The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-01-20
The EUening Story
The Youngest Professor.
(By Jane OsbOrn.)

enough, but, added to that distinction,
to possess a pair of boyish blue eyes
and a snubbiSh sort of freckled nose
that Just naturally made girls of the
college age treat you like younger
brother was a role that few men would
like to play. But Tom Newbury had
his reasons. 1t was not only because
the post of professor of mathematics
at Mendham was the first available
means of earning his living that pre-
scented itself two years ago, when he
left his alma mater. The real rea-
son, although no one knew it but Tom,
was that Sally Phelps was about to
enter Mendham, and, although Tom
hadn't mentioned the fact to her, he
rather liked the idea of being near
her.
1t was a springlike day in February
when Sally had been in college year
and a half that Tom Newbury at last
decided that he could wait no longer
to make his declaration. Second Sc
mester had begun, and he had decided
never to begin another. In fact, he
had accepted position as mining en-
gineer and had decided to persuade
Sally to leave school with him in
May.
He had decided to make his long de-
ferred declaration down the lane that
leads from the campus toward the
woods at Mendham. The dormltory
reception room is SO frightfully I'M
compromising, SO unsympathet1c to-
ward such an adventure. Even on a
cold day, the lane toward the woods
was warmer spot.
But planning was one thing ana
getting Sally to stroll down the lane
was quite another.
Really I'm dreadful sorry she
told him, looking out of brown eyes
that were as frank and honest as his
own. yes, too, that looked at Tom al
most on a level, for Sally was every
inch as tall as the youngest professor.
You see, tonight's the night of the
sophomore banquet-dOwn in the
boathouse across the lake. We have
had fires laid in the fireplaces and
the caterer is going to manage some
how You see, we had to have it
some place that the freshmen would
not suspect. Don't breathe word OF
it,"
There was no use asking Sally to see
him after the banquet or to give him
time before, for Sally was class presi-
dent and there would be no room in
her busy evening for thoughts OF
aught besides class matters. And pc
fore Tom could speak of possible
stroll down the lane the following eve
ming she was off on the preteXt of
having to spend the afternoon working
over the speech she had to make that
night.
1t was in no very cheerful frame of
mind that the youngest professor
strolled down through the campus be-
fore going to his boarding house for
dinner that evening. What II sally
wouldn't accept him after all? HAD
he been wasting those two years
when he might have been working at
a mans job in the mans world in
stead of clustered away in woman's
college?
He walked slowly down to the exact
spot in the lane that he had chosen
in his earlier plans for asking Sally.
He leaned over the footbridge that
SPAWNED the little stream and took in
long breaths of the crisp, bracing
February air, in which there was ever
so slight hint of approaching spring.
The setting sun sent long shafts OF
red-golden light through the mass of
tangled brush that bordered the little
stream below.
Then in the recently melted waters
of that very stream he saw Sally's re
Election, even before he realized that
she was standing at his side.
He turned and would have spoken
when Sally clapped her hand abrupt
ly over his mouth.
Quick" she whispered. Hide me!
They'll see us. Here. down under the
bridge in the brambies. They will
never think of looking there"
And before Tom had a chance to
ask for an explanation he and Sally
had secreted themselves under the
~
bles and vines that grew at the side
of the stream.
TITS a little soggy here Sally
whispered at length, Selling Toms
hand to keep from slipping on the
thawing ground. But I think I am
"Who won't?" asked Tom, clutch
ing the brambles in an effort to keep
his footing.
THE freshmen. You see. we tried
to keep it a secret about that banquet
but it leaked out and now they are
trying to kidnap me. The idea you
know is always to get the class presi-
dents on banquet nights. Well 1
started out and I thought I'd set
around to the boathouse all right if
Went this way. I put on Peggy
Adams coat. You know what a giant
she is. I'm tripping on the coat now.
But they must have found out that
got her things because just when 1 got
this far I heard them calling. I heard
one of them say:
" She's making for the little lane.
Bind her hand and foot and tie the
bag over her head You know, they
aren't very careful what they do to
class presidents on banquet nights
I'm perfectly safe here, of course,
only I've got to get to the banquet
1t may have been highly inoppor-
tune, out with ION there was no time
like the one planned for the deed
Why tempt Providence by not propos-
ing to Sally on the spot?
Sally answered his appeal not quite
as sedately as Tom had expected In
fact, she actually laughed. If that
isn't lust like q man. You have kept
me guessing for months. L was just
! crazy to know whether you really and
| truly liked me a little. but you
wouldn't give me an inkling, and now
when either of us may slip down in
| tho mud any minute down here under