-al.-^ Cb Dot re Dame DisceovAsi-ssmpeia-\/ICTVR\/S- vw/e-OVASI-cRAS-iMOieiTuiews<^' . Vol.. L.­ NOTRE DAME, INDIANA, MAY 26, 1917. No. 32- had anyone to shovv these backfield men how A Song of Service. to drop-kick." He turned the'knob of the gym door and 'PHERE is for me somewhere a worthy place. stepped in. There was no one in the dressing- Where T may work in harvest fields of earth. rooms.- * • . And reap the grain that golden grows apace— \ - ^. Angels will take the sheaves and know their worth Conklin'^ seated himself on one of the long benches, opened his suitcascxand in a short Perhaps I live to help a soul in wor^ time stood erect in, his old football togs. He A child, or one whose hair has long been gray; tlirew his clothes into the bag, snapped it shut For since God keeps me in this world, I know and trotted out along the path to the field. Some one has need for me somewhere today. The guard at the gate held him while he B. A. called the coach; Lynch looked at Conklin coldly for a long time, then he held out his hand. The Prodigal's Return. "How are you, Conklin?" he asked coldly. "What brought you down here?" BY JOHN J. SULLIV.-VN, 'iS. They shook hands very briefly. "Why, I thought I might be needed to.help 1e| T was a week before, the big game of the with- the drop-kickers. Lynch,, so I took the season. On the campus nothing was talked liberty of offering my ser\'-ices." of but the game with Haywood. Great "I see," said the coach quietly. "But listen here, Conklin, before I ask you-to come in was the confidence in the team that so far I want you to understand that you will likelj- remained unbeaten. Whether unbeatable or notj be very unwelcome out there," he pointed to the the next Thursda3'''s game would decide. But field. "You didn't receive an- invitation—• - the hopes of Clayton students were running purposely. But the thing isn't in my juris­ , high. , diction. Come in if you want to." -The field within the high board fence was a Conklin was hurt terribly, but he stuck out place of mystery for the students. Secret his lower jaw and jogged out upon the. field. practice had excluded all but the team and the Many of his classmates and even some of graduate coaches: ' his old teammates were there. All either,met TomConklin climbed out of his ta.Ki, fished him distantly and with a frigid courtesy or out a hesivy suitcase from somewhere within ignored him entirely. It seemed none coidd • the. car, paid the .passive driver and gazed forgive him for that one thing 'in the past. aboiit him. - - He h'ad been .disgracefully discharged for a "The same old; place—^just the same," he wild escapade a day before the most important murmured.^ "Nothing changed but the faces, game. He had been the greatest drop-kicker in I suppose." the .football history of Clajlon; but today-she He began to walk rapidly in the. direction Avelcpmed him back as she would a pestilence. of-the big gym. - Ray Conklin, the _ young brother of Tom, "Yes,"-he mused, "the_ faces wiE be dif­ was the only one that greeted him decently. .: ferent. " I wonder "how they'll receive .the "Can't talk very long now, Tom," he had brother of -Ray Conkliu. At least they'll said after a hearty hand shake. "But I want- all give me credit for the nerve.' But T'm to see you as soon as we're throiigh." , heeded here now;- I^khow ft.r They've never He hurried off. Ray was the sensation of the: oo O Tim NOTRE DAME SCHOLASTIC Clayton backfield and the older brother looked and scored three field goals. But loag before after him -with a swelling heart. then Coach L3'nch had known the reason. "I hope I'm not hurting him any, coming Haywood had knoAvn every play and signal here like this," he told himself. that he had guar'ded so zealous!