The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-12-11
RufuS'
Fdre6Oe ell
Hop. RUBY sy
DOUGLAS

Rufus. or. to give him his title cou-
pied with the name bestowed upon him
by his sponsors in baptism. Cadet Lieu
tenant James Woodward : ms. L. :. N.
was in love.
That il was an attack of cadet love
his classmates emphatically denied. At
Annapolis the accepted proverb * ''ca-
det love is akin to calf love-" and they
could not detect symptoms OF the latter
malady in Rufus.
The fact that he was in love was
evinccd when Rearion. his roommate.
came suddenly upon the young man i'm
reverie of which the inside boards OF
his locker door seemed TO be the object.
Rearion coughed and otherwise made
his presence known. Ii Rufus had been
caught In the act OF scaling the wall he
could not have exhibited more guilty
expression. Tor the first time in their
acquaintance Reartlon saw the big lieu
tenant blush like schoolgirl. His color
rivaled the auburn OF his hair. from
which he derived his sobriquet.
\ photograph of u girl hung on the
inner side OF the locker door. The usual
array OF athletes. family portraits or
| footlight favorites was absent. This
picture alone adorned the space.
Eeartiou looked at the picture for
minute. Studying girlology. Rufus%
he asked 10 break the awkward silence.
Looks like it, doesn't it?' Rufus
4 embarrassment was evident.
1t needs study. old man. \ fellow
must study il carefully. and even then
| he often -fiunks' when the test comes"
This species needs IT," admitted Ru-
fus. looking up at the face in the pho
toSraph.
| Yes" said Rear,lol In slightly In
terrogative tone. lie did not want to
seem curious.
| ..She-it's Bess. you know writes me
that she will bc unable 10 come to the
/ farewell hop. She has u previous en-
gagement. she says.
Perhaps she has Rcardon suggest
ed by way Of ,onsoi- tion. although the
idea seemed IT, . uns to him. \ previ-
ous cngugcmen when the Annapolis
farewell hop was in question:
We'll. but she couldn't. man-that is.
we have talked OF it the whole year
and when ! was at home on the last
leave we-wrIL Reardon. we sort Of
fixed things up. you know" confessed
Rufus. the der'p red dodsing through
his skin again. And she said she
would he down for the hop and to our
graduation. | suppose it's her WON.
ans prerosntive TO change her mind
but Rufus hesitated.
Il understand. old man. It's biz
rough on fellow. She may explain
later" Rear,lon felt awkward in the
role of sympaihizcr Ii was such for
eisn element in his relation with I,u
fus.
There's one little thread OF possibil
ity i'm some nonsense which has passed
between us that might explain matter:
to me: but. oh. II Is such an absurd
such an utterly impossible. reason. tina
would not suggest IL to her
Rufus was silent. Should he put in
TO words the foolish little matter whici
had been weighing upon his mind
Rearion looked at him expectantly.
You know. Eeardon. how we fel
lows always joke and laugh about tn
necessity of naval officers marTyin;
| money. You realize that on every oc
casion we give vent To the time wori
declaration that we must have cir
with capital I. like the rest of you
have done il. and-well. Bcss was quail
, flied in that direction. though ii neve
occurred to me at the time.
Recently her father met with re
verses-not serious. you understand
but. oh. hang 1t. don't you see: Sh
might have taken all that nonsense 81
= riously." finished Rufus. He did no
= look up at Reardon.
And Rearion did just the wron
, thing at that moment. He laughed.
all seemed so far out OF the limits o
, possibility.
Forgive me. Rufus" he said. put
{ ting out his hand. but could not hel
IL. Cheer up. And. say. Rufus. don
1 you think perhaps overstudy has affee
ed your head:'' he said. significantly In
!. dicating his head.
. Rufus smiled in spite of himself an
. grasped his roommate's hand.
:. Perhaps" he said. closing the locke
door and taking up his cap. Going I
Mrs Builcr'sr'
: The latter question was quite unne'
T essary. for Mrs. Butler was the wife q
Lieutenant Commander Butler of I'll
e Naval academy. and her teas were gel
: orally considered the last tormentS {
h the first class man. not that they wet
6 unpleasant. but they were a duty.
part OF their education for the life of
y naval officer.
Personally Rufus considered thei
{ less of a duIy than a pleasure. for !
x had spent several pleasant hours wit
t the gracious hostess.
As they pulled the old fashione
knockcr of the house in Blake row X,
fus pulled himself together as il to ca
all sentimental thoughts from his min
y II Bess had previous engagement
:, she might keepit.
MIR Sims. how do you do? And VI
I" Rearions" said Mrs. Butler from b
- hind the tea table Perhaps I was ju
l. looking for you.''
2. I'VE will give ourselves the benei
% OF the doubt. eh. Rufusr" ReardOn sal
,r glancing about the rsCan. Here IN
,s there were little groups ~ cadets.
- VERY well. Which of you is at libe
ty for the farewell hop?" Mrs. Butt
laughed with the consciousness OF ha
fng asked preposterous question.
Both caJets caught the infection
10 iaurh- hut neither spoke fo- . minute