Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1922-03-30
CHAPTER IX.-Continued.

Most uncOmfOrtably astOnished
Ramsey took his hands out of his pocK'
cts, picked a leaf from lilac bush be-
side the path, and put the stem or the
leaf seriously into corner or MS
mouth, before finding anything to say
"Well-well, all right" he finally re-
sponded. IN tell you-if it's any,
thing know about"
You know about II" said Dora
'Tha. is. you certainly do If you were
at your frat meetsng last night
Were you?"
"Yts. was there" Ramsey an
swered wondering what in the world
she wanted to know, though he sup
posed vaguely that it must be some
thing about Colburn, whom he had
several times seen walking with her.
"Of course l couldn't rell you much'
he added, with an afterthought. You
see, a good deal that gOss on at frat
meeting isn't supposed to be talked
about"
YES" she said, SIZZLING family,
though with q satire that missed MN.
"Tve been member of D sorority since
September, and l think have an idea
of what could be tOld or not told.
Suppose we walk on if you don't mind.
NV question needn't embarrass you"
Nevertheless, as they slowly went on
together, Ramsey was embarrassed.
DE felt queer" They had known
eactI nther so long; in a way had
shared so much. sitting daily for years
near each other and undergoing the
same outward experiences; they had
almost grown up together" yet this
was the first time they had ever talked
together or walked together.
"Well-" he said. IF you want to
ask anything it's all right for me to
tell you-well, just as soon, guess
ut has nothing to do with the secret
proceedings Of your frat " said Dora,
primly. What l want to ask about
has been talked of all over the place
today. Everyone has been saying it
was your frat that sent the first tele-
gram to members of the government
offering support in case of war with
Germany. They say you didn't even
wait until today, but sent off a mes
sage last night. What wanted to
ask you was whether this story Is true
or nOt?"
"Why, yes" said Ramsey, mildly.
"That's what we did"
She uttered an exclamation, sound
of grief and of suspicion confirmed.
"Ah! l was afraid so!"
Afraid SOP What's the matterT
he asked, and because she seemed ex-
cited and troubled, he found himself
not quite so embarrassed as he had
been ut first; for some reason her agi-
tation made him feel easier. What
was wrong about that?"
"Oh, it's all so shocking and wick
cd and mistaken" she cried. "Even
the faculty has been doing it, and half
the other 'frats and sorOrities And
1t was yours that started IT,"
Yes, we did" he said, thoroughly
puzzled. "We're the oldest frat here,
ard OF cOurSe"-he chuckled mOdeStly
--"of course we think we're the best.
DO yoI snean you believe we ought
to've sat tack and let somebody else
start it,"
"Oh, Ea!' ShS answered, vehemently.
Nobody ought to have started 1t!
That's the tfoIble; don't you see? If
NOBODY had started it none of it might
have happened. The rest mightn't
have caught it. 1t mightn't have got
Into their heads. A war thought is the
most contagious thought in the world {;
bpt If it can be kept from starting, it
can be kept from being contagious.
It's just when people have got into an
. emotional state. or state Of Smoul-