Evening star., 1933-01-22

ON BROWN never knew exactly how
Y he found his way back to the dorm
that night. He had stumbled down
l.. the steps of the Chi Bette house, cap
= clutched in one hand, and turned
down College street.
Arriving in his room he locked the door
8rimly behind him, touched the light switch
ON the wall, and stepped before the mirror to
survey himself.
The brown suit was all wrong: Pants too
narrow, coat too tight in the back. Strange
that it could have looked fine in the store
back in Westfield.
He turned away, catching his underlip with
q row Of even, white teeth. There was depth
Of sincerity in his clear, gray eyes and an
mmistakable stamp Of character about his
mouth that the Chi Betes had overlooked. They
had been too eng-ossed in his wrong clothes
and self-conseious actions.
Suddenly the room was blurred before his
eyes. Stepping to the door he groped for the
light switch and plunged the room in darkness.
He threw himself face downward ON the bed
and lay clutching the cover with both hands.
II he only had not gone back for his cap! Then
he wouldn't have known so surely.
As he lay in the darkness he saw the last few
hours in series OF vivid pictures-lke scenes
clipped from q movie.
There was the long, oak-beamed, Chi Beta Pi
living room with its stone fireplace and paneled
walls. Groups OF wel-dressed debonair young
men shaking hands. moving about. The pleas
ant hum of conversation and easy laughter.
Chi Beta Pi at its best.
Then there was the scene In the spacious
dining room: the two long, white tables, the
sparkle of silver and china. They were singing
one OF their songs:
When our sons to college 90, to college 90,
Wen look them sQuarely in the eye. in the eye,
And say, my boy. the only Greek you'a haze to
knOD
Is Chi, Chi Beta Pi.
It was like having one foot in heaven to sit
there and pretend that he was already one Of
them He knew that song-and why not? His
father had sung it to him ever since he could
remember.
THEN there was the scene following dinner
Jim Fenlow taking three other freshmen
and Don on an inspection Of the house.
Jim was tall and had straight black hair, deep
set, brown eyes and nice laugh. He was presi-
dent of the Chi Bette house. editor of the Pen
guin CPenburys yearbook and chairman Of
this, that and the other committee around
school
Gosh, to be like that" Don thought.
He drew a long breath and, turning over on
his back, studied the shadows on the ceiling Of
his room. Then he thought Of the cap again.
He had gone back alone to get It, Hurrying
up the steps Of the Chi Bette house he found
the front door ajar. There were voices-then
scraps of conversation:
lower our standards to take in everybody.
Why have a fraternity If it isn't little bit
exclusive?"
your own way. I'll hold out on Hamilton
till you pass on Blake"
that Brown legacy"
"Ti1e legacy in brown, you mean"
Somebody laughed
II spose we'll have to pledge him"
"An this father-and-son hooey-think he's
. washout, myself"
To Don it was as If some one had slapped
him across the face Then the door opened.
He stepped into the brightly lighted hallway.
IL left my cap."
Once he glanced toward the living room with
. lcok of mingled fear and defiance and scorn.
"Is this it?"
One of the fellows handed him the cap.
As the door was closing he heard somebody
say: well that's that"
As Don lay motionless on the bed he could
hear voices-loud, excited talking coming from
Scotty's room across the hail. Don wished he
had been around as much and knew as much
about things as Scotty.
Why'd you pick Penbury?" Scotty had asked
him once.
MY father went here" Don had replied.
"What fraternity was hep"
~Chi Beta Pi."
"Oh," Scotty's voice was tinged with new
respect. II suppose you're all set then-being
q legacy"
"A what?"
"A legacy-thats what a fellow Is to his
fathers fraternity when he goes back to the
same school his father attended"
Don swallowed hard and sat up In bed. He
felt hot sufocatng. Voices seemed to be
coming from every direction. The whole dorm
was hotbed of fraternity talk. 'n stay
here" he Thought suddenly, "some one win Try
fo coYna in -