The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1921-07-01
A Mistake in
Rolls

BY MuRIEL BLAIR

"s"' - a'AA'a aNht AHthttt
"And ] am sure that II wlll." de.
clarcd Algernon Barclays sister.
Don't you think 30. lrmaf"
"iIe certainly deserves the best the
world can give him." answered
Adolphus Barclays fiancce. bushlngly
sweet as her eyes answered the deep
love light IN his own.
"wcll. we win soon know" pro.
tlalmed Adolphus himself. "where ls
my manuscript All, here. Gooi.by,"
mud kissing NIL three of the best
friends n young man ever had. the
hope of the Barclay family made a
rush for the railroad depot
A year out of college. critic and nth
thorlty on ancient literature, Adolphus
was striving hard 10 win the tutelnry
plum OF Harris college. II was two
thousand dollars per year position.
with perqulsltcs In cnsc he won II,
there would be n wedding. family
removal. aud he would feel settled for
iifc.
So far everything looked favorable.
Adolphus had appeared before the au-
gust college faculty and had reail his
paper on Egyptian poetry. lie had
mnde hit. II seemed as II his posi-.
ton was assured. A few days later,
however the president Of Harris wrote
him 10 come down with something
bright and interesting. and give the
students a sample of his crudltlon.
Il understand good many wealthy
men send their sons TO Harris"
Adolphus explained 10 his mother. II
suppose the college heads wish TO
cater TO them. If make favorable
impression on the students, fancy
viii be acceptable all around"
The result was the manuscript in
the black leather roll which Adolphus
now carried II dealt with ancient
romance, precisely the thing to suit n
lot Of young fellows. he decided.
Adolphus caught the train Just in
time, threw his roll up In the car rack,
and sank Into his seat TO move along
10 make room for second hurryup.
This traveller also carried n manuscript |
roll, the exact counterpart Of that be-
longing TO Adolphus. He likewise
tossed this into the rack, and smiled
broadly as he said:
"MuslcY
, "Oh, no." replied Adolphus-"lec-
ture."
"H'm; SOP Further coincidence.
Same line. Shake"
II am professional humorIst," he
told Adolphus. "Bouni for Dunkard
settlement at Jackson"
They became so companlonable that
the train was starting up from n stop
before the humorist was aware that
II was his station.
"See you again." he said, grabbing
for his manuscript roll and rushing
for the depot platform.
In due time Adolphus arrived at the
college town
Adolphus ascended to the rostrum
md opened his manuscript roll. His
audience was suspiclously quiet.
II am at your service this evening,
gentlemen" he began, with a brief
talk on the"
There Adolphus gasped. His eyes
stared at the neatly typewriter pages
before him. He was electrified. The
room swan, He paled. he trembled.
The manuscript before him was not his
own In his hurry In leaving the train
the humorst had grabbed up the /
wrong maj lscript roll. {
It was the crucial, critical moment
In the life of Adolphus. In despera-
ton te called out husklly:
"The subject of my lecture is The !
Jokes of the Ancients.'" ]
"Goodl' "New!" "Glve us a sam {
ple!" and like eager and urgent calls i
Iilled the air.
Adolphus began to read. He had
not proceeded ten lines before he real
led that the humorist was an adept 9
n his line. c
The Jokes were funny, but there r
was an added zest to the appreciatve- A
less of the audience. This was the II
,olemn, owl-like seriousness of the lec-
urer. To Adolphus 1t was no fun.
With wild whoops the crowd made
| rush for Adolphus as he folded up
IFS manuscript. Four stalwart fellows
aised him on their shoulders. Amid
.ay hurrahs they started from the
oom with him.
"Gentleman gentleman repri-
handed stentorian voice as they
cached the doorway, and the presi-
lent of the college halted the crowd.
TITS all right, Prex,'" declared the
of the riot. "Weve elected
I'm our new professor, and we're CO.
ng to give him the honorary degree
all our fraternal societies by car
wing him three times around the
ampus to the tune Of"
A rollicking college song rang out
rom the formidable, clustering mob
caring Adolphus in triumph from the
cene.
A favorfte all around, the young
ian was settled for life, and happy
in the bargain, few
eeks later.
That was not all of 1t. The humor-
It hunted up Adolphus to get back
is manuscript. The one he had taken
' mistake he claimed had saved the
nv for him. Its sentiment and clas-