Mower County transcript., 1908-08-19

him to most searching glances. There
was just q suggestion Of uncertainty
in his face, tempered, no doubt, by the
gaze Of the others.
Ye have drawn your lots,," said
Marshall, again in the robe Of the su-
preme person, "and now may We seek
the privacy of your rooms, there to
deliberate. May the spirit Of Rodney
Graves guide well We all. Z
Within few minutes the seven per
sons were enjoying the full freedom Of
the room Of rest. Without exception
they exhibited light and happy spirits.
You certainly took your time a5out
It, Jerry said the wondering Mar
shall.
There was no lettering" smiled
jerry. Il really think rushed mat
ters.''
s'Well, you've got us all guessing, I
can say that much
Il might say that I'm a little sur
prised myself"
I'm dog-gone glad I don't have
to give up smoking for six months
like Hilderbrand had to do last year"
said Bond.
"Oh, pshaw, that was too easy"
laughed Jerry. "How would you like
the prospect of being broke and hun
cry for four times six months?"
" . THE GEMINI. J. ...
There were 1,070 students at the col
lege, all young men ranging principal
ly between the ages of 18 and "a;
and among them were represented
many of the foremost families of So
cial and industrial America. Tuition
at the college was small, and for that
reason the school was classed at the
head of the country's Representative"
seats of higher learning There had
been instances where young men
energetic, ambitious and capable of
bearing against the rub that goes the
wrong way-had worked their way
through the school, but they were
hopelessly few. The college had posed
as democratic institution, but it was
in reality exclusive almost to degree
of snobbishness, and only the sons
Of the liberal rich could attend with
comfort and independence. The per-
fumed atmosphere" was sitting to
the less blest.
For more than $50 years the college
had nestled among the hills that
sloped away, in gentle, picturesque
beauty to the sea. The main hall
the nucleus of the school-in which
the, affairs were conducted, com
manded in old colonial simplicity from
one of the loftier knolls, and from it,
like the spokes of a great wheel, hedge
lined avenues showed the way to the
other buildings, most of which bore
the stamp of latter-day making. Back
of the college, less than a mile dis
tant, was the settlement, which skirted
the town. Here lived the students
and here stood their retreats and
lodges. - -..s .-.,I -. +
The college owned its origin to the
n1unifcence of an old Virginia planter,
who graciously bestowed his gift upon
his majesty's most loyal subjects in
the colonies. At the founding exer-
cises, the aged benefactor reverently
bowed his head, when the banner of
his king was hoisted to the staff that
topped the squatty, small-windowed
structure. This flag fluttered in the
breezes that came in from the sea
until the new spirit displaced it with
another. The years crept on towards
the newer era; the institution gradu-
ally outgrew the precariousness of it's
infancy: and came into the shaping
splendor of it's early youth-then into
the young glory that was surely
American. Il
When the kings flag was lying away
among the relics of other days; when
the ride of Revere was serving as an
inspiration to children that heard
stories OF va1or at their parents
knees; when the pictures of Lexington
and Bunker Hill and Yorktown had
become firmly fixed in their inde-
structible frames; when the hands Of
the sturdy builders were beginning to
reach out TO the west, there came to
the college young man named Red
ney Graves. s- =.
. This young man, the son of a ship
master, and a son OF the sea himself,
soon attained distinction. at the
school that, to say the least, was
unique. His being fairly breathed that
sort Of originality which has come SO
strongly to characterize present-day
college life. .,s =:*
Rodney Graves had given some COM
fort to his fathers anxious heart by
remaining in school throughout the
full course. In those times, when stu
dents were few and college building
was not the easy matter of to-day, it
was not difficult to stay in school.
Graves had given promise that was
about all; in painful frankness, the
giving of promise was all that per
mitted him to complete his course, al
I belt he generally was considered to
be the brainiest fellow in school. His
class records at times brought the
blush Of humiliation to his fathers
cheeks, and more than once he felt
the weight of parental censure and
threat. Scores Of his fellow students
7o1 L,