The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1921-03-12
H %PLAGIARISTS
BY ELLEN M. o

"Gtrls-listen," cried Ruth Dunton,
as she dashed into one of her class
mates rooms, where at least a dozen
young collegians had gathered to dis
cuss plans for their commencement
week. "Dick Lade is going to accom-
pany lacy Drens at the commence
ment exercises"
Really" they chorused. "Vho
told your" :
"Never mind how 1 heard, but it is
true" answered Ruth.
well, Lucy is one ahead just now,
isn't she?" suggested Mary.
"Of course, we all know that the
thousand-dollar prize will rest be-
tween them, Also" continued Ruby.
Il car hardly wait to see who wins
it. Naturally, l would like to see
Claire victorious, as she is from my
home town."
The prize was to be given to the
student who wrote the best thesis on
any one subject of ten given by the
faculty. The four scholars who had
otittihti llC liSHCoL 81 la NSA
during their senior year at school
were eligible to enter the contest.
Lucy was making her way up to her
room just as Claire emerged from 1t.
"Good evening, Claire" she said
very pleasantly.
"Oh, good evening, Lucy. I thought
you were in your room, and dropped
in to see if you had any extra stamps,
so it wouldn't be necessary to jour
ney out for some"
Claire sauntered down the corridor,
while Lucy closed herself in her room
"a slight wonder in her mind.
1t was glorious the next afternoon,
an ideal day for graduation exercises.
The diplomas we're awarded. Now
it was time for the prize essays to be
read.
The first one opened and read was
contributed by Amy Tudor. Clever
presentation of the subject. Pulled
forth quite a deal of enthusiasm.
During the reading of the next,
everybody was intensely interested,
and it was plain that it was making
a wonderful impression. Claire's face
was radiant when the reader spoke
her name as belonging to he above.
During the reading of the third,
which was not Lucy's, she sat very
still, between her uncle and Dick. She
was almost positive that what she
wrote far exceeded C~laire's, and she
did not worry about the other two, as
she felt assured that they were out of
the race.
It was time for hers-she could not
account for the feeling at her heart.
By this time her envelope was open.
The president, gasped, and all
dumbfounded held a blank paper be-
fore the ~astonished audience.
Everything went black before Lucy.
The next day Lucy read in all he
papers of Claire's triumph. Her heart
was broken. She couldn't understand.
Dick came over to spend the day with
her. He and her uncle tried to dis
cuss the affair with her, but she re
fused TO talk. She was like n In a
trance.
I1eI ullClc was 6lCdtiy oASuPPOihhN''
He had placed SO much faith in her
sincerity and ability.
Late in the next fall, her old uncle's
days were few. One afternoon while
Lucy and Dick were sitting at he
bedside of the old man a letter came
to Lucy. She opened 1t and almost
deyoured its contents. Dick noticed
IL 1-.auol o-D,1ciap on hn~ foaa
AS he was about to question her she
sensed it and shook her head in the
negative. Shortly after her uncle
asked to be propped up on some pill
lows so that he might look at both
his children, as he called them. Lucy
and Dick propped him up to comply
with his wishes.
Lucy" he family said. 81 have not
long to live and before l go, dear
child, won't you as a favor tell me
how that blank sheet of paper got
into the envelopeT"
"Uncle," she said, 81 never knew
myself until this afternoon and now
you shall know"
She drew forth a letter from the
pocket Of her frock and read aloud
"Dear Lucy-Inclosed find check
for 81 900 which by all rights belongs
to you. OF course the honor of ac-
~companying 1t is gone, never to come
back. I can't ask you to forgive me,
as I am unable to forgive myself.
Lucy, I happened to pick up your
notebook one day and read the outline
of your thesis. l knew in my heart
that I could never excel or even equal
1t.
"You remember the night when you
met me coming from your room when
1 asked you for the stamp? Well,
that was when it all happened. The
day previous l was over to dads lab
oratory. He showed me some ink that
he prepared which would fade within
"a hours. l brought some back with
me and substituted it in place of your
own ink. That accounts for the blank
sheet of paper.
at has nearly killed me-the