The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1917-08-23
The OTHER FREAK.
BY OSBORN JONES.

When you go from the West to Per
kins college, you have to change cars
at Perkins Junction and wait in a
forsaken little shed Of a station In the
middle Of cornfields for the uncertain
shuttle train that carries you on to
Perkinstown = Perkinstown that Is
nine-tenths campus and college boys
and girls, and faculty, and faculty
houses, and only one-tenth native pop
ulation.
Passengers stranded at Perkins
Junction never need Introduction.
That is an unwritten rule Of courtesy
at Perkins.
The acquaintance in this case was
begun when the man raised his hat and
bowed, indicating thereby that If the
girl wished it he would speak. She
was not 10th.
''You are student aren't you?" she
asked, and the man noticed that her
voice was silvery.
Then in the next few remarks the
barriers were down. Instinctively they
knew that they were of the stuff out
of which congenial comrades are
made.
When Is Of the As minutes that
We're doomed to pass in waiting had
slipped by, the man summoned cour-
age to ask the girl her name.
''Sidney Stone" she said. and then
when she asked him, he told her his
was AlonZo Love. Just shade Of q
Smile crossed her face.
ST suppose you think that is queer
sort Of name," he said.
"Not funny, only somehow you don't
look like an Alonzo. You look like a
Bill or Tom or something like that"
"What courses are you going to
takeT asked Alonzo.
81 am going to take mining engineer
ing" she replied.
The man whistled. you'll be the
only girl in that department" he told
her.
81 know I shall be regarded as a
freak"
"Yes" he admitted. There's an
other nut in college, though-a chap
named Bill Dean who is taking domes-
tic science. That is just as bad"
almost" And then Sidney told
her companion secret that she asked
him not to divulge. She was destined
to be mining engineer because in her
family there had always been 9 min
ing engineer for four generations, and
because her father had died and left
her valuable collection of mining en-
cheering instruments and papers and
her grandmother, who was her guard
ian, felt that she ought to make use
Of them.
'Funny," said the man. "Darned
funny" he emphasized.
On the train together they occupied
adjoining seats.
''Do you know, had an idea," she
confided. II thought that perhaps l
could get man to take the course for
me. Grandmother need never know.
That is why came early, so I could
look around before registration. My
name is Sidney. That might be
mans name.
sits a good idea," commented the
man, "but you're not the first one to
think of it. You know the other nut"
But the train had drawn into the
station at Perkinstown and the CONVEX
ca ion was cuf short
In order not to commit herself to
any name until she found whether she
could make her plan work, Sidney did
not report at the university offices, but
betook herself and her baggage to the
only inn in the place. So did the man.
And for two days, while each one
went his way, investigating possible
courses and accommodations, they be-
came better and better acquainted.
''Have you found your Sidney?
asked the man as they strolled through
the shady streets of the town to-
gether.
"No, and it is hard. I can't adver-
tise, as it must be secret. Do you
think you could help me?"
The man paused. 'Well, you know
the other nut-that Bill Dean, who is
taking domestic science courses. Well,
in way, I am that nut. That is, l
should have been if hadn't managed
to accomplish just what you are try
ing to do. Only was forehanded and
got my substitute last spring. came
up when the fellows were taking pre-
liminaries and I picked my man. l
was Bill Dean. I'm still Bill Dean ut
home. But here I am to be Alonzo Love.
You see, my mother runs one Of the
biggest cattle ranches in our state. She
has put my other two brothers up in
business there, and now she says the
only thing she needs to make the place
a perfect success is someone to run
the house. The original will be here
tomorrow, but he will be known as
Bill Dean"