Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-03

international repute among financiers-
Lowell was on the verge of bank
ruptcy. 1t needed capital and this he
set himself out to get.
Larry had seen him in action for
the first time at his own class dinner
earlier this evet.ng.
Put cotton in your ears" Dicky
Smith had whispered as cheer went
up for Johnny Sears. He's got a
sirens voice"
Then Johnny Sears had begun to
speak To him what he said must
have been "old stuff as it was to
many of his hearers. His picture of
Lowell and it's needs was a canny mix
ture of sentiment and hard-headed
business. He had swayed them power
fully. And then abruptly he had
paused.
"Weu?" he had demanded-just
that.
And bri1y Larry had recaptured his
youth. You can put me down for
5000" he had said.
The impulsive old Larry who had
famed his way through Lowell, that.
He had taken their breath away for
moment. And then they had cheered
him.
The cheers had reached Judy wait
ing in her fathers car outside. She
was acting as his chauffeur. whisking
him from one class dinner to another.
Were all those cheers for YOU"
she had demanded.
Motley were all for Larry West
on. l don't suppose you remember
him-he was the captain OF the eleven
back in 1916
Remember him? She could close
her eyes and see Larry. AS he had
looked in foot ball toys and. on that
day when she was l., in his cap and
gown.
This" her father had added, lis
the first time he's been back since
after the war. He went out to China,
you know"
OF course, he had not really believed
that Judy knew that. But she did.
She had seen Larry's name in the
alumni directory: Laurence Weston,
branch manager, International Elk
port Co., Shantung. China"
why were they cheering him?" she
had asked.
Because my silver-tongued-or per-
haps l might say my golden-tongued
-oratory wooed five thousand out of
him"
Five thousand! Gracious he must
have taken your breath away"
He did, rather. Hope he has 1t"
"Of course he has"
The class of 1916 had not doubted it.
The dinner after Johnny Sears had
quoted it had become an ovation to
Larry. The old gang had pummeled
him boyishly-and enviously.
Lets all go out to China" Dicky
Smith had suggested.
x X X
THEY had driven Larry almost to
the point Of confession-but not
quite. Instead he had escaped them
at the first opportunity and now. to-
ward midnight, he found himself on
the "Rez."
Once when Lowell was young the
Rec had been distinctly unitarian,
small sheet of water serving the col
lege. Now 1t was preserved as a
tradition. Here annually freshmen
were ducked. And here usually tryst-
ing couples might be found. But now
1t was deserted.
A glamourous June night soft-star
red and heady with music and laugh
ter. A night to bring back youth
but Larry had lost his again. They
had cheered him. f1attered him. What
would they say If they knew the
truth? That he was four1usher?
He WINGED. AT least he was not
that. His gift had been impulsive and
unconsidered but he had been sincere.
He had wanted to give
And so Judy discovered him.
I'm Judy Sears-daughter Of John
n.y." she told him, smiling up at him.
Then before he could speak she added:
II often come up here the last thing
at night; it gives one feeling of
peace, don't you think?''
Larry nodded assent though he had
not found peace here.
But how" she demanded, did you
manage to escape? Don't you know
that you are the hero Of the hour?
Everybody is talking of your gift
and father is as pleased as Punch"
Larry smiled, a mere flicker of his
lips. It's no more than 1 ought to
give he answered evasively
To tell her the truth-on top Of his
gift-was impossible. It would have
left her speeches.. he believed.