The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-11-09

the DuPauw oratorlcal That was
S100. BY the terms Of the contest it
open to ten competitors one freshman,
two sophomores, three juniors, and
four seniors, these representing the
best orators of their respective classes
as tried out by preliminary contests.
Beveridge was a junior. He was eligi-
BILE and was planning to enter the
contest. He came to my room one
afternoon excited and depressed. I've
lost that hundred dollars he said.
What hundred?' / asked.
Why, the DuPauw oratorical, he
replied.
How can that be-? / inquired I
didn't know it had been awarded yet.
They say they won't have any
contest IL | go in he answered, with
out seeing his own presumption.
." If YOU want to enter the competi-
ton, sir, said !, you can, though you
are the only one to enter, and you
have no competition but the. arbitrary
standard of the Judges" Beverage
left so perfectly sure that he had not
lost the hundred that he would have
been willing to draw upon 1t.
Just prior to Beveridge's call, Pro-
fessor Carhart had been waited on by
the other nine competing candidates.
They had informed him that If Bev-
eridge went into that contest there
would be no contest, for they would
all withdraw. Carhart told them that
the prize was offered to stimulate ex-
cellency in oratory Surely Beveridge
as student was as eligible because
he did excel in oratory "But how
can there be a contest if he is all
alone; and If he goes in none of us
will We have agreed"
Maud S. Professor Carhart said
to them, ran a race alone in Terre
Haute the other day"
Yes" they said, "but she ran
against time"
This the professor admitted.
well, is Bev going to talk against
timer" they laughed.
Now, young men," concluded the
professor, "tranpose terms. The time
that Maud S ran against was
record-a standard. If you don't go
into this oratorical contest the judges
can set up a standard, and If he sur
passes it he wins-that's ALL"
The oratorical nine faded away The
one-man contest became the town and
college gossip. The day of the contest
came. The hall was packed. Profess
or Carhart introduced the orator by
telling the purpose of the prize and
the standard that the only speaker
was competing against. Beveridge
grew pale. His first sentences were in
uncertain voice. Then he found him
self. The faculty and town folks still
talk of that grafton. When he closed
there was an ovation, and a Bully
for old DuPauw' cheer such as has
been seldom given. The judges
walked right, they turned around
and they walked right out again"
spokesman approached Beveridge and
dropped five twenty five dollar gold
pieces into the. palm of his hand and
his fingers closed over the largest
sum of money they had up to that
time ever held.
For a few minutes after telling me
this story, Professor Carhart looked
refiectively out over the roofs of the
town and across the picturesque
prairie lands of Indiana.
Well" l said, hoping to prompt his
memory further.
WELL" he answered with smile,
Il was just trying to think who those
other nine fellows were"
"Beveridge," continued Professor
Carhart, ais one of the most positive
men l have ever known. If he thinks
he is right nothing can divert him
Show him he is wrong and he changes
at once. He swings like magnet to
what he thinks is right, always. When
he first came into my class, contin-
.ued the distinguished educator, che
gave me no end of annoyance. His