Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 19.djvu/39

 UMPQUA ACADEMY 29 other clothes leaving- Frank the option of going without, stay- ing in bed, or of coming down to breakfast with Yale's clothes on. The rest of the folks were duly notified of the arrangement, so that all might be ready with appropriate remarks, questions and witticisms when Frank appeared in the dining room. When Frank got up he discovered his clothes were gone, and there was nothing to do but get into Yale's little breeches. So he managed to squeeze into them, and then had consider- able pulling and straining to get the coat on. Being duly rigged out he came down to breakfast, and was greeted with a fusilade of well chosen facetious remarks about the fit of his clothes, such as, "What's the matter ? A snake bit you ? you're terribly swelled up this morning." "How did you get your clothes on ?" "Never saw a man grow so much in one night." "Going into the show business, Frank, you'd make a dandy clown." "That suit is a beautiful fit, never saw you look so well." He really did look comical, about like a giant in a little boy's knickerbockers. Frank had arms and legs of the Abe Lincoln pattern, with a good deal of spread and reach to them. We had been used to seeing him with coat sleeves which reached only to within wistful distance of his hands, and pants that left consid'erable unoccupied territory far up his boot leg. We all wore top bots those days, when we could get the money to buy them. The picture he made that morning was cer- tainly "fetching," and we all shook with laughter, while good natured Frank smiled as if enjoying a delightful reception which he gratefully appreciated. He showed no signs of irri- tation or of temper, but sat down to the table in his comic rig and ate his breakfast with as much complaisance as if the whole proceeding was just what he had ordered. While we had fun at his expense we felt deep down in our hearts that he was one of the best fellows in the world. Years afterward he took the degree of M. D., became an excellent physician and held an honorable position in his profession and in his community, and the state of Oregon.