The Baltimore County union, the Towson news., 1909-11-13

moment he wants to faint and can
not. He is confronted with the
meanest, hardest subject in the course.
For the first time in his four years
course he gets ratified. Ordinarily he
would be able to make some sort OF a
bluff and squeeze through with more
of less grace But the worst OF it is
that he realizes that he is ratified, and
in a moment his brain is in condi-
ton of unstable equilibrium. And
behind him, watching him, perhaps
already aware of the plight he is in,
are Little Rosebud and her father and
mother. Suppose he fails, as he
probably will. Then he will get a
written examination, which will en-
brace all the hard subjects in the
course. He may be found deficient.
He may be turned back to take the
course over again with the next class.
Then where will the marriage come
in? She will be disgusted with him
and will probably marry some one
else. He has not yet learned the
real value of the girlish jewel he pos
sesses. And oh, the shame of it all !!
He almost groans.
He is a good soldier, however, and
he has been taught to brace up to any
emergency and do the best he can.
So he makes a grim effort and draws
figure which he knows is incorrect.
Then he writes down some mathe-
matics, also incorrect. After this he
goes over the whole matter to see IT
he cannot draw out something more,
something better, from his brain and
memory. The effort is futile. lie
draws on his gloves, grasps pointer,
and faces the examining board with
the grim hopelessness OF a man lead
ing forlorn hope.
He does not dare look at her, But
he notices that the various members
of the august board of visitors are
watching him keenly. The superin-
tendent is looking solemn. His in
structor is looking angry. But the
professor of engineering and the
blessed president of the academic
board are smiling. Their smiles give
him great relief. Well he knows that
if these two men say he shall graduate
graduate he will, in spite of all the
others. So he thanks Heaven, and
at the order from the instructor com
mences his recitation.
He has not proceeded twenty words
when the instructor brings him ur
short with a gruff command to Elk
plain that, sir.
He can't explain it, but it is fata
at West Point to say Il don't know :
and he commences a rambling dis
course on generalities. The instructor
is about to put him to the torture
when the professor, angel from Heav
en-, interrupts.
II will ask few questions, ht
saws, with a smile and nod at the
instructor, who bites his lip. He has
been foiled-robbed of his prey-anc
he knows it.
Questions
Where is the cadet whose eyes vii
not dance at the word? For it must
be observed that a question at once
suggests the answer, even to lazy
student. Any one can answer ques
tions with beautiful promptness. Anc
SO, after all, he is enabled to make
very decent recitation, though every
cadet, instructor, and professor in the
room knows that the professor OF en-
gineering is letting him down easy.
At last the professor ceases. He
thinks he is through, but the profes
sor turns to the board of visitors anc
asks politely if any of them wish tt
question the young man. 1t is
way they have with the upper sections
of a class When they get to the mar
who heads the class they are willing
to have any one ask him anything OF
earth in the complacent belief that h'
will give the correct answer.
Several members of the board avail
themselves of the privilege, and he il
subjected to a rattling fire of ques
tions. But these are easy, and he il
redeeming himself beautifully wher
one of the board, who is himself al
expert in mathematics, asks him
question in calculus concerning al
equation about three pages long L
is a trick equation. he remembers
The answer is zero or in6nity or unity
or some such innocent thing, bu
which he does not know. He hal
not seen that equation in two years
and it would take him an hour to in
tegrate it. Once more he is "ul
against it," as he would say, and h'
looks around in somewhat startled
manner-and for the first time h'
looks square into the eyes OF Little
Rosebud.
What a peculiar expression she hal
on her face And her lips are round
ed until they form letter o." Al
inspiration comes to him like flash
Zero" he answers.
COrrect-very goOd lndeed, say
the member The professor tells hin
he may take his seat, which he doe
amid suppressed applause. He il
very we'll pleased with himself Hi
luck has saved him again.
But was it his luck? The though
comes to him like knockdown blow
Was it not Little Rosebud who tolt
him? Did she really mean to tell him
If she did, he knows that as matte
of cadet honor he must report himsel
for information during the examina
ton, and again the hideous writer
examination looms up before him
He has the conscience of cadet
which is a we'll developed conscience
: and he writhes in agony until his sec