Evening star., 1934-07-15


" Warwick College alumni and
half a hundred mothers and
fathers arriving to see their offspring graduate.
or the dozen alumni Arthur Mainwaring was
easily the most impressive. He owned just q
bit Of a paunch, just hint of excessive blood
pressure and his wastcoat was edged at the
w" with white Obviously, yet not too OBJ
viously, Arthur Mainwaring was among the
successful alumni of Warwick College.
Arthur always appeared the campus at
commencement Hadn't missed commencement
in-let's see-1s years. And 1s years ago this
Summer he had been donning a cap and gown.
Eighteen years. 1t didn't seem possible, Arthur
would tell you, that 1t could be 18 years ago. and
that now he was skirting the edges of Al
He didn't feel Al and, said Arthur, q fellow
Is never older than he feels. For q long time
after 30 Arthur had gone along believing he
didn't look his age, either; but at recent COM
mencements he'd been troubled by doubts.
Perhaps nothing on this earth makes q man
feel so old as visit to his alma mater. He
walks the campus with the ghosts Of his men,
ories. He sees undergraduates staring at him,
their eyes asking more plainly than words:
who's the old duck?"
Most men give it up along about the age of
80. but not Arthur. He returned to Warwick
College every June. 1t pleased him to be called
the perennial undergraduate" to be welcomed
at his fraternity house (snd why not, since he
had made possible its new furnishings0 and to
be greeted man-to-man by professors who had
taught him to make 20 times as much money
rs they.
AT LEAST Arthur gave the professors the
benefit of the doubt-when he met them
on the campus. In the business world he had
been known TO say: Had good time in
college. Learned to play. But as for business
didn't learn thing there"
Perhaps not even as hardy perennial under
grad rs Mainwaring would have braved the
campus in his 4lst year if it hadn't been for
Sally Wayne AS he settled himself In the cab
he thought Of Sally.
OF how delightful it would be to see her again.
OF how he would enjoy shower at the fraternity
house, then telephone Sally for a dinner en-
gagement. Of how he would see her graduate
tomorrow, and of how tomorrow night, at the
graduates hop he would hold her in his arms.
Not q college girl any longer, but q young
woman ready for the world, ready to be
Mrs Arthur Mainwaring
1t was at the last commencement that he'd met
Sally. Bill Simpson. the halfback, had dated
her for the fraternity dance. but Spring practice
had handed him a bad sprain. 1t had been young
Bill himself who suggested she go with Arthur.
Sure thing!" Arthur had said. And she won't
know the difference, Bill There's a lot Of life
in this carcass yet, and don't you forget itl"
cool level-headed trick with wide blue eyes and
corn-colored hair. She had chosen to call him
neither Arthur Mr.. Mainwaring." but
simply "Mainwaring" with gay yet honest
camaraderie that pleased him to the core. She
did not pretend to think him youngster, nor
did she treat him with too much respect.
He hadn't known he was in love until he got
back to the city. When he found 1t out he
called himself fool Sally wasn't much more
than half his age She was kid still in college.
She-but Arthur glad she'd promised to
telephone him when she came to the city and
let him take her to play she wanted very
much to see.
So it had been a delightful Winter marred
only by the interudes when Sally couldn't get
of the campus. And even those interludes were
made more than bearable by anticipation. Dur
ing them Arthur planned what plays they would
see on Sally'S next week end, at what places
they would dine. and what drives they would
take.
Turing them, too he paid occasional at
~ tention to Sally'S aunt, with whom she
stayed when she was in town. To Arthurs
comfort Sallys aunt seemed to approve OF
man of Al paying court to her niece She even
spoke disparagingly Of Irresponsible youth.
BY Spring Arthur thinking of himself
rs younger than he was. of Sally older, SO
that the difference in their ages diminished
exceedingly in his mind When the actual
arithmetic reared its head to trouble him he
could brush it away with ''Nonsensel Plenty of
men older than myself have married young
girls. And I need some one younger. I'm
young myself"
Indeed, as he raced up the steps of the fra
ternity house he felt young. The contact of
the broad steps. which his younger feet had
trod made him instantly carefree He barged
through the doorwsy-no true Delt brother
rang the Delt bell-and into a group of young
sterS.
Hi meni"
All but the freshmen knew him remembered