dictorian. His room-mate was
insanely jealous of him, and sought every way possible to humiliate
him. He had racked his brain for a scheme to play on Belton on
commencement day, and he at last found one that gave him satisfaction.

There was a student in Stowe University who was noted for his immense
height and for the size and scent of his feet. His feet perspired
freely, summer and winter, and the smell was exceedingly offensive. On
this account he roomed to himself. Whenever other students called to
see him he had a very effective way of getting rid of them, when he
judged that they had stayed long enough. He would complain of a corn
and forthwith pull off a shoe. If his room was crowded, this act
invariably caused it to be empty. The fame of these feet spread to
the teachers and young ladies, and, in fact, to the city. And the huge
Mississippian seemed to relish the distinction.

Whenever Belton was to deliver an oration he always arranged his
clothes the night beforehand. So, on the Wednesday night of the week
in question, he carefully brushed and arranged his clothes for the
next day. In the valedictory there were many really touching things,
and in rehearsing it before his room-mate Belton had often shed tears.
Fearing that he might he so touched that tears would come to his eyes
in the final delivery, he had bought a most beautiful and costly silk
handkerchief. He carefully stowed this away in the tail pocket of his
handsome Prince Albert suit of lovely black. He hung his coat in the
wardrobe, very carefully, so that he would merely have to take it down
and put it on the next day.

His room-mate watched his movements closely, but slyly. He arose when
he saw Belton hang his coat up. He went down the corridor until he
arrived at the room occupied by the Mississippian. He knocked, and
after some little delay, was allowed to enter.

The Mississippian was busy rehearsing his oration and did not care
to be bothered. But he sat down to entertain Belton's room-mate for a
while. He did not care to rehearse his oration before him and he felt
able to rout him at any time. They conversed on various things for
a while, when Belton's room-mate took up a book and soon appeared
absorbed in reading. He was sitting on one side of a study table
in the center of the room while the Mississippian was on the other.
Thinking that his visitor had now stayed about long enough, the
Mississippian stooped down quietly and removed one sh