The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1922-05-18

cum and their married daughters, and
eight or nine children on the front
porch! !"
"You walt till I get you where they
can't see us!" Ramsey warned him
fiereely.
you can't do it" said Fred, mani
Testing triumph. "Well both stop right
here in plain sight of the whole Yo-
cum family connection till you promise
not to touch me-"
And he halted, leaning back i'm
placably against the Yocums iron
fence. Ramsey was scandalized.
"Come ont" he said hoarsely. Don't
stop here!"
"I will, and If you go on alone Til
yell at you. You got to stand right
here with all Of 'em lookin' at you
until"
81 promise My heavens, come on !"
Fred consented to end the moment
of agony; and for the rest of the sum-
mer found 1t impossible to persuade
Ramsey to pass that house in his COM
pany. II won't do it," Ramsey told
him. "Your word of honor means moth
in to me; you're liable to do anything
that comes into your head, and I'm
gettin' old enough to not get a reputa-
ton for bein' seen with people that
act the idiot on the public streets. No,
sir; We'll walk around the block-at
least, we will If you're goin' with me ~
And to Freds delight, though he
concealed 1t, they would make this de-
tour.
The evening after their return to
the university both were busy with
their trunks and various orderings and
disorderings Of their apartment. but
Fred several times expressed surprise
that his roommate should be content
to remain at home; and finally Ram
Mrs. Meigs' chandelier Immediately
jlngled with the shock of another crash
upon the floor above.
"You let me up!' Fred commanded
thickly, his voice mufiied by the pile
of flannelS, sweaters, underwear and
raincoats, wherein his head was being
forced to burrow. you let me up,
darn you! I didn't say anything"
And upon his release he complained
that the attack was ,unproroked. II
didn't say anything on earth to even
hint you might want to go out and see
II anybody in particular had got back
to college yet. I didn't even mention
the name of Dora 70 Keep off O.
me! My goodness, but you are sensi-
tive"
AS a matter of fact, neither of them
saw Dora until the first meeting of the
Lumen, whittier they went as sopho-
mores to take their pleasure In the
agony Of freshmen debaters. Ramsey
was now able to attend the Lumen, not
with complacence but at least without
shuddering over the recollection of his
,own spectacular first appearance there.
He had made subsequent appearances,
far from brilliant, yet not disgraceful,
and as spectator, at least he usually
felt rather at his ease in the place.
1t cannot be asserted, however, that
| he appeared entirely at his ease this
evening after he had read the PRO
gramme" chalked upon the large easel
blackboard beside the chairman's desk.
Three "Freshman Debates" were an
nounced and Sophomore Grafton"
this last being followed by the name,
I'D. Yoeum, 49," Ramsey made I'M
mediate and conspicuous efforts to
| avoid sitting next to his roommate,
but was not so adrolt as to be sue
cessful. However, Fred was merciful;
the fluctuations of his friends com.
plexion were an inspiration more to
pity than to badinage.
The three debates all concerned the
causes of the War in Europe" and
honors appeared to rest with a small
and stout, stolidly "pro-German" girl
debater, who had brought with her
and translated at sight absa-loot proofs
ESQ she called them), printed In Gers
man, that Germany had been attacked
by Belgium at the low instigation Of
the envious English. Everybody knew
it wasn't true; but she made an Inn
preston and established herself as
debater, especially as her opponent
was quite COMPOUNDED by her introduc.
ton of printed matter.
When the debates and the verdicts
were concluded, the orator appeared,
and Freds compassion extended Itself
so far that he even refrained from
looking inqulsitively at the boy In the
seat next to his; but he made one side
of q wager, mentally-that If Ramsey
had consented to be thoroughly con
fdentiai Just then, he would have con
fessed to feeling kind O. funny.
Dora was charmingy dressed. and
she was pale; but those notable eye
lashes Of hers were all the more no.
table against her palior. And as she
spoke with fire. 1t was natural that
her color should come back quite fam
ingly and that her eyes should fash In
shelter of the lashes "The Christian
Spirit and mternationalism" was her
subject, yet she showed no meek sam
pie of Christian Spirit herself when
she came to attacking war-makers
generally, as well as all those half
developed tribesmen" and victims Of
herd instinct" who believed that war
u