Center Rush Rowland

across the campus. "It was his fault, though. There wasn't any call for me to stand around idle and get jabbed in the nose. Just the same, it would have been better

gave up the search long enough to perch himself at a counter in a lunch-room on School Street. A sign over the doorway held the inscription "The Eggery," and, judging from the fact that fully half the patrons in sight were boys of ages from fourteen to twenty, it was the favourite resort for hungry Parkinsonians. There were many small tables at the back, but all were occupied, and Ira finally found an empty stool in front of the long cou

he knew he was going to have, and that was iced tea, but beyond that he was open-minded. Corn-beef hash sounded too warm. The same was true of roast beef and lamb stew with dumplings. Egg

hom he had collided at the door of the A

Ira. "I guess I wi

r, "but you sort of get the habit. This iced coff

. I thought I'd h

you. I saw you ove

Ad

ion. What's

hi

Alphonse. Tell him

the speaker as he ran a towel over the counter. "Sure, take

o salad and a glass of iced tea

have one last week." Then, applying his mouth to a tube: "

egularly?" asked I

llows don't come until afternoon, you see. Them as does has to eat where they can,

t, though. I've been tramping around

y l

eshed his memory by glancing at the slip-"at Pa

. "You'd freeze to death in Winter there. Bes

t away

"Asterisk. See footnote. Joke i

think it's

e it is: 'D. A. Mago

hought y

you have to more than half furnish them. About all Maggy gives you is a carp

very kind, but I don'

t a thing to do unti

ejacul

e afternoon stretches before me de

nd's m

make it harder to say. Here's your grub

e waiter as he slid I

You know you've

is time, Johnston! There's

the Pie Specialist downstairs

ace you spoke of?" asked Ira w

lot of boarding houses. The way I did my first year was live at the restaurants and quick-lunch joints for the first term an

od meals at the school d

stand six dollars a week, all right. Some fellows can't." Jimmy presented his slice of pie at th

machine," replied the waiter a

a glass of water instead." Then, addressing I

g in

g to do with your spare time? Footb

ything except a little baseball. I gues

ohnston. "If you don't intend to try it you'd better keep

captain?"

Ever pla

ad. "I never thought I'd care to

e's t

live in Ch

lame you. How

nks. Who i

Track Team capt

I-I sort of met

first year. I was horribly shy, you see. Yes, I got over it!" He laughed as he caught Ira's quick glance of surprise. "Had to. I used to get red clear around to the back of my face if anyone spoke to me. The second year I realised that it wouldn't do and I made up my mind to get cured. How

" ask

No? Come along then. There's your check. Might as well pay it if you've got the money. They have

in response to the invitation of one. Ira had an uncomfortable suspicion that he was the subject of the short, whispered dialogue tha

eeling away from the narrow porch and stores had been built close to it on either side. The first floor was occupied by a tailor's establishment on the right and by the agency of a spring-water company on the left. Johnston gaily pointe

emember me, Mrs. Magoon, but we were very dear friends once. I

y voice. "You're the young man that broke the new

emember me, after all. I

r, either, although you

u a lodger, Mrs. Magoon. This is Mr. Rowland, Mr. Thomas Chesterfield Rowland, of Cheerup Falls, Maine, a very personal friend of mine. He was about to take a room

her. "Everything's pretty well taken now. There was a young man in here not ten minutes ago to look at the only room I've

would indeed. After you, Rowland.

e toiled upstairs at their heels and directed the way to a large, scantily furnished room at the back of the house. "It

hool, but Mrs. Magoon predicted that in the Winter he would have a fine view of it. There were two big windows on the back of the room, a sizable closet, a fireplace with a dingy, white-marble mantel and a rusted grate and a few oddments of furniture all much the worse for wear. Ira tested the bed and shuddered inwardly. It was like a board. There was a green pl

way, eh? Of course, you'll need a few more things. A window seat would help. And another easy-chair, maybe. Then, with the family portraits on the walls and a fire crackling cheerily-what ho! 'Blow, wintry winds! What care we?' Or words to that general effect. You s

nice bathroom, with an enamelled tub

, as we descend. You

a week

For the school ye

four a w

You will have your joke, eh? The lady has a

that it's worth that mu

er joke. Now, Mrs. Magoon, seriously, what do y

pay weekly or monthly; although I have to insist

m to let a bill run longer than a month. You might almost call him finicky in money matters. Considering that, n

firmly, arms akimbo. "Three-seventy-five is

pted Ira. "I'd have to buy a good many things fo

Rooms are scarce, as Mrs. Magoon wil

five," correcte

for half of nothing and pay when you like. With another chair and a couch and a few pi

ere's the washstand yet, sir, and

began Ira,

ready in an hour, Mrs. Magoon. If you've got seven dollars where yo

let me have it at thre

so? You said three and a ha

id n

t day, ma'am. School begins tomorrow. I guess everyone's settled by this time. You wouldn't want the room to

it before," she said sadly. Then, brightening: "Maybe the young man w

ad violently, but neither t

ow much are break

Coffee and toast and tw

t than going out," mused Ira. "All

very particular about having you let him know what you dec

e bathroom-" began Mrs.

ce more on the street he turned sorrowfully to Ira. "You shouldn't have let yourself in for the breakfasts, old man," he said. "

l look better when there

l be crazy abo

ly. Johnston preferred n

y isn't bad the

she asked, Johnston. She says she

y three and a half for it. Besides, she'll make it up on the breakfasts. Now let's run around to Jacobs' and see what we

lot of your tim

t for a full minute, something so unusual that Ira viewed him in surprise. Then, with

said Ira. "

rtledly. "Hold on, though

I don't ca

" Johnston chuckled. "Guess if I'd remembered it I'd have stayed away. But when she sprang it on me, w

, y

e your hand. We'll go back now and get the money and tell her it's off. Come on! I'd feel a lot better. Then we'll look somewhere

the room would answer I'd never have taken it, no matter what you might have said. I don't think it's palatial, but I do think it will do well enough, and if Mrs. Magoon lets you

l about it. But you're quite sure it's all rig

ain s

he same. Any fellow ought to, I should think. I'll do it this afternoon while I

oor and tink

buy and I wa