The Plastic Age

er Hugh was genuinely sorry, but almost

as he finished reading it, and exploded: "The

He smiled impishly. "You were the wise

are his own lessons. Day after day he had studied with Morse in order to cheer him up; and that was all the studying he

ully, called attention to his legs, his awkwardness, urged him to go faster, insisted that he get some "pash" into it. If he sang, and the frightened freshman usually sang off key, they interrupted him after a few notes, told him to sing something else, interrupted that, and told him "for God's sake" to dance. The speech-making, however, provided the most fun, especially if the freshman was cleverer than his captors. Then there was a battle of wits, and i

in wrong" because he danced; and he had no desire to emulate David. Within two days the sophomores discovered his religious ardor, his horror of drinking, smoking, and dancing. So they made him dance while they howled with glee at his bobbing stomach; his short, staggering legs; his red jowls, jigging and jouncing; his pale blue eyes, protruding excitedly from their sockets; his lips pressed tight together, per

the "initiations" on the campus, but he did not like some of them in the dormitories. He didn't mind being pulled out of bed and shoved under a cold shower. He took a cold shower every morning, and if the sophomores wanted to give him another one at night-all right, he was willing. He had to confess that "Eliza Crossing the Ice" had been enormous fun. The freshmen were commanded to appear in the

three other freshmen for the amusement of their peers, but he

ty, but he soon discovered that some of the freshmen were intensely conscious of it. True, a few months in the gymnasium cured them of that consciousness, but at first many of them were eternally wrapping towels about themselves in the gymnasium, and they took a sho

evening, "but I don't like the things they said to poor little Wilkins. And when th

en," Carl agreed,

ny at all," Hu

ise. It was the first time

so dirty. Why, not even the bums at home would think of such things. And I'm telling you right now that there are three of those guys that I'm layin' for. Just wait till the class rush. I'm going to get Adams, and then

separating each of the malefactors from the fighting mob. He would have been completely

e black eye?" Ad

d, touching the eye gingerly. "Wh

e beat Hi Cooper to

ach other and bu

Who'd take a kid with a smile like his to be a scrapper? He's

remarked Adams, rubb

never can tell.... Damn it, I'm going to have to g

ood man for the fraterni

was absorbing his

. He ought to make

We've got to