"He appears to be somewhat scarce about these premises, since you called him some days ago," said Bard, whereupon there was some more tittering.
"Well, guess I'll look over the paper, since our wise friend isn't around to teach us something," and, smothering his glee, he uncovered the Age-Herald. Laying the funny pages aside, he allowed his gaze to fall upon the front page of the general news section.
"What in Hell!" he exclaimed, in the next breath.
"What is it, Ran?" cried the crowd.
"Negro says race faces dreadful conditions, due to lack of interest by their leaders. Says selfishness is so much the order that there is no interest whatever toward uplift. Professional Negro the worst."
"Have you read this?" cried Professor Dawes, bursting in a few minutes later. "What do you think of it?" He was very much excited. So were many others.
"That Negro's crazy!" cried Professor Ewes, of the Mater School. Professor Ewes had read Wyeth's book, which was loaned to him by one of his teachers, who had purchased it from one of Wyeth's agents, in two payments. She had loaned it to Professor Ewes, and Professor Ewes had, in turn, loaned it to Professor Dawes, and Professor Dawes had, in turn, loaned it to another professor, and after all three had read it, it was returned to the original purchaser, who had seen the advertisement, that it was on sale at the biggest white store in the south, and had been inspired to subscribe for it, on that account. When the book was returned to her, she had read fifty odd pages and liked it, so she told Miss Palmer. She further said, she hoped some day to know the young man, who had written such a great story. And then Miss Palmer told her. Forthwith, all interest became an argument.
"Do you mean to say, that fellow is the author of the book?" she inquired of her professor.
"Oh, yes," he said.
When the agent called for the remainder due, he was handed the book, with a statement that it was positively N.G. When the agent opened it, as he was leaving the rear of the house of the wealthy white people, a book mark dropped from between pages fifty and fifty-one.