The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-03-22
Looking For
A Hero

great tOOtDaII game UetWecu euc noo0
university and the Wisteria univer-
sity. Her brother was a Wisteria
a.umnus 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
was sure going to fall in love with
some football hero.
THE handsome Greek god, who, when
all seems lost, saves the day for old
Wisteria or the slender boy whom
the rest thought too light for the
game who gets around the 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 broken
rib-oh, | 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 ever saw"
"Well, there'll be one hero, certain.
ly, and when he's carried off the field,
suffering terribly, but not a word OF
complaint escaping his lips.and Ill 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 purporting to be college stories.
To my notion a football game affords
about as much chance for real story
as a game of chess" declared Jim. Il
never read a football story that wasn't
punk. Hi. look at that now!"
The visiting contingent Of Wisteria
undergraduates, 1,10O strong, headed
by their band, was progressing around
the track that encircled the gridiron.
In an astonishing choragic dance. 1t
was at once cake walk, minuet and
gigantic quadrille. With their steps
in ordered rhythm, their hands bran.
dIshed aloft in triumphant 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? Isn't he hand
some?"
"That's 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 It fine to see the alum.
nj so enthusiastic and loyal"
alumni nothing" growled Jim,
That's a bunch Of brokers with big
bets on tho game. probably on the Wis
iting 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 huge roar Of inarticu
late, mindless sound. The Wisteria
team had hulked out on the field. All
possible comliness of face and form
was hidden by the ungainly garb, sc
Mary hardly looked at the players
Her glass swept the line Of yellmas
tiers, picturesque we'll tailored slim
youths, gay with ribbons, waving pen
nants in a frenzy.
"That one in the middle is such ;
DEAR" she said
"Thats Red Robertson" said Jim
"IIe roomed with me when he was ;
freshman and I a senior law. He!
the head yollmaster"
Docs he ever play?'
"Play? He's too pretty to play. 4
Man who ties uecktie the way h,
does wouldn't play. He hasn't til,
beef anyway"
Hes awiully graceful, and so quick
know he could play if he want
ed to-
llligan won. 1t didn't matter nue.
20 Mary, for Red Robertson at tn
close of the game had sought then
out, anxious to see Jim, though h
hardly noticed Jim after he had bee
presented to Mary. He steered he
through the multitude. Some foo
ball men passed. They moved hea,
lily, awkwardly. Quick enough o
: t'e field in action, they seemed on
, If their element now, like crabs o
land.
"Hackaday is bowlegged in hi
:. arms as we'll as in his legs, isn't he ?
said Jim. Good player, though
u Where'd they get him."
!. "Bill Hands, 90, when he was u
hunting two years ago. saw him pc
ing logs in the river. and got hi
down here" explained Robertson
"Bill is the man who got Dixie, to-
II Dixie was driving a cab in Denver.
corking good alumnus. is Bill"
what! Do colleges still hire pr
fesional players?" asked Mary.
mo. But there are still organic
lions called Alumni Students Aid a
sociations that loan money to me
Y whom they want to see get COLES
l. education and the men they want ,
e see do that are liable to be fiji
!" athletes"