Show 4 LITERARY g 4 Won by a Game r J JOHN OHN LETHAM'S face wore a troubled 1 1 It r F s loo look as he he shut the gate leading to the E f f U University grounds and paused to look lookE l back through the palings and up the 1 path lined with tall eucalyptus trees Seeing no one he slowly crossed the road that ran eastward bounding the thee e grounds on their southern side The tj J janitor was just turning on the lights in ing inthe g the Y M. M C. C A. A building preparatory t to the weekly debate John stopped but it not to watch the process of lighting His thoughts were elsewhere Over there thereon L f on the grounds in a clump of trees away from the eyes of curious belated 5 Y students he had soundly beaten a man manfor for presuming too much upon his good goodnature j nature and in consequence was troubled 11 f not that he regretted beating the man r i for he had deserved it but because he had allowed his t temper to overcome his tf 1 better judgment and firm firn resolutions F r Letham had just passed his twenty- twenty f I I sixth birthday a passer by hy seeing him leaning thoughtfully against the iron fence of the Y M. M C. C A. A grounds would have taken him to be much older He had acquired that sedateness and caution in thought and action that most men do not have before they are thirty- thirty five or forty when they have experienced the results of hastiness Though he stooped somewhat and had lost through lack of practice the spring and readiness of his younger younger days one could see that his was an athletic build tall strong and well And indeed he had been an athlete of considerable considerable considerable con con- merit but his youthful pl pleasure pleas pleas- asure as- as 1 ure loving blood had leapt too quickly i ito to meet his impulsive nature and all was lost to him in that world He could name nam many records gained and show his medals as proof but that was several years ago If one mentioned the past now he would blush and hurry away The fact was fact was wa his having once been beef in inlove inlove J Jlove love com combined with his pride made him regard any mention of those days as a asting asting asting sting in his very heart that rankled for days afterwards and left his sensitive nature greatly disturbed His hopes had once run high towards reaching the highest standard in athletics His companions companions companions com com- were of a rather fast set and encouraged him to keep on and he would make some startling records soon They would say Youre all right Jack he was Jack then pat him on the back hack and add Come on well we'll go and drink to your health At first he refused then hesitated and at last gave in That ruined his chances He trained very diligently for the coming spring meet when he hoped to establish a reputation as an inter-collegiate inter athlete The day came finding him in good spirits and with plenty of company to see him through Indeed the company proved altogether too encouraging so much so that when the event came in which he was entered he walked out upon the track looking very handsome in his neat suit and attracting the general admiration admiration admiration admira admira- tion of the spectators spectators' by his admirable physique but though no one noticed having to steady himself by leaning against a tree All went well until the signal was war fired bred to start He ran a few yards sturn stumbled bled and fell heavily his shot blood-shot eyes stared stupidly for a few seconds then closed They carried the half drunken boy from the track while he slept unconscious of the jeers disappointed exclamations of the crowd He awoke to find himself deserted by his former friends disgraced and he al almost almost almost al- al most wept when he remembered that she for whose regards he had labored so long was Vas one of that audience who saw his weakness Immediately he left the University and went away to see if he could not live it all down Now and then he would meet an old acquaintance only to have repeated to him the scene of that day of how she had renounced him and declared herself stranger to him But gradually things changed and he had to listen to no more accounts of the disagreeable agreeable i incident for with time John ohn also changed no one knew him now and he lie W was lS not not- not sorry sorry He went on working in a listless way still keeping in mind his fall down-fall still thinking of a time when he would clear himself still thinking of a pair of brown browneyes browneyes browneyes eyes that used to smile and urge him himon on to success It was in the fall just after the opening opening opening open open- ing of the school year He would sometimes visit the old carn campus pus sit it under the trees and mourn over over his follies It was while coming from such sucha a trip he had encountered a former acquaintance who had recognized him and with spiteful persistency urged upon his memory that old disgusting scene John lost his self-control self and thrashed the f fellow leaving him with significant reminders of the fray and a threat to do even worse Vorse things should he ever to the least degree be published among the students as the hero II of a C i r bygone day The man man was ever ever after silent on this question A few days later John was sitting under his favorite eucalyptus reading the college paper for he always liked to keep up with his former school when he came upon a notice in the paper which said Wanted And wanted badly A half The Varsity eleven or rather ten en as it now is is sadly handicapped this year It It Itis is singular that of all the men aspiring to positions on the college team none are really capable of filling the vacant position of left half The coach has