Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-03

| Written for The Star.
These two plain, unvarnished college
tales are simply apropos Of these first June
days wher institutions of higher
learning are sending out some several
| thousand youths to conquer the land, COM
merciauy, financially, intellectually to the
undying glory of their respective alma
matters.
Room Mates and the Patent feathers.
The afternoon of the college reception,
Dummy" Chandler and Squat" Elliott
made the startling discovery that they had
only one pair of patent leather shoes be-
tween them. The room mates looked rue
fully at the two shiny toes sticking mock
ingly out at them from under the edge of
bed
"And there isn't time ID go to the city
for another pair commented Dummy"
''And we haven't any money, if there was
time added squat"
II wouldn't care" said 'Dumpy" after
a pause ~, 1 hadn't a date with Amelia
Perkins for the whole evening.
"And 1 persuaded May Walker to let me
rush ice cream and lemonade for her." con-
fded Squat
"Dumpy," suddenly, after another period
given over to deep thought.
squat shook his head. Its beyond
me" he said, simply
"Of cour.e it is" replied "Dumpy."
Whose suit have 1 on, and whose suit are
you wearing?"
y don't know, I'm sure, said squat"
"Neither co l." said "Dumpy;" ''and this
is what get for wearing each others
clothes unfortunately through four years
of college. Have we a pair of black shoes
anywhere about?'
''Only tams," confessed squat"
"Then," said 'Dumpy," there's only one
thing for US to do. Wen both have to
wear the patent feathers tonight.
"A heaven full of angels may be able to
dance on the point of neeale," philoso-
phized the other, but two men can't oc-
cupy the same pair of shoes at one and the
same time"
Drop your psychology warned
"Dumpy," ''and listen to me. 1t wont do
for the young ladies to be deprived of our
companionsiiip for the whole evening when
they have teen looking forward to it with
many pleasant antcpations, no doubt So
here's our only salvation You say you
don't know who paid for the patent Ieath-
/ evening in them. Now, let's toss up a
penny to SET, who will wear them the first
half of the evening" -
1t was two best out of three. Squat
won; and half an hour later Dummy was
Dusily engaged explaining to the fair "co-
ed Miss Amelia Perkins. why he would
have to put few last touches on his
thesis that very evening, in order to be
aole to graduate the next day, and that he
was very sorry, but he would not be able
to be with lrer the first part of the recep-
ton, but at nine he could, and it was after
nine that the fun began. anyway, and he
hoped that under the circlIms tances, which
were beyond his control, as she could see,
she would not think hir1 rude, but would
reserve the latter part of the evening for
him. and And Miss Amelia said she
would.
Promptly at seven, the hour set for the
affair." Squat Elliott sailed forth array
ed in the communal patent feathers At
7:15 he was deep in animated conversa-
ton with Miss May Walker; at he was
showing ice cream and lemonade at her, in
the face of numerous protests that she much
preferred refreshments later on: at $50 he
was trying to muster up courage to tell her
that he had been unexpectedly called to the
city to meet an old friend just arrived from
home, and that he would have to leave ON
the 9:15: at $40 they were embodied by the
deep shadow of the great Cherry tree on the
campus; at they had not emerged into the
outer world therefrom, and at $50
"Dumpy' Chandler was cursing the mo-
ment that he proposed the plan (which
would permit both of them to attend the
reception. He was in the midst of vowing
vengeance on his room mates head for the
hundredth time, or Whereabouts, when, sud-
denly. two shiny objects came crashing
through the transom. "Dumpy'' let his