The Dolores star., 1909-12-03

linked his arm in Rfcl8rQ8- Wnot
old Four-Eyes want!" he demanded.
Got q leather medal anywherey'
"What.d he say. anyhow"
The fact that Richard was their
senior by several years did not seem
to. impress them. They gathered
about him. chsn1ng and questioning.
They disregarded his stern look as he
tried to shoulder his way through the
crowd.
"Oh, hold on"
Tell US what he said"
In the end Richard complied. half
resentfully.
"Idked 1t. did he? Ny eye!"
They danced about him.
For he liked 1t. don't you know.
don't you know!" titsy chanted. For
he liked It. don't you know-ooh!"
Then Aurora. rosy-nngered daugh-
ter Of the MORN" walled in the Greek
. small. chubby lad with pink cheeks.
II was the seesaw chant of tina
woods.
The group took 1t up with a shout
Of Joy. They sent the burlesque Jig
gtng across the campus.
Heads were thrust out above. Hey.
you freshies! Haw-haw-haw! Keep
quiet, down there!"
A shout of defiance went up from
the group. They were drunk with too
much Greek and with release from op-
preston.
A deep voice underran the chant
and snatched II from them and made
It beautiful. hurling It out with force.
The group looked at him a moment
doubtingly. Then they gave way and
followed his lead. The burlesQue had
become march of triumph. Breath
less they landed him at his own door.
Say. you fellows. what do you bet
old Four-Eyes don't let US all on easy
on account of the farmer"
Three cheers for farmer!"
"Hip-hip!"
Three cheers Tor Four Eyes!"
Heads were thrust out again above.
"Yah-yah-yah! Dry up. down there.
Yah-yah!"
The group broke up and drifted apart
with a final yell. Windows descended
with q slam. and quiet reigned.
The Greek professor. crossing the
campus five minutes later. heard only
the twittering Of English sparrows
and the quiet rustic of the leaves. Un.
derneath the quiet. for the professors
ears. ran sonorous epic lines. chanted
to q deep measure. The professor held
bis head high and stepped to a mighty
tune.
The whole class was entered with
out condition In Greek-a thing un.
precedented. The faculty gasDed
when they heard the news. The
students grinned. News Of the Greek
prodigy got about college. Poor Rich
ard found his path thorny one. He
could not appear on the campus but
. chant In Greek would spring up of
itself in the distance-swelling or dy.
ing away to an echo. according to the
number of students on hand. and end.
ing always with the mocking refrain:
For he liked 1t. don't you know
o-oh!"
The situation gave him enough to
think about. He forgot to remember
Emily, or even to remember that he
had expected to remember her and be
miserable. She rested in the back.
ground of memory, a faint blur.
brushed out of existence by grinning
yell of derision.
He learned to set his teeth and grin
back; and in the end he found his un-
welcome distinction an advantage. II
might not b> comfortable to be recog-
ni.ed and pointed out in every new
class he attended as the learned wood
Chnnnars hlf Of of ho
nized. No professor forgot his name
or fumbled up and down the class-list
trying to place him. And the fact
that he was older than the majority
of the class. added to the uncanny
Greek distinction. gave him al as
sured place.
When 1t was known that he was
working his way through college num-
berless opportunities sprang up. The
faculty gave him tutoring and secre-
tary work to do. The student body
put him on the football team. Emily's
image grew SO faint that cupid must
have wrung his infant hands in de-
spair.
The four years went by with undig-
nified haste. Richard was conscious
of leaving undone half that he meant
to do. He groaned in spirit over vast
tracts Of literature-of which he knew
not even the name-that he could get
no time to explore. Nevertheless. he
found himself. at the end of the
course. taking honors in English. He
gasped a little. Then he hunted up
the professor of English and laid be-
fore him his secret desire.
Want to be Journalism" said the
professor with smile. Il thought 1t
was Greek"
Richard made hasty gesture
"Never!"
The professor laughed out. He was
q trim, slight man. Had enough in
college?"
Richard nodded.