Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1902-06-18
The Rivalry Of
Brock andHigby|
By J. II. RAFTERY

THE 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
to, try it. But he didn't. He had
grim, sly sort of humor and a 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
be an anomaly. The contemporaries
of Brock regarded him as freak"
even while they respected and loved
him. He was as poor as Lazarus and
as proud as Lucifier. Perhaps these
qualities hindered any natural bent
he may have had for frivolity, for he
lived like hermit and got his amuse-
ment free in the laboratory and the
lecture room.
Brock was so poor at the end of
his first term that he had gotten
down to celluloid collars and a dark
colored 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 trifer
was Highly, full of ebullient spirits
and bent on proving that life was
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
to 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.
He had risen again to linen collars,
neckties and shirts, and all knew
then that he had put in his vaca-
ton at work. There were few bis
tiers 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 season by the sea-
shore. Highly came back, too. He
was wilder than ever, and he hadn't
| OF 6o1
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
ent the first time Highly mentioned
his discovery" and even the enthusi
astic scapegrace noticed the sheer OF
the Kentuckian's face as the slang,
description of the girls charms was
spoken. OF course, every one of hun
dred students who had heard of Hig
by's laundry queen" went past tn,
place on the way home to get glimps,
of the beauty. Sure enough, there sh,
was, surprising even Higby's blatan
praise; a queenly girl of IS, grea
slumbrous eyes, hair like spun bronze
the poise of an aristocrat in the gown
of a lady's maid.
Within ten days every student, and
to be perfectly just, some of the pre-
fessors of Bush college were send
ing their linen to the new laundry
Rather they were bringing it Their
and calling for it in person. If tn
trade of the place had been all wit
medical students there would hav
been no need of delivery Wagon
; Every man jack of them not only il
sisted on carrying home his ow
washing" but made a practice c
!. calling for it at least twice befor
the time set for its readiness.
:, At least half of these customer
were desperately in love with the ne
; divinity within fortnight. The
!. made the most extraordinary effort
owin a glance if not a smile. they S.