Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-07-23
A Man Of High Degree.
[Original.l

and Arthur'S prospects for getting
more than a school education were not
encouraging when IN aunt died and
left him an annuity of $1,000 so long
as he remained a student in q univer-
sity which she designated.
Arthur was eighteen and u half
when he entered college. He passed a
splendid examination and 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 vas Beatrice
Ford, a young lady of sixteen, to whom
both We're 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.
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 he fitted for them. Indeed.
he was what might be called the class
l1>occ Dat in tho rni111n of tho cnNnn1
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 q career. He was so YER
| satile, he seemed fitted for so many
| different fields, that he was drawn in
as nan 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 a
postgraduate course, during which he
would make up his mind as to his flu
ture course. Had there been a law
| school at his alma mater he would
have become q 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 $50 some of his
friends expressed it-by hunting uI
scraps of news and selling them to
newspapers. There seemed only one
occupation lower than this, and he fel,
into that too. He became a 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 sue.
cessful candidates for the legislature
How fortunate." she said, that
chose Arthur. l always feared that
Ned would go down hill"
At the end of another year Leighton
found himself in a position to lose the
benefit of his course of study unless
he finished it. which would take an
other year. Besides, the moment he
ceased to be q student at the univer
sity his income would cease. lie con
suited with Beatrice, who declined t.
advise him. He continued the course
and when the second year was finish
ed, being still in the same position
took a third year.
Beatrice did not lack decision. ant
when Arthur entered for the THIRD
year his postgraduate course she broke
the engagement. This nearly broke hi:
heart as we'll. but he was getting too
old to study Il profession, had no taste
for business, and his only way of max
ing a living seemed to be by remaining
a student. The consequence "a tina
when the seventh year Of his studio:
expired he entered for the degree o
bachelor of philosophy. which required
an additional five years course.
Meanwhile Edwin Tyler, being oblig
ed to get up on his feet occasional,
and talk to his fellow legislators. grad
ually attained the reputation of sayin:
more to the point in fewer words thai
any of them. He was nominated 70
lieutenant governor and elected. Th,
governor died. and Tyler became gov
ernor. While he occupied the latter of
flee. hearing that his old sweethear
was disengaged, he proposed again.
Beatrice had seen one of her lover
begin high and remain on the sam,
level, which means to sink. Another be
gan low and climbed steadily upward
She objected to being the wife of
perpetual college boy, but was no
averse to being the wife of a governor
She had waited seven years for tn
college boy and was now old enough
to Danish some of the sentiment o
early maidenhood and appreciate rea
success. So she decided to take tn
man who she once considered wa
"going down hill" and nov before til
marriage has taken place the governo
has his pipe laid for his election to tn
United States senate