The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1908-04-25
A Man Of High Degree.
tOriginal.l


led his classes. His father was poor,
and Arthur's prospects for getting
more than school education were not
encouraging when an aunt died and
left him an annuity Of $1,000 so long
as he remained student In univer-
sity which she designated.
Arthur was eighteen and a half
when he entered college. He passed
splendid examination aud was picked
out for head Of his class. His friend
Edwin Tyler, entered the same year.
managed to scrape through the en-
trance examination and was picked
out for the foot Of the class. At the
high school from which the two young
men went to college was Beatrice
Ford, young lady of sixteen. to whom
both were devoted. The brilliant Leigh
ton, however, was far In the lead, and
there was an understanding between
him and Beatrice that when he was
graduated they should be engaged. Il
During the FIRST year Arthur Leigh
ton took most Of the prizes offered.
while Ned Tyler barely maintained a
small fraction over a rating which
would throw him out Of college. Tyler
was somewhat prominent In athletics,
but he was especially interested in
class politics. Not being sufficiently
scholarly to warrant his appropriating
any Of the appointments" to himself.
he distributed them among those sup
posed to be- fitted for them. Indeed.
he was what might be called the class
'boss." But in the middle of the second
year even this ignoble distinction was
denied him, for he was caught one
night hosting a calf into the belfry
and expelled.
Leighton was graduated at the head
Of his class. He had spent every va
cation with Beatrice Ford, had cor
responded with her and on his gradua-
ton they became formally engaged.
Arthur was very much puzzled in the
Choice of career. He was so YER
satile, he seemed fitted for so many
different fields. that he was drawn in
as many different directions. When
the summer had passed he had not
decided. If by the first Of October
following he did not return to college
he would find himself without an in
come. He concluded to enter for q
postgraduate course, during which he
would make up his mind as to his flu
ture course Had there been law
school at his alma mater he would
have become a lawyer, for he could
have studied the profession there. re-
ceiving the annuity. But there was
no law school at the university. and
by the terms of the will he must study
there, and there only.
Meanwhile Ned Tyler continued his
downward course - SO some of his
friends expressed it-by hunting up
| scraps Of news and selling them to
newspapers There seemed only one
occupation lower than this, and he fell
into that too. He became political
ward manager. He had the while
been steadfast In his love for Beatrice
Ford, though she was preoccupied with
his rival. One day after an election
she saw his name in the list Of suc-l
cessful candidates for the legislature.
"How fortunate" she said, ''that ]
chose Arthur! I always feared that
Ned would go down HILL"
At the end of another year Leighton
found himself in q position to lose the
benefit OF his course Of study unless
he finished 1t, which would take an
other year. Besides. the moment he
ceased to be student at the univer-
sity his income would cease. he con-
suited with Beatrice, who declined to
advise him. He continued the course,
and when the second year was finish
ed, being still in the same position,
took third year.
Beatrice did not lack decision, and
when Arthur entered for the third
year his postgraduate course she broke
the engagement. This nearly broke his
heart as well, but he was getting too
old to study a profession, had no taste
for business, and his only way of max
ing a living seemed to be by remaining
student. The consequence was that
when the seventh year Of his studies
expired he entered for the degree of
bachelor of philosophy. which required
an additional five years course.
Meanwhile Edwin Tyler, being oblig-
ed to get up on his feet occasionally
and talk to his fellow legislators. grad
ually attained the reputation of saying
more to the point in fewer words than
any Of them. He was nominated for
lieutenant governor and elected. The