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

Il
and scatter your brand-new lifelon
friends to all parts of the country.
This is the reason why so many CO.
lege boys become pensive along i
April and get what is technicall
known as an ingrowing crouch.
OF course seniors have this diseas
hardest, but even freshmen are no
immune. 1 came down with a heav,
attack Of it along In the middle o
March. -1
could see everything plainly then
My foolish eyes were opened. Colleg,
days. were SO precious that after lif,
would be morguelike compared will
them. And there were only a pitifull!
few college days. I had used up near
ly a, quarter Of mine already! USED
them up in frivolous ways-squan
dered them like a drunken sailor
spent whole hours loafing in my room
and oversleeping instead of getting out
and soaking in the glorious friendships
SO soon to be severed forever. Why
even now preparations for commence.
ment were beginning! In few weeks
the boys would be gone. Some OF
them would never come back. Bangs
might stay at home the next year. Al
len was doubtful about returning-at
least the faculty was doubtful for him.
Even I might never see Siwash again.
l had wasted the only year I might
have in college.
For over week I was unfathom-
ably detected. My kind roommate,
Bingo Bailey, fused around me and
tried to get me to soak my head or
take large drink, of kerosene, but I
merely threw things at him and de-
clined his suggestions.
But gradually my mental turmoil
settled down into one fixed accusation.
Bad as my other crimes were, there
was one which surpassed them in ash
ninity. 7 was feather-headed on the
girl question. It was fearful and de-
grading truth. /, Peter Simmons, a
grown-up man Of eighteen and presi-
dent of his class, to say nothing of
being molder of destinies-hadn't
helped mold Boggs' destiny?-was
plaything in the hands of designing
females. A pretty girl could smile at
him and bid him follow in shy voice,
and thereupon he neglected friends
ind studies and made himself that
girls slave.
It was awful. had no stamina what
,ver. Swiftly I reviewed my six or
seven master passions of the year.
Every one of them was pretty face.
the face concealed a brain or
lot / had never thought to wonder.
peachblow complexion, a companion
bile smile, light foot in the dance
hat was my conception of lovely
yoman. Bah!
When thought about this for sew
raj days 1t began to have its effect.
became quiet and powerful within |
nd stern lines developed about my
,outh. could see them in the glass
ute plainly. l was no longer trust
lg child to be sent toddling hither /
nd yon by a woman's voice. 1 was
grown man with great purposes in
fe and had precious little room in
for women. Acting on this impulse,
broke a date with Miss Willoughby
18th brutal directness, and declined |
" invitation to the annual party of
ne Kappa Kap Pajamas. I would
more the sex entirely during the rest
my college course. Men had too
luch to do In college to be bothered
Y the woman question. " II
But suddenly had q better idea.
ther men had become soured and had
lrown down the girl question. But
could do something more. After all,
le sex was not useless. There were
le women and intelligent women
'lightful companions and intellectual ]
I would be large instead
merely Indifferent. I would pick
It the brightest girl In my class and
IN her friendship. I would show her
tention and be her best friend no
after whether she was merely plain !
so h0mely that i would thank her /
lenever she wore veil. 1t
This was really splendid idea. It q
IS q lot bigger than the other. AS n
on as ! had conceived 1t forgot all b
out my crouch. There was nothing b
t OF 1t but my stern resolve. AS L
litter of fact, the resolve was little y
ak In the back, too. For, as con-
he - n | q