Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1917-01-13


/ types. There were q lot of queer folks
/ in it-peCple who seemed 10 think that
/ sort of thing was approximations
you'd never meet I'm the ordinary
course Of college life.
| was sitting I'm Lit. class one day
late in November, with my feet
stretched out, thinking rather intenuy
on little stunt was working up for
the banjo club. when ! suddenly heard
| Silence-funny how loud silence
can be. looked up quickly. Every
eye was glued on me, and Professor
J Tlmmons was looking at me with a
queer smile.
Then l knew / had been called on.
| II beg your pardon" said | 10 the
professor. Did you call on meT
was very polite and considerate.
| az did" said Professor Timmons,
still smiling The class laughed right
out. II nettled me little, but | let IT
pass. what was it?" l asked.
The class laughed again. Professor
TimmonS laughed too. I'm sorry TO
disturb you. Mr.. Simmons" he said,
''bu. will you kindly tell us upon what
the fame Of Cowper chiefly rests"
was perfectly frank. 'TH be
hanged If l know" I 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 giggte. Professor TtmmOns didn't
Oh 70, min
or maybe ten seconds. Then he cleared
his throat.
You haven't favored US with very
much knowledge this term, Mr. Sim
mons" he said In a disquletingly
quiet way Are you planning TO re-
main with me permanently"
That was all. But it was enough.
1t finished Professor Timmons with
me. I didn't open my mouth, and when
the class was dismissed / stalked out
through that bunch as If they had
been red ants. ! never had been so
mad in my life. had been called
down before the class-me, Petey Sim
mons, it's president-called down by a
cheap professor, who wasn't anything
but a cOld-st0rage warehouse for dates.
I simply boiled. For a minute l
thought of quitting school, l dropped
the idea, however. 1t 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.
| told him just what | thought about
| ~ n-hn hrvC I In
| too much of a gentleman" l stormed,
/ 81 would have shown up that old fos-
/ sill 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 a fight for
it. But / didn't, and it wasn't because
| 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 sort Of queer way. Finally he
reached over and patted me-me-on
the back just as II had been a yellow
dog.
Never mind. Petey," he said. I'VE
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 80 much. anyway. II 1 hadn't
come into his old banjo club that fall
it would have had hard pulling on the
solo part 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 a few things about courtesy.
l strolled 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 fellow does in the
world. he isn't appreciated. He can
| work himself into the grave for his
school. and the vaps who stand around
and do the light yelling will kick him
the first chance they get. By the time
| had reached the field l had a right
good notion to cease all my &C ivities
for few months and Just let the
school sweat along. In fact, I decided
to do it, II made me feel better. I
began to picture to myself the pleas
ure I would take in explaining my rea-
sons to the delegations from the banjo
club and the roOterS' chorus and the
freshmen class and the cotillon club.
| would he just as pleasant as I could
| be. but firm. And when they had
wOrmed the reason out OF me they
would see what comes of being too
darned fresh.
l thought it all out and it made me
good-natured. strolled over to the
side lines carefully unconscious of the
fact that every one was looking at me,
and nOdding here and there at the fell
lows of our crowd and the other stu
dents whom l knew. l always made
ii point to speak to large number
of students because | wanted to be
democratic. Hogboom, the captain.
was out of practice that day with a
lame ankle and was sitting on the side
lines. | strOlled over 10 him, pushed
his hat over his eyes, kicked him in
the ribs, and finally tackled him about
the knees and put him down, neatly
as you please. There were seniors