Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1904-01-29
ROCKVILLE MARYLAND FRIDAY MORNING, JANUARY 90 1904
RufuS'
Farewell
Hop... Il RUBY
DOUGLAS
Copyright, 1908, bv 4. C. Mcclure

! Copyright, 1905, bv T. C. Mcclure /
+ t+f-sst a.s-fi-s-'E
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. NJ,
was in love.
That 1t was an attack of cadet love
his classmates emphatically denied. At
Annapolis the accepted proverb Is "ca-
Diet 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
evinced when Reardon, his roommate,
came suddenly upon the young man In
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 In the act of scaling the wall he
could not have exhibited u more guilty
expression. For the first time in their
acquaintance Reardon saw the big lieu
tenant blush like schoolgirl. His color
rivaled 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 glrlology, Rufus2"
he asked TO break the awkward silence.
Looks like 1t. doesn't It" Rufus
embarrassment was evident.
st 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 at the face in the pho
tograph.
Eyes" said Reardon In slightly in
| terrogatlve tone. He did not want to
seem curious.
"She-it's Bcss. you knOw-writes me
that she will be unable to come to the
farewell hop, She has n previous en-
gagemcnt, 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 1t the whole year
| and when was at home on the last
leave we-well. Reardon. we sort Of
fixed things up. you know" confessed
| Rufus. the deep red lodging through
| his skin again. "And she said she
would be down for the hop and to our
| graduation. | suppose it's her wom-
| ans prerogative to change her mind,
| but Rufus hesItated.
| 81 understand, old man. It's n bit
rough on fellow. She may explain
Infer" Reardon felt awkward I'm the
role OF sympatbIzer. II was such n for.
eign element I'm his relation with Ru.
fus.
"Tbere,s ono LITTLE thread NJ nossIbil.
uv I'm some nopsonse which has nossed
hotwoan no nat might axnIoin ,ottars
IN mo. but nh II ia such an absurd
such an uttorIv lmnossihla REAGAN that
I womb not snrpest n IN bor"
minus wns silent SbonId he mt in.
IN words tho foolish IIttIa matter which
had henp WEIGHING unon HE mInd3
Reordon IooLod ot lin oxnoc,o,,Iv
"you L,ow poardor bo,y wo Poi,
,o,,a a,,,oys toLo ard IauoI oho,,, ,ho
nocaosI,v 81 nayoI og,oara rnorrn,no
money Won roarIgo ,ho, IN avorv on
cnsIon we pIyo wont IN tho t,mo worn
docInrotio, That y, n,,s, haze ,,,,I