Iowa Heritage Digital Collections
State Library of Iowa

1916 Yearbook

1916 Yearbook

Title

1916 Yearbook

Description

Who's Who
THE afternoon had marked the close of the foot-ball season. All the S. A.
C. "plutocrats" had gone down to the I-I-I park to "watch us down De
Paul." "Jew" sat on the west bleachers with Katherine, shared a sack of
pop-corn with her, and bought her a bottle of red soda with two straws.
They held hands till the game was over. The sun had set and the long
shadows had crept westward, while upon the hill "Jew" knew the bell
would shortly ring that called to the evening meal. But his chivalric
nature revolted at the mere thought of leaving this frail, shrinking
wisp of a girl to find her own way home in the rain that hung threatening in the air. Eager
to do the proper and conventional thing he escorted the bashful Katie to the bosom of her
anxiously waiting family, borrowed an umbrella and came home—too late for supper. This
was the climax.
For himself "Jew" didn't mind it at all; he was quite willing to sacrifice his supper for
his social prestige, but a prosaic and unimaginative faculty deprecated such sacrifice, and as
a grand finale to the day's untoward events, the young man faced the prospect of another
informal visit from the Master in Discipline.
And now as he lay back among the cushions smoking, he tried to gather the scattered
remnants of his wandering wits, in an effort to construct an "alibi" that would not prove
a sieve, when he should be summoned on the "carpet."
Ah! there it is at last, a knock that almost shakes the door from its hinges, and
sounds like Gabriel's trumpet at the crack of doom! With a quivering intonation that betrays the nervous anxiety he is vainly striving to hide under a calm exterior, "Jew" falters:
"Come in." But what strange apparition is this that stands threatening, ominous in the
door way! A figure that rises fully six feet from the floor, arrayed in navy blue and decorated in brass buttons, with cap on head and star on breast stands forth impersonating
the majesty of Davenport law.
Deep and awful come the stentorian tones of authority:
"Are you Mr. Shields—Mr. Harry Shields?"
"Why-Why—n-n-no; that is—I-I- mean—y-yes-," answers the fearless, manly youth,
getting to his feet.
"Well—you can get your coat and hat on and come along with me?"
Now, "Jew" be it distinctly understood, was no coward. His courage was rapidly returning and with the inherent respect for authority so characteristic of him, his first impulse
was to answer the policeman by throwing him out the window. Mastering this temptation,
however, he simply said, "Why, what's the matter?"
"Matter enough," replied he of the brass buttons; "a young lady has sworn out a warrant for your arrest; she alleges gross deception practiced by you and also the theft of her
umbrella,—wait! there it is, the very one she described! I guess you'll come along."
"Here, hold on! that's Katherine's umbrella—she lent it to me tonight to come home
in the rain." "Lent it eh! Tell that to Delmar Wolf." "But it's all a mistake," protested
"Jew" and then he tried to move the cop with Portia's plea for mercy. Unfortunately the
man of dignity was of Teutonic persuasion; and had never heard of Shakespeare; so raising
the sceptre that hung from his wrist he motioned imperiously toward the door. Poor "Jew"
had nothing left but to obey, and seizing coat and hat, he prepared to follow.
Alas, thought he, this comes of putting one's trust in women; yet there must be some
mistake—Katherine Blank is not the kind of girl that would basely betray me. But why
this arrest then—and, oh, the disgrace, the deep humiliation of being dragged into court—he
"Jew" Algernon handled and lead by a common policeman! His cheerful reflections were
ended abruptly by the vigorous disposition of the sleuth who gripped his arm firmly and
urged him toward the door which was opened with decision.
Half the school seemed to have assembled in the hall to get a last look at the popular
favorite before the prison should swallow him up. Yet all seemed strangely calm. In fact,
there were smiles and smirks on many faces. "Jew" felt the grip on his arm suddenly relax; heard the officer say, "Here's your man!" and then with a sudden flash he realized that
he had been receiving the 23d degree.
6 & JOHN J. HOLLINRAKE, '25.

Date

1916

Rights

St. Ambrose University, 518 W. Locust St., Davenport, IA 52803

Identifier

http://cdm16810.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p16810coll2/id/3524