St Johns College - Yearbook (Annapolis, MD)

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n I Yes.p You see he has roomed with me three years, and 1 happened to catch on to tl1e general trend of his character. It must be fine to room with a fellow who is agreeable to you. Jarvis was beginning to notice Miss Ferguson's eyes. They were deep blue, and they had a most fascinating sparkle. However, he setlout to do his duty. It isn't my .fault that Jack and I get along well together. You see, he is a very popular chap and I'd be afraid to fall out with him. I imagine. , ' Yes. But he furnishes most of the congeniality at our house. Ah, modesty! p - V ' No. It is a common saying that anyone who can't get along with Jack Abernathy needs liver medicine. I Miss Ferguson began to notice J arvis' persistency, and to suspect that a game was being played at her expense. I . . V I suppose Jack is very religious? She knew full well that he was not. A Oh, yesi Served one term as president of fthe Y. M. C. A. ' f'Does he take part in athletics? c ' . Does he! Why, he's our all around-athlete, and he went on to tell how Jack had won the big game of football the year before. V Q p Why, Mr. Jarvis! The papers said you did that. ' . Of course they did. His parents objected to his playing, so he used my name. I don't understand. They often do that. The captain of the team one year played under an assumed name. ' I mean I don't understand why he should do it, and there was a twinkle in her eyes as she said: Mr. Abernathy always wished that Jack would take part in athletics. Jarvis was trapped, but he would notdesert his guns. No, indeed! 'fThen he had his wish. I never asked Jack why he wanted to- use my name, but I supposed that was the reason. I Jarvis was being led gently along, but he suspected nothing. There was a very demure expression on Miss Ferguson's face when she asked: Is Jack very popular 111 social circles? . . u Now, thought Jarvis, I become artistic. Now comes the peroration of this argu- ment. He said, Jack's popular-I might say confidentially that he's too popular to suit me 5 but he doesn't seem to care very much. I'll tell you what I think. I believe he is too fond of some girl that doesn't live near the college. .I .don't know who she IS and he never told me anything, but a fellow is entitled to an opinion. . She seemed to ponder on this bit of information, and soon it was time for our knights to leave. ' V Well, how did you succeed? Oh, about right. I - Did she believe all you told her? Such were theeindicationsf' I , . - The fact of the matter was that the lady in question had. WOVCU the begmmng of 3' very strong web around Jarvis, and he was not inclined to gossip. He wanted to think It over. . Tell us about it. 189

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.H Friendly Office -llilil What's the matter, Jack? Disappointed in love? That letter must have come from an indigo factory. Jack Abernathy said nothing, so Jarvis continued: If I'd know who has been making trouble for my room-mate I'd raise a disturbance. What can it be-? The old boy is up in his class, has good health, and is doing well generally, so far as I can see. It must belove.. By jove, it's love, I'll' bet a 'dol-lar! Come, Jack, tell us about it. Go to the devil, politely remarked J ack 5 and he started to read the letter a second time. Jarvis, apparently much hurt, puffed stolidly on his bull-dog pipe, remarking between puffs what an utter idiot he had for a room-mate. How soft he was. How- oh, rats! And Jarvis hastily prepared for bed. f J ' ' After reading the letter over a half-dozen times, Jack swore extravagantly and lighted a cigarette to think the matter over... Finally he threw a shoe at Jarvis, who was snoozing placidly, and bade him listen. Jarvis, I've got a hard-luck story to tell you. There is la- little girl up in Hosack who has passed the competitive examination for the name of Mrs. Abernathy. We grew up together and I always thought seriously of her as my own, but I learn that a young genius by the name of Rampart is making himself busy around her home, and this evening I got a cold-storage letter from her. Now, whatl wantlyou to do is to go home with me for Easter and tell her some continued stories with Jack as hero. Understand? I think it -will be O. K. when I get there, but I need a good liar to add color to the thing. Will you do it? 4 I ' ' . Ugh, responded Jarvis, with his head buried in the pillow. V Wake up, old chap. ,Won't you do it? Go to bed, Jack. Don't bother me. ' But, you beastly smug-faced deacon, can't you tell me if you'll do it? What+is it? I'll-do it. Go to bed. - And Jarvis began snoring most reprehensibly. When Easter came, T ack held Jarvis to his promise, although that most estimable younggentleman denied allrecolleotion of having made such a promise. The first night in.Hosack, our two collegians called on Miss Ferguson. It was not a hard matter for Jarvls to engage the young lady's attention, and, very naturally, the conversation turned on Jack, who was then telling Mrs. Ferguson sundrylyarns .concerning his cohege life and tie positions that had been offered him upon graduation. s - Y 1 ' uppose you now my room mate pretty well, don t you, Miss Ferguson ? Oh, yes. We grew up together. X Pretty nice sort of a chap. Indeed? , ies

