rm was very like another so far as its broad program
went but innumerable, minute but very important progressions carried me
toward manhood, events which can hardly be stated to an outsider.

Burton remained my room-mate and in all our vicissitudes we had no vital
disagreements but his unconquerable shyness kept him from making a good
impression on his teachers and this annoyed me--it made him seem stupid
when he was not. Once, as chairman of a committee it became his duty to
introduce a certain lecturer who was to speak on "Elihu Burritt," and by
some curious twist in my chum's mind this name became "Lu-hi Burritt"
and he so stated it in his introductory remarks. This amused the
lecturer and raised a titter in the audience. Burton bled in silence
over this mishap for he was at heart deeply ambitious to be a public
speaker. He never alluded to that speech even to me without writhing in
retrospective shame.

Another incident will illustrate his painfully shy character. One of our
summer vacations was made notable by the visit of an exceedingly pretty
girl to the home of one of Burton's aunts who lived on the road to the
Grove, and my chum's excitement over the presence of this alien bird of
paradise was very amusing to me as well as to his brother Charles who
was inclined, as an older brother, to "take it out" of Burt.

I listened to my chum's account of his cousin's beauty with something
more than fraternal interest. She came, it appeared, from Dubuque and
had the true cosmopolitan's air of tolerance. Our small community amused
her. Her hats and gowns (for it soon developed that she had at least
two), were the envy of all the girls, and the admiration of the boys. No
disengaged or slightly obligated beau of the district neglected to hitch
his horse at Mrs. Knapp's gate.

Burton's opportunity seemed better than that of any other youth, for he
could visit his aunt as often as he wished without arousing comment,
whereas for me, a call would have been equivalent to an offer of
marriage. My only chance of seeing the radiant stranger was at church.
Needless to say we all made it a point to attend every service during
her stay.

One Sunday afternoon as I was riding over to the Grove, I met Burton
plodding homeward along the grassy lane, walking with hanging head and
sagging shoulders. He looked like a man in deep and discouraged thought,
and when he glanced up at me, with a familiar defensive smile twisting
his long lips,