Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-03-27
Looking For
A Hero

Mary Mastin was gong 70 see the
great football game between the home
university and the Wisteria uniyer-
sity. Her brother was Wisteria
alumnus Of both the college OF arts
and the college Of law. Being TO
mantle and Ingenious young person OF
is, Mary had informed Jim that she
vas sure going to fall In love with
some football hero,
"The handsome Greek god. who, when
all seems lost. saves the day for old
Wistcrfa or the slender boy whom
the rest thought too light for the
game who gets around tho end and
scores for old Illigan, and when he
doesn't rise where he fell In making
the touchdown they find he has been
playing the last quarter with a broken
rib-oh, I shall fall in love with some
one OF them,' said Mary, with dane
ing eyes.
''Bosh," said Jim, stolidly. There
were no handsome Greek gods on any
team l ever saw
well, there'll be one hero, certain
~, and when he's carried OF the field,
suffering terribly. but not word Of
complaint escaping his lips,and I'll send
him some flowers and he'll bury his
face In them, tears starting from his
eyes"
"As the girls do in those fierce
yards purportins to be college stories.
To my notion football game affords
about as much chance for real story
as q game OF chess" declared Jim. 81
never read football story that wasn't
punk. Hi. look at that now"
The Waiting contingent Of Wisterla
undergraduates. 1,100 strong. headed
by their band, was progressing around
the track that encircled the gridiron,
in an astonishing chorasic dance. Il
was at once q cake walk. a minuet and
gigantic quadrille. With their steps
in ordered rhythm, their hands bran
dished aloft In triun phant gestures in
unison with the cadence OF their high
lifted feet. they wound in and out.
why. It's charming. No. it's awe
Inspiring. exclaimed the girl. look.
ing through her field glass. who's
that leading them? lAn't, he, hand.
some?'", - .r p, - =
"Thats Bill Howard, the hottest
alumni rooter Of them ALL =.
:"And look at those people nthe
box down there! How excited they
are! Alumni and their wives. OF
course. Isn't 1t fine to see the alum:
nj so enthusiastic and loyal"
Alumni nothing" growled Jim.
That's bunch OF brokers with big
bets on the game, probably on the Wis.
ting team. for fellows like that
would be likely to back university
outside their own state"
Suddenly there burst forth from
the bleachers where Wisteria students
were massed a huge roar Of inarticu-
late, mindless sound. The Wisteria
team had hulked out on the field All
possible comllness OF face and form
was hidden by the ungainly garb, so
Mary hardly looked at the. players.
Her glass swept the line OF yellmas-
lers. picturesque. we'll tailored slim
youths. gay with ribbons, waving pen
nants in a frenzy.
That one in the middle Is such a
DEAR" she said.
That's Red Robertson" said Jim.
He roomed with me when he was a
freshman and I senior law. He's
the head yellmaster."
Does he ever play7"
PLAY? He's 100 pretty to play. A
man who ties necktie the way he
does wouldn't play. He hasn't the
beef. anyway"
He's awfully graceful, and so quick.
know he could play II he want
ed to-
Illigan won. II didn't matter much
to- Mary, for Red Robertson at the
close OF the game had sought them
out, anxious TO see Jim. though he
hardly noticed Jim after he had been
presented to Mary. He steered her
through the multitude. Some foot
ball men passed They moved heav-
ily, awkTardly. Quick enough on
the field in action, they seemed out
Of their element now, like crabs on
land
"Hackaday is bowlegged in his
arms as we'll as in his legs, isn't he!"
said Jim. Good player, though.
Where'd they gel him.
Bill Hands. 'a6. when be was up
hunting two years ago, saw him pol
ing logs in the river, and sot him
down here" explained Robertson.
Bill Is the man who got Dixie, too.
Dixie was driving cab in Denver. A
corking good alumnus. Is Bill
What. Do colleges still hire pro.
fesional Players asked Mary.
mo. But there are still organiza
tons called Alumni; Students Aid as.
sociations that loan money to men
whom they want TO see get collese
education, and the men they want to
see do that are liable to be fine