Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1933-11-29
Old Man Burdett's
Daughter
~
frDxy nov
By LUCY o
g. by Mcclure Newspaper syndicate
WNU Service

as possible husbands-at least In
Luke college where Doctor Burdett
mad held office as president for
twenty years. The four oldest
daughters of the Burdett family
had observed this rule and had Sc
cured their husbands outside the
Luke college limits. Only Jane
Burdetf remained at home unmar.
ried. AT twenty she led a rather
%ineventful existence in the big
white house on the hill with only
ner father and a housekeeper.
Jane had for some time ignored
Ill the college students. She fig
lred that If they weren't eligible
for her to marry. there was no good
reason why she should waste time
getting TO know them. OF course
she couldn't avoid seeing them at
college functions. And she was
forced to meet and talk with some
of them at the informal receptions
which took place regularly as a
matter of form at the presidents
nome once or twice each month.
Jane In spire of her rather Sc
cluded life on the Luke campus
liked to be with men.
II was when she was having a
day dream of that variety one fall
evening that she heard q lot of
Eoise and commotlon outside the
house. There were male voices
students voices she knew. In the
window she could see the reflection
of red torches of some sort. Then
she could make out what the gang
was yelling. 1t was:
Down with Old Man Burdett,
down with Prexy Burdett We're
here to kick him outl"
Jane didn't know what to do.
What made the situation so com
lplex for her was that her father
was out of town giving a lecture in
Boston.
Suddenly she went downstairs,
turned the porch lights on and
then went outside to see what could
be done TO quiet the bowling mob.
Facing her were about fifty or six.
lty young men. When they saw what
Ia good-looking girl was before
Them. they ceased their clamor to
see what the Old Mans daughter
had TO say for herself.
MY father Is out of town." she
told them. Il don't know what you
want oil what all the excitement
means. but I'm glad my father isn't
mere to feel-the humiliation that
you have made me feel"
There was a continued silence
from the crowd. Then Benny Hav.
land. q good-looking. red-headed
fellow, captain of the football team.
Jumped up on the top step of the
veranda.
Fellows, | think we've gone a
little too far" he said. He was
supported by cheers from the
throng. Il think It's up to us to
apologize TO Miss Burdett and then
clear out. We a put our case
before Prexy when be gets back
and In q more orderly fashion. Am
right?"
The loud chorus OF male voices
ieemed unanimous In sanctloning
his suggestions. Almost immediate.
y the crowd began to dispense and
inside of ten minutes Jane and Ben
ny were left on the porch looking
II each other. Benny was explain.
ng the situation the best he could.
lie found IT easy. yet quite diff.
'ult, TO keep his thoughts on the
'ubject when he looked al Jane.
rhe trouble vas President Burdett
lad expelled four of the best ath-
etes In the college on some lame
,xcuse. In q mass meeting the stu,
Tents had appealed to the president
to ~reinstate the four expelled men.
Doctor Burdett had ignored their
ippeal except that he barred some of
the outstanding men who had signed
a petition from participating In any
form OF outside activities whatever
for the duration of the first semes.
'er. This had created a furore.
Jane had known none of the de-
rails but she realized now that per.
maps they were the cause for her
fathers sudden departure for Bos-
ton where most of the members of
the board OF trustees of Luke re.
sided.
Jane thanked Benny for his apol.
ugy and said that she would exert
any influence possible to try and
get things Strengthened out. SO
when her father returned the next
day. before requesting him to rein
state the expelled men, she waited
until she heard what he had been
doing In Boston.
Eventually he talked outright to
his daughter and told her what had
happened and why he had deemed
II wise to 20 to Boston so suddenly.
He had e e the chairman of the
trustees and a couple of members
Of the board. They had advised
him to reinstate the fellows and to
reverse his harsh decision for the
petitioners. Jane held her peace
and didn't mention the mass meet.