Evening star., 1924-08-31

he saw to it that some educational
magnate wrote to Quaero recon-
needing him as a person of learning
and touchingly beautiful character.
Quaero answered sometimes after
this fashion:
1t was in March that Leonard
pressed in plastic typewriting, are
not more wonderful than my o.G
fashioned desire to be a Socrates
with disciples in peg-top pants and
these new overcoats with dainty
belts? l am raising buff Orpington
chickens. They are very nice. L am,
sir,
"Yr. obed'nt serv't
Basil Quaero."
1t was in March that Leonard
had,a telegram from Quaero. saying
only: Am i'll. come see me-"
He found the old man in bed. at
tended by Il female grenadier Quae-
ro beamed on Leonard.
Nothing serious. my boy. Touch
of jaundice. Apparently / must com
promise. The average undergraduate
doesn't care to live in my mirage
Go ahead. Take the shop. l planned
to make it q magic shop, to sell
moonlight and the key TO fairyland,
but no one comes to the mushroom
ring any more. So you may turn the
shop into Il drygoods store. But do
try to carry fast dyes"
Leonard patted Quaero's pillows,
and got him to sign a little paper
saying that in case of Quaero's death.
absence or serious illness, Leonard
was to be in charge of the property
and policies of the university.
He knew that legally Quaero was
trustee of the university funds and
that he had a charter from the State
leg islature empow ering the univer-
sity to grant degrees. But he had
not known that W. |. PuSey still re-
tanned personal possession of the en-
of it yearly.
Even in the endurable event of
Quaeros death. then Leonard would
have to please Pusey. But that
didn't worry him. Pusey and he were
both practical men, both great sales
men. Besides. The letters lie was
going to write to Pusey, He start
ed them that day, with a masterfully
modest note in which he announced
that he had been permitted to crawl
under tn" same sod above which Basil
Quaero SCARED.
Quaeru approved of 1eonard'S writ
ing tn Pusey. but the only address
he could give was in care of Dolson
& Door, Pusey'S Boston lawyers. 1t
was Mr. Dolson who answered. He
called Leonard "Esqre." and said
that Mr.. Pusey desired him to Eek
press qualification for your communi
cation Of the l1th inst
Chaste advertisements on the front
pages of all magazines announced
that the University of Daily Life
was prepared to give the degrees of
E. A, NJ. A.. and B. 5. Leonard filled
out a complete teaching staff. And
the subjects which he planned for
the coming year were curiously
similar to those of most small col
leges. Quaero interfered by engag-
ing teachers in grocery store keep
ing. matrimony and other incredible
subjects, but Leonard so arranged
the catalogue that they were made
to sound almost decent, and so timed
the hours OF the classes that they
would conflict with all the popular
courses.
One subject Quaero persistently re-
fused to admit. till it should be de-
manded by the students. That was
Greek. He boisterously insisted that
it would be better to take up Yiddish.
Leonard knew that the first stu
dents would come from neaP>hy ter
ritory. He whispered about that
there wasn't going to he any more
that parents could not only save rail-
road fare. but be assured Of Al, high
class educations for their buds, right
here near home. Leonard spoke to
every women's club within 20 miles
and the incest people in the county
became his unpaid agents.
To inquirers he sent out n hand
some new catalogue. He received
letters from freshmen. sophomores
and juniors in small adjacent col
leges which lacked the magnificent
equipment of the University of Daily
Life.
Forty miles away was "A city of over
a hundred thousand. Leonard ran up
there, was dignified but cordial to
managing editors of newspapers. He
hinted that the story of w. !. Pusey's
millions and Basil Quaero's beard
would make a dandy human inter
est story" But he received the local
correspondents when they came, and
they wrote less about the beard than
about the wonderful future of the
university.
pAS1L QUAERO seemed content t.
- sit reading books and watching
Leonard buzz. Without comment he
let Leonard make promises, start en-
terprises. engage assistants. After
a few hints from Leonard. Quaero
gave him power of attorney to sign
checks against the endowment fund.
But Quaero awakened when on the
22d Of September, 500 students ma
circulated for the first real year of
the university. In a new cassuck
President Quaero stood before his
first students. But he was not e!o-
quent. He merely stretched out his
arms and faltered:
MAY God give you swift feet and
pure hearts and golden tongues: l
am not your president: | am your ser
want; and l am not worthy even to
be your servant, for of such as you
is the kingdom of heaven"
He sat down, trembling. 1t was
Secretary Leonard Lamb Shanklin.
Phi. D., who finished the ceremony.
and had the students laughing by his
jolliness. Now they would crafty
dear old Prexy Quaero by giving the
college yell. All together now:
Daily Life, Daily Life.
Free of care! Free of strife.
te-doode-yip-te-doo
Well, well well.
Dear old Alma Mater
L. ID. L.!
Gradual were the changes that
Leonard produced that first year and
very tactful. In looking over Beidel-
man College and Musica; Seminary
he had met junior who was equally
efficient at sitting in on y round of
roodles, and in presiding at the Y
NJ. c. A. Joseph Bellings, this youth
was called, and he came 10 the Uni
versity of Daily Life as senior, and
Leonard's assistant. Leonard sent
A.
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