Show AN T Laura Easton stepped quickly into the waiting room but so softly that the two profess professors standing at the window did not hear her and so were not disturbed in their talk Yes Professor ProCessor James was saying Miss Easton is exceptionally apt in mathematics But her appearance Ugh I r have watched her two years in hopes Miss Easton stopped At the sound of her name she had been undecided d what movement to make but as the words of f disgust came with face flaming with indignation forgetful of her business business business busi busi- ness there she fled from the room fearful fearful fear fear- ful fullest lest the men might see her and know she heard Never before in all her life had she known that people felt disgust and repulsion at her appearance That U Ugh gh of Prof Jamess James's had conveyed 5 all the meaning in the world to her She knew that she was untidy untidy that that her hair was straight and scraggy that her dresses always sagged and that just as like as not nota a great brass pin showed at her belt but belt but she had always unconsciously taken it for granted that such a thing was inevitable inevitable inevitable with her tier It had never occurred to her to change People she thought though t took it for granted too Now she knew that they did not not not-if if they noticed her at all She understood too why Mr James who was so scrupulously neat himself had always treated her so coldly and unsympathetically unsympathetically unsympathetically un un- sympathetically in her work and had hadr r frowned as if irritated whenever he met her And yet he had watched her two L i I years in hopes hopes- She scarcely knew when she thought of that whether to be indignant or not It showed he did have an interest in her after all and that was more than she had believed The walk through the hall to the library did not brin bring her mind to rest and the confusion of her feelings s showed itself in her face Her expression was wasso wasso wasso so curious that the students she met looked after her and wondered for she usually smiled when she met them To tell the truth Miss Easton was more upset upset upset up up- set than she had been for many a She could not study with Prof Jamess James's U Ugh gh surging surgin through her mind so she turned at the library door back into the hall and putting on her wraps hastened to the outside door She had it half open when Paul Thomas her boy chum came tearing down the hall Loll 0 O Loll Some news about the Kirmess Kirmess-a Kirmess a new new new- have to wait till tomorrow Paul I cant can't listen now and she was gone leaving Paul staring open-mouthed open at the closed door It was later than usual when Miss Easton got home that afternoon She went directly to her own room and stood for several minutes before a long mirror and then with a big sob she threw herself herself herself her her- self on the bed The next morning visitors from a rival institution were comin coming to the college and Professor James was among the most eager to make a good impression He had reluctantly decided to let Miss Easton represent his class in college algebra In choosing Paul Thomass Thomas's j- j name had come to his mind with Miss His hesitancy between the two was not caused by any anxiety as to Lauras Laura's ability but by a fear that the visitors might take this ideally untidy girl as a specimen of the college stu stu- dents But Paul was uncertain and as there was no other whose ability he perfectly perfectly perfectly per per- trusted Mr J James ames chose Laura The visitors came during the early part of the recitation hour and Mr J James ames as fastidiously neat as usual re received received received re- re them with the quiet dignity people people people peo peo- admired so much in him The doubt in his mind with regard to Miss Easton was now at rest and he had become so soused soused soused used to the idea of having her stand up before the visitors untidy though she was that all disgust i gust at her appearance was gone and he was full of an eager sympathy for her in her task He did j not look her way for fear his sympathy for her might change but with his face turned towards the window said slowly and deliberately deliberately- Miss deliberately II Miss Easton will you take problem 41 at the board and explain it as you work He heard her move to the board hoard but buthe buthe buthe he did not look Presently her voice rose clear and even and firm The sureness sureness sureness sure- sure ness ness of it gave him a sort of pleasure Y and satisfaction for he knew that the the- most difficult problem in the whole course would be explained without a hitch from beginning to end He turned towards her but he was not surprised at what he saw The charm of her voice made it impossible for him to be It was Miss Easton to be sure but her hair was combed evenly and neatly and the scraggly lock that used to hang over h her r reyes eyes was gone and no pins showed at ather ather ather her belt Prof J James alpes glanced at the visitors who sat watching Miss Easton intently amazed at her ease and skill The students too seemed almost won- won i i i t J r t dr 10 i lii ei rJ itJi 1 i r i it t-f t der struck and even when Miss Easton had finished the expression remained on their faces When it was all over the students flocked around Miss Easton lavishing their praise Paul Thomas came carne last after the rest were gone and Laura stood alone II I I say Loll it was splendid he declared declared de de- boyishly Then he looked at her curiously until her face crimsoned for she knew his thought II I I was just thinking how well you look he explained apologetically and seeing her discomposure he hastened on onO onO on- on II O 0 about the Kirmess the Kirmess-the the queerest piece of of- of II You scored a great success for us today Miss Easton broke in Prof J James ames coming up softly II We Weare are proud of you She thanked him quietly and he being being being be be- ing ten minutes min late hurried off to his class II Have you a class Loll asked PaulI PaulI Paul II I I must tell you about this Kirmess its it's important Hilton Bros are interested interested interested inter inter- ested and they've promised to give us ever so many things to sell if well we'll al allow allow allow al- al low them to offer a prize for the most beautiful woman present There what There what do you think of that II IIII II The most beautiful woman Why Paul such things are disgusting People People People Peo Peo- here at school wouldn't like it at all II I I thought so too at first But he declared this will have a dignity to it that will make it entirely different f from om such things at county fairs And besides besides besides be be- sides weve we've got to have things II I I know it Paul W We e haven't half i iJ J enough 1 Well Ive I've talked to some of the professors professors professors pro pro- and they think there can be a dignity about it and say wed we'd better r k ii J ci l jf V- V VIs Is g j t. 1 J i t r. If all r jr c f S A-S d J take the offer And say weve we've actually got Mr James to act as one the Judges You can tell from that it will be no vulgar affair |