The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-10-31

him and desired him to be comfort
able; and there was really no reason
why the rest Of us should have resent
ed It. But all that is the beautiful
theory-the fact is, that we did.
When there came express packages
for Jimmy we felt distinct sense of
being neglected It wasn't as II he
was q poor boy, whose widowed
mother had but the one darling on
whom to lavish the affection OF
bereaved heart, for there was troop
of Hoskinsons. At times of festivity
in the college Jimmy was the happy
host of host of happy Hoskinsons-
all rich, we'll groomed, well dressed
and radiating prosperity.
We all felt that Jimmy had too
many of the good things of life. Not
that he was mean. His text books
were a circulating library, and nom
returuable; his neckties fitted us all,
and his tobacco jar, pipes and cigar
cites were open to the appreciation
of the world. But he was altogether
more neat and respectable than quite
comported with our ideas of sopho-
moric bohemianism; we longed to
catch him with unblacked boots, a
rumpled collar or some similar blot
on his escutcheon-some little hu-
man weakness that would bring him
nearer to our own standard.
We used to sit late in his rooms,
scattering ashes over his rugs, put
ting our feet on his embroidered
cushions, dropping ink on his table
cloth, and otherwise doing our best
to bring him to fellowship with the
rest of us But it was of no use He
had most remarkably efficient
"sweep," one after his mothers own
ideal, as black as the ace of spades
and as neat as the ace of diamonds;
and this Sweep" would have every
thing set right, brushed up, busted
down and put into shipshape, Bristol
fashion, apple-pie order little quick
er than we could upset the beautiful
!. symmetry of his apartment.
p Our dormitory was of four stories,
and Jimmy's room was on the top
floor. Now, although there was no
love of order among us, there were
certain laws, as of the Medes and
Persians, we were all sworn to en-
force. One of these, as unwritten as
the Constitution of England, and
quite as inviolable, forbade anybody,
under any circumstances, at any time
to leave anything in the hallway.
This law had never been promulgated,
but it was always enforced.
The means of enforcing it were in
the hands of every -inhabitant of the
building, and each was hearty CO.
operator in the good work. The Code
OF Uncivil Procedure was simple on
this matter. and contained but one
invariable rule: IF you ind anything
left in the hallway, chuck it down
stairs"
The efforts to obey this rule were
oftentimes difficult, as in the case of
heavy stove, for example; but they
were always successful. Coal scuttles
were favorite prey, anc especially to
be chosen when filled to the brim
with coal. These made a most musi-
cal racket as they went down the
uncarpeted stairway, and it was real
pleasure to see them bound in unex-
pected lines as they obeyed the law
OF the dormitory and that of gravita-
tion.
For long time we hoped to catch
Jimmy mapping; the pleasure would
have been doubled If the coal scuttle.
newly blacked boots or pair of and
irons had been his. For long time
our hope was in vain. Either Jimmy
or that provokingly assiduous
sweep would be on hand to remove
all his belongings from the hall.
But at last patience and vigilance
were rewarded. The sweep" was
away-perhaps at church picnic,
perhaps at a wedding. We did not
ask to know the reason of his alb
sence, but were merely thankful to
miss him from the accustomed spot.
Jimmy, toog was, as his ill-luck
would have it, absent from the post
OF duty. He had detestable way of
making afternoon calls now and
again, in an immaculate costume that
was irritatingiy correct, from ton
hat to patent feathers, and it was an
added JOY to us that this weakness
had exposed him to attack.
During the absence of the garrison
green expressman came to the dor
mitory with new sofa. 1t was neat
iy addressed to Mr.. James Hoskins0n
meaning Jimmy, of course-and
the expressman consulted us as to the
location of his room. The top floor
back was indicated, and the green ex-
pressman and his helper tugged the
heavy sofa up to its location, only to
md the door locked. OF course IL
was prepaid-all Jimmy's packages
always We're. And the expressman
was only too willing to. leave the
heavy thing at the top OF the three
flights OF stairs. We didn't feel
bound to protest or to make any sug-
gestions. We simply let things take
their own way, and silently dispersed
20 our rooms. for of course we
couldn't afford to know anything
about how the sofa got there. Bui
we trusted to fortune, and listened
Pretty soon big Hal came bach
from the gym" We knew he would
be likely to drop In. and he roomed
Just next to Jimmy on the TOP door
He always went up there to change
his clothes after practising batting IN
a sweater; and when we heard hi,
stem wa fhou eht aomeb ffno ,.,t<<1t u