Williams news., 1917-01-25

suppose any professor would have dared to make trouble. Still, was in college for the purpose, and besides, it was bad thing for us leaders to cut classes and start that sort of business among the student body. Lit. was a ghastly bore. It was nothing but a bunch of obituaries and a boost for lot of books on the back shelves of the libraries. Beowulf was about as valu- able to me as the duke of Bucking hams head would have been, and didn't care holey sock whether Chau- Ger lived in the thirteenth century or in hoo signo vinces. I de clined to bone on the stuff, but 1t was easy to stall through it, and it was a good class, in which to study types. There were lot of queer folks in it-people who seemed to think that sort of thing was important folks you'd never meet in the ordinary course of college life.
 was sitting in Lit. class one day late in November, with my feet stretched out, thinking rather intently on a little stunt was working up for the banjo club, when I suddenly heard | silence-funny how loud a silence can be. looked up quickly. Every eye was glued on me, and Professor Timmons was looking at me with a queer smile.
 Then I knew I had been called on. q beg your pardon" said I to the professor. 'Did you call on mel" I was very polite and considerate.
 'T did," said Professor Timmons, still smiling. The class laughed right out. It nettled me little, but let it pass. "What was it?" I asked.
 The class laughed again. Professor Timmons laughed too. "Tm sorry to disturb you, MT. Simmons" he said, ''but will you kindly tell us upon what the fame of Cowper chiefly rests?" 1 I was perfectly frank. 'Tn be hanged if I know" said pleasantly.
 If the class had had any sense 1t would have laughed at my joke as well as at the professors. But there wasn't a giggle. Professor Timmons didn't say anything for about ten minutes or maybe ten seconds. Then he cleared his throat.
 "Ycu haven't favored us with very much knowledge this term, MT Sim mons," he said in a disquietingly quiet way. Are you planning to re- main with me permanently?"
 That was all. But it was enough. It finished Professor Timmons with me. I didn't open my mouth, and when the class was dismissed I stalked out through that bunch as if they had been red ants. I never had been so mad in my life. I had been called down before the class-me, Petey Sim mons, its president-called down by a cheap professor, who wasn't anything but cold-storage warehouse for dates. I simply boiled. For a minute thought of quitting school. I dropped the idea, however. It wasn't the col lege's fault. But when met Ashcroft, who was leader of the banjo club, burned that bunch up good and plenty. I told him just what I thought about the whole business. eff I hadn't been too much of a gentleman" I stormed, q would have shown up that old fos- sil right before his class. I would have asked him what he was doing for the coll, besides trying to funk the students who are putting up fight for it. But didn't, and it wasn't because I was afraid of the faculty either.'
 That was Ashcroft's chance to come in with a little sympathy. But he didn't. When had finished there was another of those stillnesses that you can almost chew up and swallow. looked at Ashcroft. He was smil- ing in a sort of queer way. Finally he reached over and patted me-me-on the back just as if had been a yellow dog.
 "Never mind, Petey,' he said. eve all have our brainstorms. You'll be better pretty soon."
 Nice thing to hand out to a fellow, wasn't it? I was furious. Ashcroft wasn't so much, anyway. If hadn't come into his old banjo club that fall it would have had hard pulling on the solo part. I just turned on my heel as conspicuously as I could and left him. I figured that about five months of cold politeness on my part would teach him few things about courtesy I strolleG over to the football field
 where the team was having final prac- |. tice before the Thanksgiving game, and got sorrier for myself at every step No matter what a fellow does in the world, he isn't appreciated. He can work himself into the grave for his school. and the yaps who stand around : and do the light yelling will kick him the first chance they get. By the time I had reached the field I had right good notion to cease all my activities l for few months and just let the
 school sweat along. In fact. decided ? to do it. It made me feel better ] 7 began to picture to myself the pleas l ure would take in explaining my req. sons to the delegations from the banjo 3 club and the rooters' chorus and the |. freshmen class and the cotillion club g I would be just as pleasant as I could