He had a
grim, sly sort of humor- and ca
pacity for affection peculiar to men
of his type, but he seemed to ignore
women, and during his first term at
Bush medical college he was never
even suspected of IAN affair.""
Then he didn't drink red liquor A
kentuckian who doesn't drink and
has no eye for women is supposed to
re an anomaly. The ries
Of Brock regarded him as freak"
even while they respected and loved
Finn. He was as poor as Lazarus and
IS proud as Lucifer. Perhaps these
qualities hindered. any natural bent
be. may have had for frivolity, for he
lived like a hermit and got his amuse-
ment free in the. laboratory and the
lecture room.
Brock was SO poor at the end of
us AASb tO1 LIZ AO Udu SOUCSu
down to celluloid collars and a dark
eo1ored stock. He used to make his
notes on pale yellow paper that
looked suspiciously like the kind
bundle wrappers use, and his one suit
Of clothes was getting past the stage
IN which brushing and pressing fools
people. If Brock had chum. Highly
was the man. A rich, reckless trifier
was Highly, full of ebullient spirits
and bent on proving that life was a
farce, the medical profession a joke
and woman "a toy. How on earth
Highly ever got on the right side of
Brock nobody knew, but he did, and,
what was stranger yet, Brock seemed
10 like him. Money? Not at ALL
Brock would have starved before he
would borrow money from any man,
and even in the days of their closest
intimacy the Kentuckian never was
known to accept even the hospitality
Of meal from his wealthy friend.
When Brock came back for his sec
ond year he had a new suit that
must have cost at least ten dollars.
lie had risen again to linen collars,
Gecktfes and shirts, and all knew
then that he had put in his vaca-
hon at'worl1. There were a few bis
ters on his big hands, and the tan on
his skin was the red scorching of
days in the wheat field rather than
The sallow of a season by the sea-
shore. Highly came back, too He
Was wilder than ever, and he hadn't
attended three lectures before he be-
gan to talk about "the new fairy"
1t seems that during the summer a
new laundry had opened just round the
corner, and behind the counter was
stationed a young woman who, accord
ing TO Highly, 'for looks and style, had
the flag beat block" Brock was pres
mt the first time Highly mentioned
his discovery" and even the enthusi-
tstic scapegrace noticed the sheer on
:he- Kentuckian's face as the slangy
description of the girls charms was
spoken. OF course, every one of hun
fred students who had heard of Hig-
by's ''laundry queen" went past the
place on the way home to get glimpse
of the beauty. Sure enough, there she
was, surprising even Higby's blatant
praise; :queenly girl of 1s, great
slumbroas eyes, hair like spun bronze,
The poise of an aristocrat in the gown
of "a lady's maid. Sc
Within ten days every student, and
90 be perfectly just. some of the pro
lessons of Bush college were send
ing their linen to the new laundry
Rather they were bringing it there
and calling for it in person. If the
krade of the place had been all with
medical students there would have
been no need of "a delivery wagon
Every man jack of them not only in
sisted, on carrying home his owl
washing" but made q practice o.
eafling for it. at least twice before
sae time set for its readiness.
At least half of these customer,
Rere desperately in love with the new
sivinity within a fortnight. The,
made the most extraordinary effort.
towin a glance, if not a smile; they sa
ap nights continuing schemes to lear,
her name, to awaken her interest
10 start a conversation with her
The janitor began to find lot o
weird poetry in the waste baskets
The slovens began to dress up, an.
he dudes became almost glorified il
their sartorial homage to the CIR
It the laundry. bhe yielded not al
ota of recognition to any of them
She was serenely gracious to all un
81 the business in hand was transact
ID, and then she receded into har,
mt beautiful shell of stately reti