St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1922-03-18
9ht>b Doubleday. Page Accompany.

"Why does it?' Fred inquired, pre-
serving his gravity. "Why should II
seem funny to you?",
Il don't mean funny like something's
funny you laugh at" Ramsey explained
| laboriously II mean funny like some.
! thing that's out Of the way, and you
wonder how it ever happened to hap.
pen. I mean it seems funny I'd ever
| be sittin' there on a bench with that
| ole girl l never spoke to in my life OF
| had anything to do with, and talkin
| about the United States goin' to war
! What we We're talkin' about, why, that
| seems just as funny as the rest Of 1t.
Lookin' back to our class picnic, Fl
instance, second year Of high school,
that day jumped in the creek after
Well, you know, it was when I started
maxim fool of myself over a girl.
Thank goodness l got that out O. my
system; it makes me just sick to look
back on those days and think Of the
fool things l did, and oil I thought
about that girl. Why, she Well, I've
got old enough to see now she was
just about as ordinary girl as there
ever was, and If I saw her now I
wouldn't even think she was pretty F;
I'd prob'ly think she was sort Of loud
lookin'. Well, what's passed is past,
and 1t isn't either here nor there.
What l started to say was this: that
the way it begins to look to me, 1t
looks as If nobody can tell in this life
darn thing about what's goin' to hap
pen. and the things that do happen are
the very ones you'd swear were the
last that could. mean-you look back
to that day of the picnic-my! but I
was rube then-well, mean you look
back to that day, and what do you
suppose I'd have thought then If some
body'd told me the time would ever
come when I'd be way of here at col
lege sittin' on bench with Dora 70
tum-with Dora Yocum, In the first
place-and her crying and both Of us
talking about the United States goin'
to war with Germany Don't 1t seem
pretty funny to you, Fred, tooT'
But as near as ! can make out"
Fred said, that isn't what happened"
"Why isn't it?"
"You say and both Of us talking
and so on. AS near as can make out,
you didn't say anything at all.''
"Well, didn't-much," Ramsey ad-
mitted, and returned to his point with
almost pathetic persistence. "But
~
Fred?"
"Well, I don't know"
1T does to me-" Ramsey insisted. ut
certainly does to me-.
EYES," said Fred cruelty. Tive no
ticed you said so, but 1t don't look any
funnier than you do when you say
it,
Suddenly he sent forth a startling
shout. @Wow! You're as red as a
blushing beetp' z.-=-
u am notl'
"Y'are shouted Fred. "Wow! The
ole woman-hater's get the Pushes. Oh,
look at the pretty posy!'
And, jumping down from the window
seat, he began to dance round his
much perturbed comrade, believing.
Ramsey bore with him for a moment,
then sprang upon him; they wrestled
vigorously, broke q chair and went to
the floor with crash that gave the
chandelier in Mrs. Meigs' parlor, be-
low, an attack Of jingles.
"You let me up!" Fred gasped.
you take your solemn oath to shut
up? You goin' to swear it?''
"All right. I give my solemn OATH"
said Fred; and they rose, arranging
their tousled attire.
"Well," said Fred, when you goin'
to call on herr"
"You look here!'' Ramsey approached
him dangerously. you just gave me
your sol"
II beg!" Fred cried, retreating. II
mean, aside from all that, why, l just
thought maybe after such an evening |
you'd feel as gentleman you ought to |
go and ask after her health
"Now, see here"
'No, I mean 1t; you ought to-" Fred |
Insisted, earnestly, and as his room
mate glared at him with complete sus- |
picion, he added, in explanation. "You
ought to go next Callers Night, and |
send In your card, and say you felt you |
ought to ask If she'd suffered any from |
the night air. Even II you couldn't |
manage to say that, you ought to start |
to say it, anyhow, because you Keep
off O me! I'm only tryin' to do you a
good turn, amt II"
you save your good turns for
yourself" Ramsey growled, still ad-
vancing upon him.
But the insldious Mitchell, evading
him, fled to the other end OF the room,
picked up his cap and changed his
manner. Come on, ole bag O beans,
let's be on our way to the frat house;
it's time Wen call this oil off,"
"You betterl' Ramsey warned him
and they trotted out together.
But as they went along, Fred took
Ramsey's arm confdentially, and said:
Nov, honestly, Ram, ole man, when
are you goin' to"
Ramsey was still red. "You look
here! Just say one more word"
''Oh, no." Fred expostulated. II
mean seriously, Ramsey. Honestly, I
mean seriously. Aren't you seriously
goin' to call on her some Callers
Night?"
mo, Tn not II