Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-09

about him last night?
II did hear some yarn said Angus.
Went and smashed up the Owls, didn' I
he?'
lures expanded into a smile that was al
most benevolent My lad. have YOU seen
Muggeridge's alabastcr brow this morn
ing?"
MIR. Muggeridge was the president of
THE Owls Wine Club.
NO"
well, last night I was going round
about haif-past 10 to see that all the crew
were in their beds. When I came to II,
new court, I found a devil of a row going
on in Muggeridges rooms-directIy under
Duncombe's, YOU know.
Yes. Go on" said all. much inter-
ested.
There was a meeting Of the Owls on. =
continued Dishy, and they'd had the
nerve to hold il on a staircase where
there were actually two men OF the crew
-Duncombe and Eversley--tryfng to get
to sleep
What did YOU do" inquired Poltimore.
Went In and reminded them. I thought
they might have forgotten
What did they say?"
They told me to go to"
Good Lord said the audience, gen.
timely Mortified at the employment OF
such language by a non-athlctic to an
athletic man.
The Owls were a collection OF rather
dissipated young nobodies. while Dishy
wore a Leander tic. which in a rowing
college entities man to something like
reverence.
Il soon found it was a put-up job" con-
tinued the coxswain. They had some
grudge against Duncombe and wanted to
score him of. ] could hear him hammer
ing on his bedroom floor above to make
them dry up
what did you do them
II explained to them exactly what I
thought OF them replied the coxswain.
simply.
What did you say. exactly?'
Dishy told them. They smacked their
lips appreciatively, and the next question
followed pat.
And what did they do?'
We'll, they were a bit far CONC
Drunken sweeps remarked the virtu.
Gus Gussie, who belonged to q rival insti-
tuition
Yes. They were bit far gone re-
peated the coXswain. with the air Of one
endeavoring to explain an otherwise un.
accountable circumstance. land they
were nine Of them" he added, in the man.
her Of one who is not quite sure il his ex-
cuse will be accepted.
And them"
Then I went straight off to old
Hughes rooms"--there was a respectful
or the college were wont to refer to the
gentleman in question as Marrable-"and
bed"
What did he do?' came the question,
In lively anticipation Of the recital to
come.
Put on a few things over his pyjamas
and came along with me-"
The audience sighed ecstatically.
What happened:" said Poltimore
by the time We arrived. Just as We got
to the foot Of the stair we were greeted
by Muggeridge's oak, which some playful
fellow had taken OF its hinges and thrown
over the banisters. However, We lodged
that and raced up to the first floor.
You could have heard a pin drop when
we walked into the room. One or two OF
them looked a bit green. though, when
they saw what towering passion Hughie
was in. Still. Muggeridge was sober
enough and tried to talk it off. He stood
up and said. Halo, Marrable! This IL
splendid! You are just in time to drink
to the success Of the crew tomorrow.
We're all sportsmen here. Come on you
chaps-Do heeltaps!'
He stood waving his glass. but any,
body could see that he was in q putrld
''Hughie shut the door behind him and
leaned againsni it, and said:
Muggeridge, ] don't know you very
intimately, but I know this. that you al
ways were worm and bounder. You
can't altogether help that, and personally
l don't particularly mind, although you
give the college away a bit. Still. think
the college can bear that. You are quite
at liberty to get full and amuse yourself
in any way you please. so long as you
and your pals don't interfere with other
people. But when 1t comes to disturbing
my crew. who have to fight the battles
OF the college on behalf Of warriors like
you and these gentlemen here. whose ia
vorite field sport is probably billiards
we'll. that's just what 1 call a bit too
thick"
"All this time Muggeridge was looking
pretty averagely uncomfortable. The
other chaps were gazing at him, evident
~ waiting for lead. But you could see
he was pretty well up a. stump as to what
Hughie paused for breath. he said:
"'Oh, get out!'
1T was q rotten thing to say. Hughie
smiled at him.
All right he said. but I must put
you to bed before I go
Before anybody could do anything he
was across the room and had a grip OF
Muggcridge by the back of the neck ana
one wrist. which he twisted round behind
somehow. Then he turned him round
room into his bedroom. He used Mug
geridge's head as a sort Of batterfng ram
to open the door with. Oh, 1t was the
most gorgeous spectacle!'
There was a little sigh Of rapture all
round the group.
Muggeridge was a prominent member
OF that class OF society which under
graduates and other healthy and out
spoken PhiliStines designate simply and
comprehensively as ''tishbites'' or
fishes
HE shut him in and locked the door,"
hA
turned on the other eight They were a
pretty average lot Of worms-you know
them?"
There was q murmur of assent, and Mr..
Poltimore. with rather belated presence
Of mind. hurriedly explained to the Ok
ford gentleman that the band OF heroes
under discussion were not I'm any sense
representative OF the rank and file Of the
college.
And they just sat round the table
Of fact most Of them were.) Hughie laid
hold OF the biggest Of them-Skennston-
and said:
This meeting is adjourned, gentle.
men. Just to show you that I'm speaking
the truth, I'll heave the senior member
present downstairs.
Did hep" asked everybody.
mo. He'd have killed him IL he had.
He picked Skeff up by the collar and the
seat of his bags and said to me. Watch
EN-. Dishy!' Then he carried Skeff down.
the grass plot outside
Good egg!" murmured Mr. Angus.
Didn't the others try to bolt?" In
,uired Tower.
THE idea was mooted," replied tho
still or they'd get their silly heads
knocked together"
did he cart them all downstairs
No, 1t would have been too tame Q job