The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1907-07-20
THREE CoHTzssIoHs."
sY eRAcE sHEErz

| BY GRACE SHEETS.
When John Halliday Dodge, B. S.,
| A. NJ, M. D., was appointed Profes-
sor Of Chemistry for the last half Of
the year in the Warrenburg Univer-
sity for Women he considered him
self fortunate in securing the position.
The Professors four years at Yale
and his two semesters in Germany
had left his pocket.book pretty well
depleted.
I On the morning of his arrival the
President called him into his private
Office before the classes began.
"Mr. Dodge" he began, survey
ing rather anxiously the six feet of
good looking manhood before him,
ST wish to speak to you few mo-
ments about your classes. Professor
Burdges, whose place you take, ! am
afraid was a little lax during the first
half of this year. He was getting
old as you know, and though one Of
| the best known professors of chemis-
try in this country, l have reasons to
believe his work was not up to the
usual standard during this year.
Owing solely to his advanced age and
i'll health, you will understand me to
mean"
The professor bowed.
''I would like you to bring the
classes up to the standard, if posi-
bic, especially the seniors, and to
preserve good discipline. This class
was Prof. Burdges' favorite one, and
as observed before, am afraid he
was a little lax. Young ladies of
that age are sometimes little hard
to-er-fnanage-" he looked up in
terrogatively.
II think / understand the situa-
ton perfectly" replied young Prof.
Dodge, and the interview was ended.
He went up the stairway to his
classroom. Several of the giggling
and chatting younger girls met him
and did not hesitate to look back and
make free comments among them
selves. the older girls glanced at him
ont of the corner of their eyes as they
passed. II was xeFr1nc ordeai fox
the professor, he stumbled over the
last two steps Of the stair and was con-
scious of suppressed litter from a
group of freshmen girls. He finally
got into his room and closed the door.
Pulling chair up to the desk he sat
down and wiped the perspiration that
had started on his face. The profess
sor began intensely regretting that be
had accepted the position. The small
er girls he felt he could get along
with, but how he was to face the
groups Of young women he had pass
ed on the grounds and in the build
ing was beyond him. He sat abjectly
passing his handkerchief across his
forehead until the bell rang and the
first class fled into the room. 1t was
class of younger girls and he got
through fairly we'll.
At the second bell the seniors came
sedately into the room. The pro-
fessor felt his tongue cleave to the
roof of his mouth and his eyes were
glued to the floor as he heard the
swish of their long dresses as they
took their places. They were dis
creetly silent at first and ne could feel
twenty pairs of eyes upon him; they
evidently expected him to begin. He
could think of absolutely nothing to
say he pulled open the desk drawer
desperately, took off his glasses and
wiped them, put them back and ap-
peared to be anxiously searching
| through the drawer. There was moth
| ing inside but a broken lead pencil
and two pieces of dusty paper. The
girls waited moment and then began
busily whispering. Jndith Mercer
and Ellen Bently sat on the two back
rows, Judith on the chair Immediately
| in front of Helen. They were room
mates and chums and there was
method in this arrangement of seating.
'He's good looking all right r.
whispered Ellen over Judith's shoul-
der.
eyes" answered Judith behind
her hand, ''but he don't look happy.
You tell me the answers when he asks
me question. I haven't looked in
side that old chemistry"
Don't worry" Ellen breathed in
her ear. "Have ever deserted you !!
know the lesson perfectly and I'll
tell You every answer"
Which explains the method of the
otherwise inseparable pair in their ar
rangement of Judith sitting directly
in front OF Ellen.
The professor turned over the two
pieces Of dusty paper several times,
picked up the broken lead pencil, ap-
peared to be vainly searching in the
back of the drawer, and there being
nothing else to do picked up his book
and tried manfully to face the forty
bright eyes before him.
Bv the end of the week he had
brought himself to numb acceptance
of the situation and was trying hero
ically to do his duty.
John Halliday Dodge, b. d, n.
M, M. D., had been a most excel
lent student, had graduated with
honor, and gone through his two
semesters abroad with credit; and
come home, as Dudney, his old col
lege chum and roommate, expressed
| it. with half the alphabet tackled
onto his name" His book learning
was extensive; but his knowledge ol
the world outside of books. especially
the feminine world, was limited.
"Put away your books, you ole
grind and come along with me,
Dudney would often say during tbs
wears they roomed together, and ths
ssPfofessor." as the boys even ther