Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-03-17
| A College
President
A Story For Commencement
By ARTHUR TRoWBRIDGE

! Molly" said Deacon Maynard, lay
ing letter he had just opened and
read on the breakfast table. President
!. Woodward OF the state university
writes me that he desires TO see me
and will come here about o'clock to-
day must 20 to B. this morning
and may not get back before or 3
I O'Clock shall have to rely upon you
TO entertain him."
| "Goodness gracious, father. what
shall do with him? I'm no hand TO
entertain an old person like that
shall let down the bars obyour philo-
sophicaI library. turn him in and let
| him browse there"
Anyway you like, daughter, only
apologize for my not being here to re-
ceive him."
Molly. who kept house for her "a
ther-her mother was dead-attended
to her morning duties. then took her
sewing out on the porch and, seating
herself. proceed to work and enjoy
the bright sunshine. She worked
! perhaps an hour when she became
restless and. laying aside what she
was making. arose and. taking tennis
racket and some balls, went down TO
the court and began a little practice
work. But she soon tired Of this and
| wished she had some one to play a
game with.
a man apparently between thirty
and thirty-five. in pepper and salt
suit and a SLOUGH hat. came down the
road and. leaning on the fence. said:
Beg pardon. Is Deacon Maynard at
| homeg"
no; father has gone to B. this morn
Ing and will not be back before early
afternoon"
The man looked disappointed. TAX
| ing out his watch. he noted the time
and looked uncertain what to do.
| Fl, think, | shall have to wait for
him, though l shall have several hours
to, get away with. I've liked fifteen
miles to see him and shall hike fifteen
miles back. / don't wish to do it for
nothing.
He looked ut the net stretched
across the tennis field, rather longing
| ~. Molly thought. and. joining incllna-
| ton to pity, she asked him If he
played the game. and. when he said he
did she invited him to pass the time
in that way. Putting one hand on the
fence. he vaulted it. Molly brought
him a racket. and they Begin to play.
E Molly at once discovered that she
had an experienced tennis player to
tackle and was sonseq ugntly much
pleased Her room was stacked With
prize rackets. pennants and such artl-
cles as she had won in tournaments.
and she seldom found a player worthy
to meet her over the net. But playing
her hest she soon found that the stran-
ger could bent her. This irritated her.
She soon forgot that the man was a
stranger and visitor. and whenever
he touched the line between the fair
and the unfair she spoke sharply to
Thin. He always seemed penitent. but
/ the more irritable she grew the more
he seemed to take malicious pleasure
in annoying her. Playing with lady.
he should have played q ,lady's game.
Instead of that he served as II he were
hurting missiles at an enemy. One OF
these balls hit her on the hand and
hurt her badly. Dropping her racket.
she said:
mo more today. thank you. ! am
expecting a gentleman-with an In
fIexion on the word gentleman-to see
my father. whom ! am to entertain at
dinner. II you Will come back at 8
O'Clock I dare say father win be here,
though since he has an engagement
with President Woodward. you may
have to walt some time"
| All this was said under the splteful-
ness, of pain. Molly not realizing her
rudeness. The stranger seemed much
grieyed at having hurt her and thank
ed her, for helping him through with
the time. Whereupon, being ashamed
of herself, she said:
Its of. no consequence, assure
! you. But must really go now. The
president will be here in few min
utes, and have the task before me of
entertaining him. How am to do the
! job j don't know. II 1t were not for
! this l would ask. you. to come in and
wait for father here and would give
you some dinner, but the president Is
gall shall be able to Singer under at
one time"
The stranger declared that nothing
could induce him to trespass upon her
at such a time and left her. hoping
that she would have an easier task
with the president than she antici-
pated.
1t was now ten minutes to 1. and.
making toilet, Molly, after visit to
the kitchen to see that all was worthy
of the dignifed guest to come. sat on
the porch waiting for him. Half past
/. came, and no president. At half
past her father returned and was
quite surprised that DR.. Woodward had
not arrived. At 3 the stranger tennis