The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1940-11-02

the pride of the Hexham campus,
the car whose slogans we're louder
than her rattle. But the explana-
ton of the story lies in a quiet
country churchyard where Henry's
two great-grandfathers are peaceful
ly sleeping beneath the yew trees
shade.
Great-Grandfather Todhunter was
a Methodist minister, famed for his
praying and fasting and for his SUI
preme faith in Gods power to per-
form miracles. Great-Grandfathe
Harum was also famous, but not
for his psalm singing. But he had
had supreme faith in his own abil-
ity as judge of good horsefesh
which left him with a reputation
par excellence as a horse trader.
Henry was walking the floor of his
room in the Kappa Sig house with
his book in his hand. Tomorrow
was examination day.
And the more he reviewed his
English for the last semester the
more fully he realized that he was
hopelessly, helplessly, irretrievably
lost. And if he failed he would be
dropped from the football team and
that would mean that Hexham would
go down in defeat before Notre
Tame, the enemy they had worked
six years to beat. Henry wasn't
conceited in thinking this for Coach
Brindle and his teammates had just
told him so, and dared him to de-
fault in scholarship.
Heck, what a mess to be in! He
tossed the book on the bed-reading
it only made him realize how little
he knew.
1T would take a miracle to save
me now" he muttered.
At the word miracle the shade of
his Observation-Disclosures Todhunter
arose from it's peaceful slumber.
Prayer can work Miracles" it
murmured in Henry's ear.
For several minutes Henry stared
out of the window into the dark
night. Then he left the room, clos
ing the door softly behind him. He
went out the back way and down
a sidestreet to the little Gothic
chapel whose doors were always
open. And then he prayed. He
didn't ask God to let him learn the
whole English book in a night. He
prayed only that the teacher might
ask just the questions that he knew
the answers to. And in the fervor
of his prayer he promised God that
if He would help him pass the
examination that he would sell his
TBone Lizzie, the only salable thing
he had, and give all of the money he
got for her to the charity fund.
Three days later when the exam
ination grades blazed from the big
board for all the world to read, Hen
RVS name like that of Abou Ben
Adhem led all the rest.
This put Henry back on top of the
world again. 1t would have been the
ultimate ecstasy if the shade of
his Methodist ancestor hadn't kept
nagging at him.
what about your promise to
God?" it asked. "You know a fell
low who'll pay you forty dollars for
the TBone."
Yeah, and if he sold her, Henry
asked himself, what then? He'd
never be able to get forty dollars to
buy another car, and life without
car after twelve months with the
TBone would be dull, and unpopu-
lar. What would his fraternity broth
ers think? What would Mabel do?
At the word trade the shade of
Great-Grandfather Harum left its
peaceful grave beneath the yew
trees shade. Henry listened for a
few minutes, then peace replaced
his worry.
The next morning one of the work
ing students spread the news that
Henry Todhunter's TBone Lizzie
was on sale in the square for one
dollar. Everybody that had dollar
left the breakfast table and hurried
to the square. The TBone was the
most popular car in the state. Her
slogans were quoted like a May
West wisecrack.
Henry sat in the car impervious
alike to the remarks of friend and
foe.
Have you gone nuts, Henry, sell
ing that car for a dollar?"
Don't be fool, Henryl I'll pay
you FIVE"
Don't let him have her. I'll give
you ten when I get my check from
home"
Henry stood up and looked over
the sea of waving one dollar bills.
1.-THE price of this car is one dol
lar" he said, mo more, no less.
But" and he held up two spare
tires, "these two tires go with her
and I'm asking twenty dollars
piece for 'em."
This met with cat calls and jeers
from the assembled students. Most
of them turned to leave, disguised
with Henry's perfidy. But Isaac
Cohen, whose father owned all the
cleaning shops within a radius of
three miles of the campus, pushed
through the angry mob and handed
Henry forty one dollars.
1T amt a bad bargain at that"
he told the boys.
~. IuaI, -