Evening star., 1924-08-31


IL still had the academic mind,
- thinking of the universe
as a collection Of professors sur
rounded by darkness. but he also
had the money-making mind.
At 33 Leonard Lamb Shanklin was
manager of the school laboratory de-
partment of the Vigilance Chemical
and Supply House. company which
made an interesting saving in the
cost of raw materials by being gen
erous to such college purchasing
agents and science teachers as would
listen to common sense. Not all Of
his business was on a basis of brib-
cry. Even honestly earned commits
sions were acceptable to Leonard.
He had never been able to get even
feeler from a Midw college
Enthusiastically named The University
OF Daily Life" Nor could he find
out anything about the university,
except that its president was one
Basil Quaero, that it had 5000 vol
umes in the library, and was situated
in "A town called New Ratersford.
One September he called Me-
lanchthon Institute. and realized that
by an easy jump he could reach the
town of New Ratersford and look
over the University of Daily Life.
He arrived at noon, found that New
Ratersford was place of 1000
people.
The university was a mile and a
half from the town. In the tranquil
afternoon Leonard walked to it. He
topped. hill, and looked into a tiny
valley that was the campus. There
were a dozen Tudor buildings. with
tower and pointed arch, and loaded
easements overlooking rhododendron
bordered walks. Not one person was
in sight; the silken wind carried to
him no sound of life.
ch, a
scended, walked on tiptoe among the
~ioistered buildings. Through the
windows of a dormitory he saw pic
lures, ffreplaces and couches on
which undergraduates should have
been loating and making terrific
noises. In a laboratory he noted
static machines. motors. balances
under glass. But no human being
was visible.
Anybody around" Leonard cried
There wasn't even an echo. His
stomach prickled with uneasiness.
The campus was Immaculate, the
grass-plots trim, the new ivy care
fully pruned. But who had done the
work?
He climbed toward what seemed to
be the chapel-a detached Gothic
structure on rise. He started.
stopped. The tall bronze doors were
open.
but through lneHl came no SOunu.
He stood in the vestibue. He heard
a voice-a bell voice. deep. serious.
rich with ancient sorrowS:
My friends. we open our seventh !
year of this university. our seventh
year of seeking the excellence Of
wisdom"
Leonard peered in. There was no
one in all the chapel save the speak
er. a huge old man, white bearded, |
erect, standing alone by the lectern. |
Leonard slipped behind a baize |
inner door while the old man went |
This is to be our year of glory
as. to the man who with seeing eyes |
beholds the good brown earth and |
the aspiring sky, every year is a |
new glory. But peculiarly this year
shall we've will, oh. we will
Then. as great tree crashes. the |
old man sank to his knees. Sun |
light spia the place where he |
knelt, and Leonard could see that |
he wore a black silk cassock. rusty |
and darned. He held up his two |
mighty arms. threw back his head |
so that in the licking sun flame his |
white beard was silver fire. The |
triumphant voice that had filled the
stone arches with soaring life was
ehattered TO a cry for help.
Lord of hosts. 1 cannot go on, l |
am defeated. Seven years ! have
waited for disciples. and not one has
come to stay. not one, not one! I
take Thy rebuke but-Sive to Thy
servant one follower before I die
X :: !; :.
7 EONARD LAMB SHANkLIN dis
IL covered himself skittering down
the chapel steps. through the campus.
hack toward town. When he had
walked the unmanly awe out Of his
system, he grumbled:
II believe I'm letting something
good get by. me. The old nut GER
tainly has got one complete plant
here. must be this Basil Quaero, the
president. Me for you. Basil"
With which Leonard turned and
marched back. From the archway Of
a recitation hall he watched the door
of the chapel till he saw the white
bearded man emerge. walk down the
hill. enter a garden-rinEed stone cot
tsge at the edge of the birch grove.
The man had removed his cassock. |
wore n careless, old short coat and
no hat. He tralnped like a veteran
soldier.
Leonard presently pounded on the
knocker on the oak door of the cot
tage.
The old man opened the door.
Leonard was embarrassed by his
near-seen hugeness. His face was
rough. but over his vast forehead
and deep in his quiet eyes was the
melancholy beauty of the quest Of
truth. He gazed absently down on
the dapper Leonard.
is this President Quaero?'
at is The strange eyes widened.
grew lively. Are you student?"
Why not, not exactly, but-My
card"
The card asserted that not only
was Leonard Lamb Shanklin a doc
tor of philosophy-but also that he
had formerly been instructor of
chemistry at Littlejohn University.
blast in ringing mountain-cleft. He
roared: welcome, by boyi 1 don't
know what heresy they've fired you
for and you needn't tell me. Here
YOU can teach the truth as you see
tiff any students come to be
taught"
Leonard snapped:
II haven't been fired for anything!
Fact is, I've, uh. temporarily aban-
Toned the purely pedagogic aspect to
assist in developing the distributive
function of the commercial u
II see You mean you're on the
lad. selling. Plain words break no
images. Doctor. But come in-stay
AZ iniss as you can. 1 am lonely. and
I am garrulous!'
The old man had shrewd eye, and
ais study indicated the man used to
books. 1t had deep-hollowed chairs
and it reeked with the good smell OF
tobacco and old leather bindings.
little after six Quaero said:
Stay TO supper, Doctor. You sug-
west things to me. This problem Of
SAA nee of tides for generation of