Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1918-12-03
The Capitals
Short Story
The Sophomore
Joke
o0
By JANE OSBORN
copyright. 1918. by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate.)

At the sophomore class balloting.
after the students had rather easily
disposed of such questions as "Who is
the prettiest girl In the clasp" "Who
Is the best football player?" what is
your favorite color?" and "What is the
height of your ambition?" the question
sWho is the most popular professor in
college?' was not so easily dismissed.
There were several possible candi-
dates, but no one stood in the light Of
a decided majority. Then one of the
students got up in class meeting and
with a gracious flourish cried: 81 pro-
pose Prof. Reginald Raymond as the
most popular member of the faculty"
And amid deafening peals of laugh
ter from the members of the class a
dozen shouts of Second the motion"
arose, and then "AyeI" "Ayel" till
the presidents gavel had to bring
order.
It was regarded as a capital joke
an uproariously funny joke. Perhaps
no one in the world understands the
richness of this particular sort of hui
NOR so well as young American
Undergraduate. and a sophomore at
that. But from the sophomore point
of view 1t was something very much to
be laughed at-that the professor who,
because of certain traits of absent
mindedness, inattention, preoccupation
and unsociableness, actually was the
most unpopular man In the faculty,
should have this fact gently brought
home to him by seeing his name blaz-
oned forth in college yearbook and
periodical, and announced before all
the world at class day. and whispered
about by professors and professors
wives, as the ''most popular man on
the faculty."
Apparently, from the peals of laugh
ter that accompanied the casting of the
unanimous ballot in favor of Professor
Raymond, every member Of the class
appreciated the joke.
But when Ruth Rodney, the secre-
tary Of the class, and, as the only Off
Ger of her sex in the class, generally
agreed to be the most popular girl in
its number, rose to read the result Of
the balloting and came to the vote that
mentioned Professor Raymond, there
was a look Of bitter resentment In
her expression, and from beneath her
lowered eyes she shot a look that
was not one Of kindness at the stu
dent in the front row who had pro-
posed the jest.
"What was the matter, RuthT" one
of the girls asked her after class meet
ing. "You looked daggers at Steve.
Did you want some one else to get the
vote? Every one'll know it's a joke.
Say. won't Reggie snort when he hears
of it?'
"Of course Professor Raymond win
be offended" said Ruth shortly. "But
/ don't see that there Is anything so
funny about that. After all, he hasn't
done anything so very dreadful to our
class, except to try and din little
philosophy into our unsophisticated
heads. 1t isn't his fault If college
faculties are still obtuse enough to
think that philosophy ought to be
compulsory sophomore subject, is It?
And 1t isn't his fault IL he's absent
minded, and likes violet neckties, and
If his eyes are so sensitive that he has
to have the shades drawn In his class
room, is It'll"
"You know yourself he's a frightful
crab, Ruth" was her companions con-
clusion. "Really, for my part I think
1t is a beautiful joke. I'm just crazy
for tomorrow's philosophy lecture to
see how mad he is about it."
But the next morning a surprise was
in store for the sophomore class. Nat
urally enough, Professor Raymond had
heard of the polling, for even absent
minded professors usually do take
lively interest In matters Of that sort.
Instead of showing his annoyance, he
appeared in his classroom with an
unwonted smile upon his face. With
that began the second joke, or, as the
students soon thought, the best joke of
all.
"The poor crab doesn't know he is
being kiddedr whispered one sophie
more In the front row to another. and
after class there were groups of stu
dents still explaining to each other
how intensely funny the situation was,
now that poor Reggie believed he
actually was the most popular man In
college. That became the standing
joke of the campus. Mothers and
fathers and younger sisters and broth
ers, when they came to visit their stu
dents. had the shambling. near-sighted
professor, who always wore violet
neektie. pointed out as the deluded
creature who really thought he was
popular with the students, and even
staid members Of the faculty had a
little fun with each other at poor Regi-
maids expense.
Ruth sti1 saw no joke in the sItua-
ton. In fact, the very serenity OF the
professor made her feel the insult that
her class had heaped upon him the
more. 1t was in pity then. and in an
effort to show her classmates that she
did not join them IN their practical
joking, that she made 1T a point to
linger occasionally after class, on some
<1YfsT1Sa or 0fhor IN fo1Er IN her,n Che