The San Francisco call., 1905-06-04

ftH NE thing leads 10 another. you
know" said Father Crowley to
IL this casual way Father
Crowley explained TO me how
Rutherford Agricultural College came TO
be.
So, easily. off-haadedly. he accounted
for the realization Of the hobby OF the
kindest heart and wisest head that ever
worked for the welfare Of the boy wai-
We were rocking on the front porch or
the cottage at Rutherford Agricultural
Goliege-imposing title that. for all the
gentle, soothing charms OF nature that
rolled away ia panorama Of pastoral
beauty 10 the distant hills, for all the
pleasant. homely sights and sounds OF
farm life that ali about Us appealed 70
eye and ear.
The little songbirds twittered and flut-
tered IN shrubs and trees. important with
the cares OF family life. The liquid note
Of the lark and the CHEEKY cali of the
robin alternated.
A fussy mother hen Whacked a deli
cious fat grub on the ground with her bill
and gave the dinner call. and her brood
Of chicks, Just sprouting tail and wings,
scampereo TO the meal with their shrill
peep peep. peep.
A balmy spring zephyr. ike velvet to
the cheek. sent pink rose petals drifting
across the grass and waited TO US the
scent Of blooming honeysuckle that
clothed the Scared nakedness Of tree
stumps.
A stsccato announcement from a
chicken-run under the walnut trees con-
veyed the intelligence that one more egg
had been added 70 the worlds wealth.
A hound stretched himself lazily
across the gravel path and licked the
hand OF a boy in overalls who stopped TO
suspender and a hat without a band,
grinning widely and happily. natural,
bouyant, touzled boy. not drearily tidy.
suppressed and shrinking institution
boy.
Another boy with a sunburned nose
dashed around the porch corner IN hot
pursuit Of tresDassing pig.
A sleek cat rubbed against porch pill
lar and then came 70 me with the con-
6dence Of a pet used TO gentleness
Across the driveway and through the
bsrnyard swarmed a troop Of boys in
overaIis and cOlOred shirts and hats IN
the various stages Of dissolution peculiar
70 boy attire. and they swarmed noisily.
playfully. with the curious siding lope
OF the boy when he feels his wellbeing.
They swarmed in the wake Of Brother
Paul, a cheerful. un-brOwned Xayerian
brother IN Khaki. leading them 10 their
work IN the hay field. Some Of them broke
from the struggling rank and made dive
for trOvels and mortar boards and wheel
barrows TO do their afternoon stunt at
masonry on the new creamery wall
lean, wcedy boy OF grave demean-
or-the stcady-eyed sort OF boy YOU
can trust with anything-cane out of
the little stone building that holds the
tncubators. carefully closing the door
behind him and carrying in his hand
a panful OF chicken feed. He was on
"a 70. anti he efn
ped 10 pick mp young pigeon and
coddle il in the hollow OF his arm. and
again 70 put his long arm through =
gateway around the neck OF = tame
fawn and press its lovely head against
his faded blue shirt front
Nowhere was there an earmark To
suggest the institution. not even in the
big twO-story frame building with its
cupola and cross, which holds the
schoolrOora. sitting-room and dormi-
tories. In the second story the win
dows were wide open 10 let the sweet.
hay-scented air blow through across
the rows or little white iron beds. and
below IN sunny schoolroom and sit
ting-room were vases Of roses on the
tables and growing roses noddirg their
heads at them from without
Across tho lawn the calves in the
meadow butted each other with youth
ful cxuberance- in a far field dotted
with noble oaks sleek cattle hrowsed
on grass knee high. From the yellow
ing hay field came the busy ciick-ciick
OF the mowers manned by pridefEl
boys jealous OF their privilege
il was all natural and simpIe--aRd
close 10 the beneilcent heart of oEr
good Mother Nature.
The whole scene and ali the life
spoke OF kindness and plenty and
cheerful industry. and OF happy peace.
Any or all OF the boys going about
their simple duties might have been
home boys on homo ranch doing the
tasks set by paternal order.
Through the open door OF the cot