Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-07-06
DAILY SHORT STORIES
HIS ASSISTANT
a Story Of Professor
And Girl Graduate
By BERTHA D. ALSOP
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
By BERTHA D. AL.

'OphNu tth w hibttn OfueT.
What can you expect" said one OF
the young women students. referring
TO his antique appearance. "of man
whose sole diet is Greek roots?"
Lucia Greenfield led her class from
start to finish and took every prize she
competed for. She was a great favor
lite with Professor Erskine. who the
day after her graduation said to her:
Your career must not be that OF wo-
men who are tied down TO the care of
children. Choose rather TO devote
yourself to intellectual pursuits. | can
give you fine opportunity for n be-
ginning | am writing history of
the barbarian kings who changed the
Influence OF Rome In European civili-
zation during the fourth and fifth cen.
turtles. ! need an assistant to aid me
I'm my researches. VIII you Join me?"
And give up all thoughts of n home
life with dear little children to com
fort me when.I am old?'
You will be interested In your work.
n far nobler duty than mendlng chill.
dren's clothes and washing their dirty
faces"
Luella, whether or no she was con.
WINGED. was at last induced 10 accent
the professors invitation. She dived
into books on the Goths. while the pro-
lessor bored into the pant of the Huns.
lie found her extremely useful In.
deed, he soon learned that 1t would
have been next TO impossible to get
on without her. She worked so hard
that at the end of few months she
needed rest and went away from
him. Professor Erskine was not sur
prised that he found his work very diff
fcult without her, but he was sur.
prised that during her absence he had
no heart In his work. Genseric, Alaric.
Attila, all the barbarian kings, ceased
suddenly to interest him. The libra.
ries In which he delved had become
musty. In his study there were Luel-
las chair and desk. but without Lucia
the room was unbearable Instead of
working he went out and walked back
and forth on the campus.
There's old Erskine," said a coed
on her way to lecture, stalking back
and forth as If moonstruck. He's
been doing that ever since I.uella
Greenfield went away. wonder IL
he's dreaming OF the barbarian kings
or Of her"
He persuaded her." said another.
ito devote her life to wormy books.
lie certainly wouldn't permit himself
to think about her except as a means
to dig up the past Of the people he
writes about"
One day letter came to the profes-
sor from his assistant stating that he
must get some one to take her place.
In order to fit herself physically for
the plans he had laid down for her I'm
an intellectual field she needed q year
Of out OF door life
The professors heart fell like a ba-
rometer before a sudden storm. The
Goths, the VisIgoths. the Huns. were
forgotten in the depth OF his despair
at being condemned to work without
Luella. AS to having any one else sit.
ting at her desk, the thought wns un-
bearable.
The next morning the college bulle-
Tin announced that Professor Erskine.
having been suddenly called away,
would not lecture that day. A male
student, reading the notice, remarked:
GOOD! l can practice pitching all
day. I'll bet he's got on to n headless
Jupiter and gone to buy 1t for the mu-
scum" A girl student followed and.
with her sex's keener intuition. said:
HIN! Gone after Luella Greenfield.
! knew she'd get him"
II have come" said the professor
to his assistant, "to learn II It IS alb
solutely essential that you should give
up your work for so long a period"
$50 my physician advises me-that
Is. IL ! am to do sedentary work And
you know how interested I am in fol.
lowing an intellectual life. 1t was you
who directed me-"
HIN! Unfortunate - very unfortu-
nate for me. 1t will be impossible for
me to continue my present work with.
out your assistance"
There's Miss PriDglc who was grad.
uated last June. She's very bright.
She would love the work"
II shall give It up"
"Oh, professor. don't talk that way.
1t Will give you a great reputation"
81 can't go on with It,"
mot with an able assistant2"
mo"
why not2"
Unless 1 see you at your accustom.
cd place / have no heart I'm IL. and
literary work done without heart is
worthless"
Luella turned away, but said nothing
Perhaps" the professor went on. red
dening. "if knew when L went home
at night that you would-be there
| mean as my wife-it might make n
difference"
There was n prolonged silence. at tho
end OF which Luella said:
THAT would mean an Abandonment
OF an intellectual career for me-"
The professor hung his head like
boy who had been caught robblng the
sugar bowl.