The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1917-01-20

| Ter. L O1On'E want TO quit, anyway
would have given a lot to sit arount
in that college library for couple O.
hours with Miss ScrOggs and have
her sparkle away to me the way she
She looked as if she could be perfect
ly delightful if she felt that way.
I found out what church the
Scroggses frequented the next week
and decided to shift my attack. If
couldn't associate in college with Mar
thai decided that would call heI
that to myself because / liked the
name-I would go out and use church
In cold-blooded fashion for the pur-
pose. / went to two church sOcials
and found Martha at the second one.
1t seemed to me she was perhaps one
thirty-second Of degree more cordial
in her greeting-at any rate she bowed
to me before logged her attention
| and made the most of it. I trailed
| around with her and behind her for
half an hour, fighting my way through
fnObs Of girl friends-I never saw a
girl so cursed with girl friends-and
after having gotten two distinct
laughs from her by line of talk that
would have reduced one Of the Brown
ing hall beauties to helpless mirth,
I came right out and asked her If I
couldn't walk home with her. My
knees shook when did it.
"Why, there isn't the slightest use
of that, Mr.. Simmons" she said kind
ly. ralph Madison lives next door,
and he'll take care Of me-"
Ralph Madison was town student
"a sophomore whose only prominent
point was his teeth. He was a sissy
and a nincompoop, and when he
walked carelessly up and said, Ready,
Martha?' I could have bitten him In
two. They went off together like old
and well-worn friends, and I went out
into the night and planned murder and
arson for three hours.
Anyway, that ended 1t. I'd laid my
pride down before Miss Scroggs, and
she had not only walked on it, but.
had wiped her feet on 1t. I'd tried
to make friend and companion out
Of a girl who would probably never
have another chance to mingle with q
real masculine mind. And what was
the result? She had laughed at me.
Very well. I would give up my large
minded idea and 60 back and daily |
with the charming girls of the school. |
had been a fool for neglecting them,
anyway. They were, at least, kind and |
For a week or more soused myself
In society and attended the Kappaj
kap party with tremendous success,
lot less than eight girls confessing
hat they could die dancing with me.
But / didn't enjoy myself. Somehow
society seemed as unsatisfactory as
fifth dish Of Ice cream. got to hang
ng around the library between classes
mot In the hope Of talking with Mar
hal wouldn't have tried that again
or farm-but because it seemed
ind of homelike in there, and liked
o watch her studying with her rain
oat and tam on-they became her
nore than I supposed would be DOS
ible. I got considerably interested
English history, too, while 1 was
fasting time there. I had to amuse =,
lyself some way-and I did a. lot of
in the hope that some day I ,
ould get up Unexpectedly and recite !,
D young Professor Harris until he ,
hoked me off. It would be such q
cunning surprise to him, coming from
he. l chuckled at the thought of 1t.
o filled up on Macaulay until I was
walking biography Of William of !.
range, and one day when Professor :
larris ordered me up to do my usual !.
gnt-wire balancing act between a !.
unk and "passable" sailed into :
le English for their attitude to Dutch
lily like a prosecuting attorney ar
ligning a chicken thief.
PROFESSOR Harris had only ESCAPED :
ON England about two generations =
ack, and he bristled up when I tried a
explain how sweet it was in the :,
,ef-Dolters to invite William over .
ith his army, and then after using =
em, to boot said army out of the =
'untry as a nuisance-in q perfectly :,
'life and well-bred manner, Of course y
tne English are always polite. So h
nad little ten-minute bicker. and Il
'ery time Professor Harris got II
lmmerlock on me I managed to fall q,
OK generation or two and grab mn
me other English political crime
aich I had run across in the last
EEK. SO 1 came out Of the deal with m
more than one shoulder on the IL
II, but pretty much worried-for ~
ofessor Harris was determined toll -
enge his precious England, and I saw at
lere 1t was up to P. Simmons to n,
ep on stocking in history at the rate Of
one quarto volume a day. \,
hurried over to the library after =.
+ss, and had just gotten Hume and =,
lcaulay stacked up, one on each N
e. when I looked up and saw Miss n
roggs sitting near me and looking 40
me. She ducked her head with her 10
,uliar little smile and bow. II r,
rmed me clear to my shoes. II ST.
'red back and went to work all n.
'ered up. But hadn't gotten more W,
"A - Il