The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1903-12-25
RufuS'
EQreEell
II OP... s1,Ry By
DOUGLAS
COPYRIGHT, 1905, BY 4. C. Mcclure

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 Sims, u. s. N,
was in love.
That 1t was IN attack Of cadet love
his classmates emphatically denied. At
Annapolis the accepted proverb is "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 I'm love was
evinced when Reardon. his roommate,
came suddenly upon the young man in
a reverie Of which the inside boards Of
his locker door seemed to be the object.
Reardon coughed and otherwise made
his presence known. If Rufus had been
caught I'm the act Of scaling the wall he
could not have exhibited n more guilty
expression. For the first time in their
acquaintance Reardon saw the big lieu
tenant blush like schoolgirl. His color
rvaled the auburn Of his hair, from
which he derived his sobriquet.
A photograph Of 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.
Reardon looked at the picture for a
minute. studying girlology. Rufus?
heasked to break the awkward silence.
Looks like it, doesn't it7" Rufus
embarrassment was evident.
1T needs study, old man. A fellow
must study 1t carefully, and even then
he often 'funks' when the test comes"
This species needs it," admitted Ru-
fus, looking up ut the face in the pho
tograph.
"Yes." said Reardon In n slightly in
ferrogative tone. He did not want to
seem curious.
"She-it's Bess, you know-writes me
that she will be unable to come to the
farewell hop. She has n previous en-
gagement. she says"
Perhaps she has" Reardon suggest
ed by way Of consolation, although the
idea seemed ludicrous to him. a previ-
GUS engagement when the Annapolis
farewell hop was In question:!
well, but she couldn't, man-that Is,
We have talked Of it the whole year
and when I was at home on the last
leave we-well, Reardon, we sort of
fixed things up. you know" confessed
Rufus. the deep red dodglng through
his skin again. "And she said she
would be down for the hop and to our
graduation. l suppose it's her wem-
ans prerogative to change her mind,
but Rufus hesitated.
II understand, old man. It's a bit
rough on fellow. She may explain
later" Reardon felt awkward in the
role Of sympathizer. 1t was such n for
eign element in his relation with Ru-
fus.
There's one little thread Of possibil-
ity In some nonsense which has passed
between us that might explain matters
to me; but, oh, 1t Is such an absurd,
such an utterly impossible, reason, that
would not suggest it to her"
Rufus was silent. Should he put in
to words the foolish little matter which
had been weighing upon his mind7
Reardon looked Mt him expectantIy.
You know, Rcardon. how we fel-
lows always joke and laugh about the
necessity OF naval officers marrying
money. You realize that on every oc-
casion we give vent to the time worn
declaration that we must have a girl
with capital. I, like the rest of you,
have done 1t, and-well, Bess was quail
lied In that direction, though il never
occurred to Inc at the time.
Recently her father met with re-
verses-not serious, you understand
but. oh. hang 1t. don't you see? She
might have taken all that nonsense Sc
riously," finished Rufus. He did not
look up Mt Reardon.
And Reardon did just the wrong
thing Mt that moment He laughed. It
all seemed so far out of the limits OF
possibility.
Forgive me. Rufus" he said put
ting out his hand, "but I could not helm
II. Cheer mp. And. say, Rufus, don't
you think perhaps overstudy has affect
ed your head?" he said, significantly In
dicating his head.
Rufus smiled in spite of himself and
grasped his roommate's hand.
Perhaps" he said, closing the locker
door and taking up his cap. "Goipg to
Mrs. Buffers"
The latter question was quite unnec-
essary. for Mrs. Butler was the wife Of
Lieutenant Commander Butler of the
Naval academy, and her teas were gen.
orally considered the last torments of
the first class man. not that they were
but they were a duty,
part Of their education for the life of a
naval officer.
Personally Rufus considered them
less OF duty than n pleasure, for he
had spent several pleasant hours with
the gracious hostess.
As they pulled the old fashioned
knocker Of the house in Blake row Ru.