Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-11
CHAPTER VIII.
A Rumble of Thunder.

against tire physicians advice; but the ire
mendous stories afioat had reached his eyes
and ears, especially that of the Star. Young
Stetson could not be heard yet but the
father had no such limitations. 1t may be
safely asserted that outside of college
circles nine-tenths of the community were
ready to believe the Stetson story as told
by that paper, to wit: That, smarting under
the injustice done him by the faculty. the
young fellow had been looking everywhere
for his father in hopes of getting him to go
to the president for a final appeal Con-
trary to his usual bit, and having guests
to entertain, Mr.. Stetson had decided on
taking them for a late fish dinner at Cedar
Point, and young Stetson. hearing of this,
had later started to walk thither, taking
the short cut through the college grounds.
When nearing the west grove in the dark
ness he caught sight of Capt. Fame passing
underneath the lamp post at Fullan gate
and entering the grove from the south. The
next moment he heard furious blows,
stified cry for help and a shot, and, know
ing the hatred in which Fame was held by
many students" instantly OWNED the cause,
rushed to the rescue, and, even while striv-
ing to defend the PROSTATE form, was felled
by a savage blow with some heavy bludgeon
that blinded him and broke his nose In
doing good for evil he had nobly suffered
martyrdom, declared the elder Stetson and
it was now the colleges turn and opportu-
nifty to do right by at once renstating the
boy. If it didn't Stetson and the law would
be heard from.
Miss Hoyt had not left her room since
the night of the occurrence-indeed. had
hardly left her bed, and the matron and
physician of the Hall declared her too much
shaken to submit to interrogations such as
the president desired.
The story she told at the time was that,
feeling ill and nervous, she had gone out
for air, and suddenly shocked by the
sound of blows and struggles close at hand
in the grove Then came shot, whereat
in fright she screamed for help Some dark
forms rushed away, and then, hearing
means. she followed the sound and there
lay Capt Fame. Duggan came almost in
stantly thereafter, and others, and finally
She was led away. Yes. in answer to the
matron's question, asked three days later,
she certainly. saw dimly form. that of
young Stetson, slowly and painfully finding
his feet and holding his hands to his face.
peared.
Fame, Intercepted by the president, as to
why he had gone armed and what had hap
pened replied that he had not gone armed
-whereat the president looked dazed and
later doubtful-and that there would have
been no opportunity to use arms even had
he carried a pistol He was struck down
suddenly from behind, and actually knew
nothing more. The anonymous note was
shown to the doctor. He read and slowed
it in his pocket. 1t seemed to him I'M
seemly that, then, both Captain and Miss
Fame declined to part with 1t even to him.
more than any man in this community, was
1 unarmed," said Fame unflinchingly, land
now decline to part with proofs that may
be needed to repel other accusations
Verify, between Fame and Sharpe the good
doctor was gaining new and undesired
views on the doctrine he long had
preached-that of individual responsibility
and independence of action. Like Thomas
Jefferson, Sir Joseph Porter, K. c. B., and
other expounders on social equality, DIR.
Parsons was amazed when it reacted upon
himself and his assumed prerogative
But it was now becoming evident to those
who knew Fame that he was far more per-
turbed in spirit than injured in the flesh.
In falling his left arm had doubled under
him and escaped further damage. The
blow at the back of the head had been
we're and stunning and the brutal tramplng
or kicking that followed had badly bruised
and disfigured his face. One hack on the
right cheek would probably leave a scar
as permanent the Apache mark along
the forehead. But his wrath over, the at
fair was far too deep for words. 1t was
something of which, apparently, he could
not bear to speak, and declined to speak,
even when the president himself appeared
a second time asking to be shown to the
patients room, where it seems, he had
wasted little time in expressions of regret
or sympathy, but quite number of words
in questions which failed to elicit the de-
sired answer. Fame shut his jaws like
steel trap, and his eyes had a look the
president afterward spoke of as furious,
when it became obvious that the object was
to draw admissions that Fame had knOWl-
edge of certain after-dark movements of a
certain resident of Clifton Hall. The pres
ident left without the information he de-
sired, and with additional and somewhat
alarming insight into the character of this
intractable, if not insubordinate, subordi
nate.
When Fame reappeared to his few friends
of the faculty he was all cordiality and
gratitude to Sharpe and Lorimer. He was
Tow fn n ia
the president They thought, many of
them, that now he would surely resign and
quit. Indeed, it was understood that the
executive committee stood ready to act at
once,- but Sharpe laughed loud al the idea.
so far from resigning," said he, you'll
find that young man sticking tighter than
wax to his work. If the trustees are asked
to decide anything it will be what salary
to give him. Listen to that!
That" it turned out, was a sudden
and tumultuous outburst of cheers from the
gymnasium, where the temperance of the
commandant had led to a scene. as Kipling
would put 1t, totally unprovided for in the
regulations'-a burst of cheers from the
battalion. reinforced by over hundred
young men of the undergraduate body,
who had been holding a students meeting
to express their sentiments regarding the
articles appearing in the press. That meet
ing, called by the students themselves in
accordance with the custom of the college,
led to new and unlOOked-fOr developments.
1t had been addressed by the president, who
counseled moderation; said much about
| their duty to the state and to the college,
more about the evil influences of the sa-
| loon, and still more about the unseemly
! spirit of comba tiveness, the lust for battle.
the rage for revenge, that he feared would
influence their councils instead of that
broad and Christian-like attitude toward
| their fellow men that should characterize
the deliberations of the youth of these en-
! lightened days. He received his need of
| applause-they always applauded, and most
of them honered. their president Then,
| with his coat tails streaming in the wind
and his felt hat crammed down and held on
| the back of his head, he strobe away across
| the campus to another meeting, a meeting
of the professors, called by himself to con-
| slider certain changes in the regulations
applying to Clifton Hall-changes, as he
| said, suggested by recent events" and he,
too, heard and was arrested by the sudden
outburst of cheers He looked back in mild
establishment
ITS for the captain" explained old Dug
gan, with a Celtic grim Hes a good
plucked one, an it'll be sorry day for
them town blackguards when he gets out
and after en-
The president sighed and passed within.
Could he never teach these fiery young
| spirits that when one cheek had been sore
smitten, the other also, in meekness and
resignation, should be turned?