The Plastic Age

every ideal of college swayed and wabbled. He wasn't a prig, but he had come to Sanford with very definite

all farm in Merrytown, but as a matter of fact he lived off of a comfortable income left him by his very capable father. He spent most of his time reading the eighteenth-century essayists, John Donne's poetry,

the library after dinner for that talk. He loved the gentle, gray-haired man with the fine, delicate features and soft voice. He had often wi

y had this talk with Hugh? She knew him so much better than he did; they were more like brother and sister

Then he settled his horn-rimmed pince-nez more firmly on his nose and felt in his waistcoat for a cigar. Why didn't Hugh say something? He sni

he said in h

father Dad before. He thought of him that way always, but he could never bring himself t

r," he stuttered,

. "That's all right, Hugh." His smile was very k

ne!" Hugh

and Mr. Carver began t

ve of your going away to college. There is so much that you o

nd told. Instinctively he knew that his father referr

aid gruffly, "I guess

r's responsibilities lifted from his shoulders. "I believe Dr

e and at the same time unconsciously pinching his leg. He pinched so hard that

en." He was beginning to feel at ease. "Excellent thing. I

knew had come from the smutty stories, and he often did not understand th

is father continued. He had a moment of panic lest Hugh would ask

ace. Fine old traditions and all that sort of thing. Splendid place. You will find a wonderful faculty, wonderful. Most of the professors I had are gone, but I am sure that the new ones are quite as good. Your opportunities will be enormous, and I am sure that you will take

en in college who dissipate-remember that I knew one or two-but certainly most of them are gentlemen. Crude men-vulgarians do not commonly go to college. Vulgarity

and looked up with avid inter

efore he continued. Then he settled back in his chair and smoke

g the first considered." For an hour more he talked about the fraternity. Hugh, his embarrassment swallowed by his interest, eagerly asking questions. His fathe

reaming, thinking sometimes of Helen Simpson and of how he had kissed her that afternoon, but more often of Sanford and Nu Delta. He was so deeply grateful to his father for talking to him frankly and telling him everything about

himself in the doorway of the Nu Delta

f his father had just forgotten what college was like. Everything seemed so different from what he had bee

ia day-a real