asked us to exhort all students of athletic abilities to come out every day for one week in order that he may find if poss possible ble a am m n. n suitable for the position If after the time no suitable person is is' found a II sub will have to be he used John finished the article and his eyes wondered in in the direction of the campus where the college teams were in earnest practice surrounded at a respectable distance by a crowd of enthusiastic ad ad- He rose and walked impatiently to and fro At length he stopped took tooka a long eager look in the direction of the players and muttered Ill try it its my only chance I guess He hurried home donned his training suit wrinkled and creased by its long rest in inthe inthe inthe the corner of a drawer and rushed out of the back door He climbed the back fence with some of the old agility and ran for the deserted roads Once there he began training for wind by slowly running back and forth This he kept up for some time finishing up with a sharp run for home and a good rubdown rubdown rubdown rub- rub down afterwards He kept this up for four days slowly but surely getting in fair trim At the end of that time he went to the University registered under an assumed name and began atten attending ing classes That afternoon he went upon the cam cam- i i pus and waited his turn to to be called bythe bythe by bythe the coach I It t did not take the latter long to find out that John was peculiarly peculiarly peculiarly well adapted for the position Here is one man at last I think he said and the team team greeted him with three hearty cheers the disappointed candidates generously adding a Tiger Then began real practice John learning the plays and tactics fully as quickly as could be expected He showed considerable considerable considerable consider consider- able alertness but his great strength was the means of completely the already strong team against sudden buck plays The college paper came out with a column write up of the new newman new newman man praising fortune for his coming and commending John for his foot-ball foot A abilities The days went by and the time was wast t approaching for playing the first big game of the season a game which if 32 fi won would sound abroad the glory of r the University 7 Day after day went by the students r gradually working themselves up to a ai i high state of expectancy and enthusiasm T so that when one morning the sun l arose in a clear blue sky and the crimson crimson crim crim- son flags were unfurled in the bracing still air hundreds of students greeted eted x with thunderous shouts shouts the beneficence of the god of foot-ball foot In in granting them theman fl an ap ideal foot-ball foot day A vast crowd filled the great grandstand grand grand- stand to g the crimson overflowing conI contrasted contrasted con con- I beautifully with the opposing blue and gold Masses of students i flocked about their respective colors and hurled back and forth in wordy and grammatical confusion volleys of college yells Ladies asked questions about the game and their escorts between wild gin and cheers for their favorites Q managed to answer them Here they come someone screams and a terrific di din din din- yells beating of tin-pans tin blowing r of horns greets horns greets the entrance of the G teams Soon the game gam is begun a R short pause in vocal activities announcing the I fact 4 3 There is no need to recount in detail the excitement the uncertainties the perfect ecstacy of the followers of the winning team and and the gloom which pervaded the down-cast down losers After a close hard-fought hard battle the University team came away with four points to its credit while the blue and gold added a azero azero azero zero to their account t. t That night a reception was given in University Hall to the tired victors J John o n would have hastened home after the game and stayed there had not a spark of hope been in his breast that that that- Oh he said to himself theres hardly any use but I will go He was the lion of the hour for what would have happened if they had not had him to play with them in that game One of df the delighted students was makin making him acquainted as much as possible that night Presently they came to a secluded secluded secluded se se- corner H His is new friend was debating debating de de- bating where next to go Looking around a happy thought struck him Our distinguished alumnus he said said to himself and led John towards the corner of the room Miss Eddington this is Mr Jameson Miss Eddington rose She was about to say some word of acknowledgement when she started stepped back and stared to the utter astonishment of Johns John's conductor Turning Turning Turning Turn Turn- ing to him John said For my sake please leave me Then he continued I am your servant Miss Eddington Can you truthfully say I am even worthy of being that much to you I am sincere sin sin- cere Have cere-Have Have I in any way redeemed myself myself myself my my- self If not then four years of my life have been wasted The young lady sank back in her chair as if completely exhausted and a tear gleamed in her eye as she he looked across the gaily decorated hall and then back at him J John ohn she said I believe I truly believe are you are worthy of any honor whatever Am I even worthy of the honor of having your good wishes and friendship Yes John I have met no one in all these four years with whom I should care to have closer friendship Do you mean Alice that even even even- He stopped and looked pleadingly into her eyes Yes even that to was her answer She leaned forward and they became entirely lost to what was going on about th them m. m S. 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