The University Courier.
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get through college the best way he can." The old man's mind was made up, and he began to get everything ready for his departure. The more he thought of the matter, the more he believed what his neighbors had told him. Every day some person, who had said nothing before, would tell him how much time the football players wasted, and Uncle Cy, who had before been so proud of the record made by his boy on the field, would almost swear to think that he had been such a fool as to believe everything that Jo wrote him.
At last the day for his departure came, and the old man boarded the train with many misgivings. A crowd of the gossipers among the men were at the station to see him off, and the last thing he heard was to remember what they had told him, and see if they weren't right about Jo and what he was doing, and that they'd bet that the boy had got broke playing poker and didn't have money enough to come home.
The time on the train went very slowly indeed for Uncle Cy, and the farther he got along the road, the greater became his fears. He could picture Jo in his room, sitting beside a table with several boon companions around it. A beer bottle was standing on the dresser, a pile of red, white, and blue disks before each player, and Jo looking out of his unbandaged eye at the cards in his hand, and considering carefully whether he had better "stay" or "let her slide." Jo's right arm was tied up in a large bandage, his leg was stretched out carefully on a chair, a red rag was tied around his head, and a small black pipe was closely gripped between his teeth. Every mile or so would add smething new to the horrible picture and by the time the old man had arrived at his destination, he was all a tremble from thinking of the sight that would soon meet his eyes.
He got off the train at the college town, and as he walked up the street, could not help but notice the lack of cripples, a large number of whom he supposed he would see as soon as he came into town.
He inquired the way to his son's house, and knocked at the door. The landlady told him
to go right up stairs to the first room, and go right in, for Jo was at home. Uncle Cy went up as quietly as possible, for he wanted to surprise Jo in his devilment and not give him a chance to get out of it. He was surprised at not hearing any noise of revelry, and thought that Jo must be in bed, resting from his debauches He opened the door quietly and looked in; but what a sight! There were no beer bottles in sight, no cards nor polker chips. no bandaged head or arm. The room was very comfortably furnished. A brisk fire was burning in the stove; and above all, there at the table, sitting with his head bent over a large book, and others scattered around him, satJo, evidently really at work and hard at work too. The old man stood there for a moment, hardly able to comprehend what he saw. That he took out a great red handkerchief, wiped his eyes of some unusual moisture, and spoke to Jo. The surprise of meeting his father was evidently very pleasant to the young man, and UncleCy inwardly swore at himself for believing what his neighbors, "who knew all about such things," had told him.
His stay was not long, and he said nothing to Jo about his suspicions; but when he left, he handed the boy an extra fifty and told him to have a good time during vacation, and not work too hard.
"Sing a song of side shows,
A pocket full of tin;
Cost you forty dollars
To take the Midway in."
—Sequoia.
Mary had a little lamb,
And the little lampkin died;
His wool was made into Plymouth Rock pants,
And now walks by her side.
— Melrose High School Life.
The University of Missouri has received from the State legislature since February 1891 by direct appropriation and in interest on its endowment fund $1,525,000. No other state in this country has given its university so much money in so short a time. -Ex.