New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-07
mn VAS NOT E4PELLED'
,c.u,,or spooner's Experience When
n Student.

.1i-,z that Senator John C. Spooner'
FhetS =, lo1-es more, In the midst or MS
Of "i'oe 1,,.,oaI life than an hour of reminis-
acu'e -, an oldtine friend. During such
eeiOe - en3ovs telling stories of his college
Tsl''Us .,.o TT,iyersity of wisconsin at Madison
oAs ..,,,,tion was a small affair IN the 3e"i
aH,' .-ocediug the war, when young Spooner was
- The foundatio of his career. AS Is cii@i0
~s--ss,tc Of small colleges, the rugged menlOeiS
,ecultv came into more intimate relaliohS
choir students than at present one OF inc
WIZ 80, of the university Of that and later
graz professor John W. Sterling. He was
s,ssor OF mathematics and allied SUBJECTS
dean OF the university when Johh y,
,,er then seventeen years DID, was ehIoAieu
% eresnuan. do you remember asheu 'ii'
go of a Milwaukee friend recently NO"
,.eso- Sterling caught US playing caros III
=. old South Hall dormitory one night! NAieio
=. univ three buildings comprising the ulii'ei
a. At that tirne-Afain Hall. and North anu
sH ST. baps, some of us boys were playing
..5s IN an upper room at o'clock in the MORN
- We were afraid that Sterling might ois-
Ter rs. and we had Allied g. syringe win water
y "a ready for him. After while we hearu
". ono of the door. The lights went out and
.rsrvthing was as still as death we leaieu II
=. sterling. and were sure Of 1t when ne oe-
..on5aa 10 get in. No one stirred, and he threat
- ~ kick the door down Il we didn't open II
sss one of US inserted the nozzle Of the syringe
- .bs keyhole and let 1t fly. The water hit
So, souarely; he didn't swear, but groWled' ana
=, foot came against the door. The professor
=. q tall rather slender man, but We'll put up
,hvsically, and I was pretty confident OF MS
sbGi+v TO smash that door in, so lay down on
,,a floor lust inside Of it Sure enough, with the
,sxt kick the door broke, and in rushed the pro-
fsssor He stumbled right over me, and while
81 1vas picki.g himself up everybody got out in
the darkness.
.pTbat wasn't the end OF it. The next morning
5..s summoned into the deans Office and asked
;sTvas one of those playing cards in South Hall
tbe night before. I said I was. Who hred the
yrater at ule?' he demanded. I did Who lay
soUn for me to stumble over?' l did VINO
elsa was in the room? i can't tell you. pro-
fasser' But 1t is your duty to tell when ask
vou' 7 can't tell about the others; I will an
swer all questions about myself 60 nome ana
report To me here tomorrow
% was in the deans office promptly the next
morning Have you thought this matter over"
he asked. Yes And what are you going to
doY Just what you would do in my case. Pro-
lessor, you are a manly man: you wouldn't tell
spoouerY L don't knoW-perhaps turn me out
You think so, do your Yes, but 1 don't believe
you will And why not?' Because II would DO
no good l have been a fairly decent Fellow IN
school and IN my studies. It would spoil my
chance and break my fathers and mother
hearts. I don't believe you will DO It, could
see him draw MS chin down and sort OF smile
We'll YOU may attend your classes for the
present, he said, and that was the last ever
beard Of it."
number of years later, when Spooner had
haoo, a
TOR in a Western railroad, he met his old pro-
fessor on TIE street in Madison one day Or.
Sterling was looking rather pale and thln ana
Spooner suggested. after shaking hands, You
look tired professor; you ought TO take rest
and trip THAT is easier said than done,
was the answer; time and money are both lack
ing" 81 would be delighted to give yourself and
wife transportation to the Pacific Coast and
back good for three or four months; Will you
take it?" urged Spooner. 1t would be beyond
the dreams of avarice," said the old man. some
tine after the professor and his wife had re-
turned from their trip he met Spooner. What
did you do all that for me for?" he asked.
Well guess it's because you were so easy on
me in mathematics replied the lawyer, re-
membering with humor his old distaste for that
subject The dean laughed, well knowing that
warm regard for him must have prompted the
kindness.
The Senator sometimes laughs over one of the
experiences of his early stamping days. He was
making red not Republican speech before the
constituency Of the town Of Burke Dane Coun-
ty, in his student days. Il was The practice, and
IS yet, for students to sally out into the towns
and farming communities in campaigns and
give the farmers little theory OF politics. This
vas what SpOoner was doing when. all at once,
trap door just over him opened and half a
bushel Of sheiled corn drizzled him. It
was Democratic community and the audience
which evidently was lin on the DEAL" fairly
Shouted The doughty little speaker jumped
aside, and. shouting, Il not very big, but
can lick the man who did that" hurried out Of
TIE nall to first catch him. He saw the mis-
eTeant Just hauling up his ladder thus saving
himself fight, II not a thrashing.