American fiction -- 20th century; Bildungsromans; World War, 1914-1918 -- United States -- Fiction; Young men -- Fiction
“Well, it looks to me as if she was only fightin' for her principles.
She believes in 'em. The more it costs a person to stick to their
principles, why, the more I believe the person must have something
pretty fine about 'em likely.”
“Yes!” said the hot-headed Fred. “That may be in ordinary times, but not
when a person's principles are liable to betray their country! We won't
stand that kind of principles, I tell you, and we oughtn't to. Dora
Yocum's finding that out, all right. She had the biggest position of
any girl in this place, or any boy either, up to the last few weeks, and
there wasn't any student or hardly even a member of the faculty that had
the influence or was more admired and looked up to. She had the whole
show! But now, since she's just the same as called any student a
murderer if he enlists to fight for his country and his flag--well, now
she hasn't got anything at all, and if she keeps on she'll have even
less!”
He paused in his walking to and fro and came to a halt behind his
friend's chair, looking down compassionately upon the back of Ramsey's
motionless head. His tone changed. “I guess it isn't just the ticket--me
to be talking this way to you, is it?” he said, with a trace of
huskiness.
“Oh--it's all right,” Ramsey murmured, not altering his position.
“I can't help blowing up,” Fred went on. “I want to say, though, I know
I'm not very considerate to blow up about her to you this way. I've been
playing horse with you about her ever since freshman year, but--well,
you must have understood, Ram, I never meant anything that would really
bother you much, and I thought--well, I _really_ thought it was a good
thing, you--your--well, I mean about her, you know. I'm on, all right. I
know it's pretty serious with you.” He paused.
Ramsey did not move, except that his right hand still fidgeted with the
pen upon the table.
“Oh--well--” he said.
“It's--it's kind of tough luck!” his friend contrived to say; and he
began to pace the floor again.
“Oh--well--”
“See here, ole stick-in-the-mud,” Fred broke out abruptly. “After her
saying what she did-- Well, it's none o' my business, but--but--”
“Well, what?” Ramsey murmured. “I don't care what you say, if you want
to say anything.”
“Well, I _got_ to say it,” Fred half groaned and half blurted. “After
she said _that_--and she meant it--why, if I were in your place I'd be
darned if I'd be seen out walking with her again.”
“I'm not going to be,” Ramsey said, quietly.
“By George!” And now Fred halted in front of him, both being huskily
solemn. “I think I understand a little of what that means to you, old
Ramsey; I think I do. I think I know something of what it costs you to
make that resolution for your country's sake.” Impulsively he extended
his hand. “It's a pretty big thing for you to do. Will you shake hands?”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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