The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-03-20
EOening Story
Roy's Punishment.
BY JANE OSBORN.

/ of one of their at-homes in late
winter. Every Friday afternoon she
has to stay at home, to pour tea for
handful of miserable. tongue-tied
students, while the other girls she
knows skate or play hockey or some
thing"
But I thought Sally liked stu
dents.' protested Prof. Burton as he
assisted in the preparations of the
comfortably furnished drawing-room
of the Burton homestead for the un-
dergraduate at-home.
Mrs. Burton said that of course
Sally liked students, but there were
students and students, and obviously
students that would choose to come
philosophy professor weren't normal
you know it is part of the new
system" explained Prof. Burton. we
give the students these opportunities
of becoming better acquainted with
us socially. There are some of the stu
dents who are really at q diSadvant-
age because of their lack of familiar
ity with ordinary social usages. That
is why they seen tongue-tied and
bashful. They are rather left out of
undergra duate social Iife-that's why.
it's SO important for US to give them
this chance, to bring them out and
give them confidence in themselves"
"Oh, I don't mind" said Mrs. Bur
ton, II can stand it. It's Sally 1 was
thinking about. Sally is popular. She
has one and sometimes two or three
chances to go to every game or dance
in college, and it will do her good to
take it all in for a year or two. It's
unfair to make her give up every Fri
day when there are always so. many
other things to do
at won't hurt Sally" was all the
comment that Prof. Burton would
give, and then the door bell rang and
the first student came. He was what
Sally spoke of as a regular" He
never missed a Friday, sat on the
same chair, always dropped, his spoon
once or twice and came near dropping
his cup and saucer. too. when he was
faced with the embarrassing situation
of being offered a second piece of
cake when he was holding his first
piece in his right hand and his tea
cup in this left.
Some of the students were showing
improvement under the tutelage of
tally of Professor Burton. Some of
them even seemed to be getting so
they enjoyed these afternoons. There
was the glow of the open fire and can
dis burning on the mantelpiece when
twilight came. Sometimes Sally played
and once or twice she had sung a lit
tie, something very sedate or classical
Professor Burton mentioned incidents
in the classroom in a casual manner
that seemed to give the students i'm
About half past Roy Yates arrived.
He had been coming for a. month, and
he, too, always did practically the
same thing, tho he showed no evident
confusion. He bowed and shook hands
with formal and pronounced courtesy
to Mrs. Burton, shook hands graveIy
with Professor Burton, bowed to Sally |
and then took a seat on the window
seat-where for the rest of the after |
noon he said practically nothing-or
lao -f feaf "a IL
BILE with fairly good breeding.
Professor Burton had taken his quiet
manner for one of intense embarrass- |
ment After the day of his appear |
ance he had suggested to his wife that
If the boy ever came again she should |
do her best to draw him out" Mrs.
Burton had tried but succeeded not |
The young man continued to sit on |
the window seat, to answer in polite |
short sentences and to take a single |
cup of tea, clear. and to decline all
other refreshments. After this failure
The professor had called on Sally.
IF that Roy Yates comes again, do
to him. You can even
and sing something a little light if
you think it would Hven him up Hell
sn't in any of my classes. 1 don't
know anything about him"
Sally had made some observation.
She said, with a tone of being much
impressed, that he wore a lambda
Chi pin. She didn't know any of the
lambda CHS. They were all students
With some money and never asked
own girls to dances and things, but
imported them from home
The next Friday Roy Yates arrived
lgain, and Sally, following instruc-
ions, was already seated on the win
low seat when he came. He took his
place before he saw her. and then,
finding no chance to escape. did his
pest to retain his air of polite indif-
erence. But he melted, as who
wouldn't under the circumstances?
Quite without intent, Sally could
ouch the heart of most undergrad
rates; if not at first sight, at least on
'econd sight. And, if Sally tried, she
Gould make any one fall in love with
Ter. She was trying now Her father
md mother had asked her to be nice.
md that meant to Sally to be as las
.inating as possible.
Then she sang. Prof. Burton had
som ething a little light. So
he selected an old-time favorite of
Ter fathers that her mother had sung
n cOurtship Gays and looked straight
t the student sitting on the window
eat when she came to the refrain
hat "she was looking right into the
yes of the only man she loved" So
Elective was her song when she came
o these words that several students
urned around to see where her eyes
ested, and Roy Yates. now really en-
arrassed for the first time, rose with
1istlessness, and, after pre-
ending to look at one or two pictures
n the wall, stood beside the piano.
When Sally finished her song he said
omething to her that made Sally as
much embarrassed as he had been.
Then came tea Mrs. Burton ,
CURED and Sally helped the students !
Tho were too awkward to help them
elves Sally passed Roy a cup of
ca, which he accepted with much I
ravity and without a smile. How !
many Jumps of sugar?" she asked,
gliding the sugar tongs over the tea
up. !
None. thank you" he said \