}^!' That • night the student body requested In the dressing-room Lj^nch thrashed it out Conklin to leave the campus. He received with Trainor, the captain. the committee smilingly, but he was torn with "No! I tell you," repeated the coach for the humiliation and an.ger. twentieth time, "it couldn't have been that Later, honestly indignant he told his brother way. No one got inside that field but ourselves! about the Avhole thing. Somebody on the inside sold us out, that's all. "I'm sorry," sympathized Ray. "You came It's not how: it was, it's who it was that I want here in all good faith too. What are you going to find out." to do now, Tom?" Trainor shook his head. Then suddenly "I'll tell you what I'm going to do" answered there flashed to him the thought of the bills the unfortunate one slowl}-, "I'm going up he had seen pass from Tom Conklin to Ray. to Haywood tomorrow. The3''ve invited me In a second he had splurted out his suspicion. long ago. And.I'm going to do my level be.st "The cur!" the coach groaned with rage, to beat ClaA^on. I'll show tliis bunch of snobs "sold us out to his vicious brother, did he? the value of drop-kicking." I thought he might be different from that other Conversation lagged and soon Tom arose. Conklin—^but I guess I was wrong." "Well, old fellow, I'm wishing you the best The following morning Ra}' Conklin found of luck. I'm going to catch the io:oo o'clock himself suspended from Clayton on suspicion train. And say," he paused' and drew forth until he could prove his innocence. some bills, "here's that twenty-five I owe you— Tom read about it in the papers in the lobby I'd better pa}^ A'OU now that I've got it." of a hotel a hundred miles away. He caught Ra}' was just thanking him when Trainor, the next train in the direction of Clayton. the captain, came in without knocking. He Lynch received him almost iiisultingl}*. Conk­ saw the bills and the elder Conklin stopped lin spoke before the other could sa}'- a word. short. ,, ^ "I w'ant to tell you something. Lynch," "I hope I'm not intruding?" he asked. he began rapidl}^, "that I know is going to "No, no, come in,—sit down, mv^brother was queer my reputation as a sportsman from one just on the point of leaving." end of the countr}'-' to ^the other. I've come a ^ "Good-b5''e, Ra}^—I'll drop you a line." hundred miles today to do it. Ra}'" Conklin "vSo long, Tom, good-luck" is one of the whitest .men I know alive, and he's no more guilty of selling you out than 5''ou are The papers next evening chronicled the. fact yourself. That money he received from me that the famous Conklin had been installed was in payment of a little debt. To clear his as assistant coach for Ha3'-wood Universit}'-. name entirety my story will have to be pub­ Clayton admirers read the headlines, sneered, lished I suppose—so here it is: I stole 3'-our and forgot it. ' signals, L3'^nch, and I. stole every one of 3^our ''All through the next few days laborers were pla3'"s—^yoii're not much more, as a detective busy erecting new rows of bleachers for the big than 3^ou are as a man—^that's enough, isn't it?" • crowd that was sure to come. And finally the "But wait a minute," asked L3^nch contritel}--, big da}'- arrived. "tell me, Conklin, how did 3'-ou get our signals?" Thousands'saw the game .... and won­ ' "Wh}'',—^3'^ou see those new bleachers out dered. The visito'rs seemed impregnable on the there?" asked the other. ."Well, I helped build defense. Time and time Clayton, who was those while you fellows were at' secret practice.'" Toefore considered far the better offensive L3'^nch gazed intently at the ground. Then, machine, was thrown for big losses. In the "I'm sorrjv" he said. "If there was any other ' third quarter Ray Conklin" blood-smeared and wa3'' I'd hush this stor3^up. Everyone at Clayton, ; on the point' of tears -was carried from I'm afraid, has misjudged 3'-ou—" the field:. From 'then on ,Ha3'^wood gained steadih?-; before the final whistle sounded tliey The-stoiy as Lynch told it was printed. had .crossed Clayton's- goal.'lind twice This is it^ ' • ' .^ ^ u-- ^^•'•J- • V -•• ,-; k^i>'r-l>^'%A-:":-l}^^:.Si THE NOTRE DAME SCHOLASTIC OOA /-" Benediction. men spend years in overcoming a disadvantage resulting from imperfections in any one of The many-toned, unending chant;. them. Among the great men of the last century, Redolent vapors of incense favored by all, or obliged to combat the influence Cloaking the pale glare of candles. of any one of these agencies I have enumerated, Rich robed figures moving about; Abraham Lincoln stands out boldly in the van The tinkling jingle of a censer's chains; as the one Avho became a man among men, • The dull hazed red of hanging altar lamps: perhaps the greatest of the Tw'entieth Century, .Great fluted columns reaching up and up.