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Well you're an athlete who has been playing under the name of Jarvis. You'll have to manufacture a reason for assuming a name, for I told her I didn't know. You have been president of the Y. M. C.,A., you are VCU' POPUIEH' at College' and there 31' 9 3 ' 1 ver you. . . dozeiiaiizllrSgxtiguiecdaaiywiar-dance, and from his ejaculations lt was gathered that he was t' fi d 'th th course Jarvis had pursued. . . . D Sa ISHI mvilght say in passing that you are in love with a mighty attractive little girl. You bet! But I don't allow poaching. Remember that trespass IS strictly pro- hibited. a . , Oh, yes, yes. I haven't put on the ,finishing touches yet, but after next time I think my work will be over. . The next time they called, Miss Ferguson's friend, Miss Dunbar, was visiting her. They had a very pleasantevening, but somehow Jarvis and Miss Ferguson happened to talk with each other quite a little. Jack, however, was not uneasy, for he had faith in his room-mate's intentions. He understood that Jarvis had been polishing his lies and adding grace and effect to the whole story. But when Jarvis bounced into bed that night it was with a mind less clear and free from care. He thought hard, and his thoughts ran something like this: - Jarvis, my poor boy, you are getting in trouble. You're getting entirely too friendly with that little girl, and the first thing you know your pegs will fall from under you. Confound it! If she wouldn't be Jack's girl you could love her with a clear con- science. But, oh, you howling idiot! What did you get in this mess for? Couldn't you find trouble enough at college,' but you must come up here after it? Now see where you are. You may as well admit to yourself that you love that young goddess. But you unutterable wretch, you can't treat Jack that way. If the girl would have any sense, she'd give you an adult's dose of discouragement, but a girl is not supposed to have sense and you don't want -to be discouraged. If you were a boy of mine, I'd tie you up somewhere. Now you keep out of Jack's affairs! Thus he scolded himself and thus, he determined to do the honorable thing. The matter was pretty serious, but after much self-abasement, he began to see it in a different light. He laughed aloud. You indescribable dolt! That girl is making a small boy of you. What a nice thing 1t is to be conceited! Ha, ha ! His laugh was the half-hearted one we use when we see the joke is on us. Imagined the girl was fairly carried away by your manly charms! Oh, my! How shoe would laugh at the thought! ' . After some more of this he thought of Rampart, and his rnerriment became more like real. Where did Rampart come in? The joke was on him, after all. Considering the subject thoroughly threshed out, Jarvis yawned and turned over to sleep. . When they next saw Miss Ferguson, her manner to Jarvis was so gracious that the strong- willed young man's.resolutions disappeared in a whirlwind of tender passions. He forgot Jack- and all his claims for justice, and applied himself to the very serious occupation of exploring the depths of .those eyes. Jack was fidgety and seemed to find Miss Dunbar's attractiveness unattractive. He had eyes only for the very contented lad and la.ssie a short distance from him. If looks had had sufficient potency, Jarvis would have vanished from the face of the earth When the time d ' th lk d h. - . . came-an It came all too soon for Jarvis- 03' W3 9 01116, but they walked in silence. Jarvis again thought harshly of himself and Jack agreed with him in every particular. 190 ,.........-.. ....-.. ,.. 7.74. .. Y K L U