The midland journal., 1916-08-18
"A Story With a Soul
copyrIeht By Small. Maynard q Company
Ry PHoERR Gray

tion. He considered Francis quite pre-
cocious and had never ceased to be
proud of him. Francis had always
been Wlllett's ''beautiful boy"
II John Willett and his son had
drifted away from each Other-and
John had to admit that In spite Of it
all this was measurab1y the case-the
man argued that one must expect 1t.
A boy can't,be kept tied to his parents
front porch. Willett had many time
looked back to that farewell talk with
Francis on the eve of the latter's de-
parture for st. Michael's. He had been
confident that his son had profited by
the talk There had been others. too;
and John had felt each time that he
was probing the depths of his boys ma
ture, touching him vitality with the
right influence.
Once or twice Francis had got out
over his head in money matters. His
father, protesting mildly, had paid the
few hundred dollars required to sat
isfy the demands of tailors and shoe
makers perhaps too freely patronized.
He remembered how fine Francis had
looked on his last visit home--a boy to
be proud of-or, rather. a man. And
in less than year, now, he had ex-.
pected his son to come home and enter.
his own office. There was plenty of
work to make an ambitious young fell
low interestedly active.
But this letter from the dean! He
read 1t once more.
NV Dear Mr.. Wiliett:
1t is my painful duty to inform you that
your son, Francis Willett, became involved
| in a most unfortunate affair on the night of
| November 10, and his participation was of
| such q nature that it cannot be overlooked
| by the college authorities.
/ will spare you unnecessary details.
| but viii say that excessive indulgence In
| stinulants led three of our students to ap-
| propriate public automobile. which has
| resulted in arrest and arraignment upon
several charges, including that of theft.
| disordefly conduct, reckless driving, and
| the operation OF motor Venlcie While
| intoxicated.
It has been the fixed rule of the faculty
| that, in the absence of thoroughly extenu-
ating circumstances, any students hailed
| into court for misdemeanors should be.
! dealt with most severely; and In the pres
ent instance am left no alternative. The
young mans resignation has been asked
for and received.
believe he secured release from GUS
| tody under a suspension of sentence, and
may consider himself most fortunate to
escape far more serious consequences.
| Regretting beyond expression the disap-
| pointment and chagrin which this occur
renee must cause you, not only as IA
ther, but as an alumnus remain,
Very reSnaefflIlIy YOURS.
WALTER j. HACKETT.
Dean of the College.
The door opened and WiIlett looked
up. Francis had entered almost upon
the heels of the postman who had
brought the damning letter.
Very humbly and woefully the young
man crossed the room and sank into
chair. He did not look at his father
nor offer a hand in greeting. Willett
surveyed his son steadily for some
minutes without speaking.
"Did you-did you get letter from
the eollege?" asked Francis.
| "Yes.n
''Then there's no need of my telling
you."
Pm afraid there is not much that
you can add, Francis. What will your
mother say?"
Francis looked up quickly.
"Oh, dad" he said docs she need
to know?'
II have never been in the habit Of
deceiving your mother. / should not
know how to go about it. Perhaps
you would do 1t more skillfully."
"Don't, please don't" he begged. cit
wasn't such ait wasn't SO awfully
bad. We didn't mean any harm. We
weren't ourselves"
Whose fault was that?"
"I-er-nobody's it was the wine
we had been drinking-everybod does
it. We'd won big football game, and
we were celebrating
"Oh, celebrating. So TO celebrate it
is customary to disgrace yourself. And
everybody does it. eh?"
"Why, almost everybody"
"You say everybody does 1t. That
isn't true. There are doubtless scores
of fellows who don't: the majority. in
fact. Isn't that so?"
ION, suppose so; Dut-
"But what? You mean to say the
associates You chose all do it?"
/ ''No. but"
Listen, Francis. You are crying
baby, and 1t is almost as much disap-
pointment to me to have you do that
as 1t is to learn of your disgrace. You
cannot blame anybody else for your
] trouble. You chose your own COM
panions, your own road. There is no
hope for you-you haye no future-if
you make silly. childish practice of
lodging the responsibility for your
own misconduct That is all have to
say.
''Now will try to do what l can to
soften this thing for your mother.
Meanwhile we will decide what you
would better do. You must 20 to
work, of course"