The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-08-23
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
lHE SOPHOMORE JOKE.
BY JANE OSBORN.
Cc;yT!Ghi. 1918, by the NcClgre
NOwsp, per Syndicate

= e1sily disposed Of such questions
4 "Who e the prettiost girl in The.
rlaSsF who Is the best football
layeFg" What IL your favorite color?'
"a "What Is tho height ~ your an
bltlOn?" the question who Is the
host popular professor in college
RS not 30 easily dismissed There
JOTa several possible candidates, but
10 ore stood in the light Of decided
Majority. Then one % the students
lot ID IN class meeting and with a
TandoIse flourish cried: Il propose
Professor Reginald Raymond as the
most popular member of the faculty
And smid deafening peals Of laughter
rom the members OF the class a dozen
Dhouts o. Second the notion" rose,
nd then "hye," AYE" III The presi
ient's gaycl had 70 bring order.
Il was regarded as a capital joke
% uproariously funny joke. Perhaps
q one IN the world understands the
iehness OF this particular sort Of hui.
Dor 80 we'll as a young American
ndOFgraduate. and a sophomore Of.
hat. But from the sophomore point
{ view It was something very much 70
o laughed at-that the professor who,
because Of certain traits OF absent.
lindedness, inattention. preOcCupation
nd unsocisblensss. actually was the
post unpopular man in the faculty,
lOuld have this fact gently brought
me 10 him by seeing his name b!az.
ed forth IN college yearbook and
ori0dical, and announced before all
he world at class day, and whispered
bout by professors and professors
wives, as the most popular man on
he faculty"
Apparently, from the peals Of laugh.
Or that accompanied the casting OF
he unanimous ballot in favor OF Pro.
ossoF Raymond, every member OF the
lass appreciated the Joke.
But when Rodney, the secretary
q the class, and, Is the only officer Of
ieF sex in the class, generally agreed
o be the most popular girl in its mum.
lOT, rose TO read the result OF the bal.
citing and came to the vote that men.
Toned Professor Raymond. there was
look Of bitter resentment in her eX.
preston, and from beneath her lower.
d eyes she shot . look that was not
pne OF kindness at the student in the
iFst row who had proposed the Jest.
What was the matter, RUTH" one
Dt the girls asked her after class meet.
nc. "You looked daggers at Steve.
lld you want someone else to get the
70! Every One1l know IT, Joke.
", won't Reggie snort when he
hrS OF IT,"
"Of eOuIee Professor Raymond will
. offended" said Ruth shortly But
don't see that there is anything so
.unny about that. After all. he hasn't
lone anything so very dreadful to our
olass, except 70 try and din a little
philosophy into our unphilosOphic
heads. It isn't his fault IL college
faculties are still obtuse enough TO
pink that philosophy ought to be
compulsory sophomore subject, is Il?
I'd It isn't his fault II he's absent.
pded, and likes violet neckties, and
iS eyes are so sensitive that he has
ave the shades drawn in his class.
,5m, Is IT."
"You know yourself he's a frightful
rab Ruth," was her companions con-
|paion. Really. for my part, think
Is q beautiful Joke. I'm Just crazy
t0-moTTow'S philosophy lecture to
y how mad he IS about It,"
a But the next morning a surprise was
in store for the sophomore class. Nat,
uraliy enough, Professor Raymond had
heard Of the polling, for even absent
minded professors usually do take a
lively interSt 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 tho second joke, or, as the
students soon thought, the best joke
% al.
"The poor crab doesn't know he is
being kidded!" whispered one sopho.
more IN the front row to another, and
after class there were groups OF stu
GeAts Stlll explaining 10 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
ioks o: the campus. Mothers and
fathers and younger sisters and broth
tfa, when they came 10 visit their stu
dents. had the stumbling, near.sighted
professor, who always wore violet
|neckties, pointed out as the deluded
creature who really thought he was
popular with the students. and even
stSiG members Of the faculty had a
little fun with each other at poor Regi.
maids expense.
Ruth still saw no Joke in the situG.
non. In fact, the very serenity OF the
professor made her feel the insult that
her class had heaped upon him the
more. Il was IN pity then, and in an
stiOrt 10 show her classmates that she
lld no Join them in their practical
0hing, that she made at a point to
lingef occasionally after class, or
one excuS or other, to talk to him.
|Fho wanted the students 10 see it, and
b felt actual pleasure sometimes in
aVing him overtake her on the camp
9. and, as the season wore on apace,
3 take long walks with him through
be roads that led off into the country.
"Just imagine how mortified he will
pel when he finds out that II has been
lst Z Joke" Ruth told her classmates
B one OF the last occasions when she
lpF0Ved them for their thoughtless.
2Bs, and she was only assured by the
oughtless ones that Reggie was too
tnao ever TO find OUT
Il was known that in faculty gather.
% reference was sometimes made 10
Uf popular professor" and on such
oasiOnS Professor Raymond always
amed his utter satisfaction, much TO
amusement Of the other members