The Plastic Age - Percy Marks (trending books to read txt) 📗
- Author: Percy Marks
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Whole Delegation Rushing Around The Campus To Hunt You Up."
Hugh Relaxed. For The Time Being He Believed Graham Implicitly.
"Now," Graham Went On, "It's The Nu Delts That I Want To Talk About. Oh,
I'm Not Going To Knock Them," He Hastened To Add As Hugh Eyed Him
Suspiciously. "I Know That You Have Heard Plenty Of Fraternities
Knocking Each Other, But I Am Sure That You Haven't Heard Any Knocking
In This House."
"No I Haven't," Hugh Admitted.
"Well, You Aren't Going To, Either. The Nu Delts Are Much More Important
Than We Are. They Are Stronger Locally, And They've Got A Very Powerful
National Organization. But I Don't Think That You Have A Very Clear
Notion About The Nu Delts Or Us Or Any Other Fraternity. I Heard You
Talking About Fraternities The Other Night, And, If You Will Forgive Me
For Being Awfully Frank, You Were Talking A Lot Of Nonsense."
Hugh Leaned Forward Eagerly. He Wasn't Offended, And For The First Time
That Week He Didn't Feel That He Was Being Rushed.
"Well, You Have A Lot Of Sentimental Notions About Fraternities That Are
All Bull; That's All. You Think That The Brothers Are Really Brothers,
That They Stick By Each Other And All That Sort Of Thing. You Seem To
Think, Too, That The Fraternities Are Democratic. They Aren't, Or There
Wouldn't Be Any Fraternities. You Don't Seem To Realize That
Fraternities Are Among Other Things Political Organizations, Fighting
Each Other On The Campus For Dear Life. You've Heard Fraternities This
Week Knocking Each Other. Well, About Nine Tenths Of What's Been Said Is
Either Lies Or True Of Every Fraternity On The Campus. These
Fraternities Aren't Working Together For The Good Of Sanford; They're
Working Like Hell To Ruin Each Other. You Think That You Are Going To
Like Every Man In The Fraternity You Join. You Won't. You'll Hate Some
Of Them."
Hugh Was Aroused And Indignant. "If You Feel That Way About It, Why Do
You Stay In A Fraternity?"
Graham Smiled Gravely. "Don't Get Angry, Please. I Stay Because The
Fraternity Has Its Virtues As Well As Its Faults. I Hated The Fraternity
The First Two Years, And I'm Afraid That You're Going To, Too. You See,
I Had The Same Sort Of Notions You Have--And It Hurt Like The Devil When
They Were Knocked Into A Cocked Hat. The Fraternity Is A Pleasant Club:
It Gets You Into Campus Activities; And It Gives You A Social Life In
College That You Can't Get Without It. It Isn't Very Important To Most
Men After They Graduate. Just Try To Raise Some Money From The Alumni
Some Time, And You'll Find Out. Some Of Them Remain Undergraduates All
Their Lives, And They Think That The Fraternity Is Important, But Most
Of Them Hardly Think Of It Except When They Come Back To Reunions.
They're More Interested In Their Clubs Or The Masons Or Something Of
That Sort."
"My Father Hasn't Remained An Undergraduate All His Life, But He's
Interested In The Nu Delts," Hugh Countered Vigorously.
"I Suppose He Is," Graham Tactfully Admitted, "But You'll Find That Most
Men Aren't. But That Doesn't Matter. You Aren't An Alumnus Yet; You're A
Freshman, And A Fraternity Is A Darn Nice Thing To Have Around While You
Are In College.
"What I Am Going To Say Now," He Continued, Hesitating, "Is Pretty
Touchy, And I Hope That You Won't Be Offended. I Have Been Trying To
Impress On You That The Fraternity Is Most Important While You Are In
College, And, Believe Me, It's Damned Important. A Fellow Has A Hell Of
A Time If He Gets Into The Wrong Fraternity.... I Am Sure That You Are
Going To Get A Lot Of Bids. Don't Choose Hastily. Spend To-Morrow
Thinking The Various Bunches Over--And Choose The One That Has The
Fellows That You Like Best, No Matter What Its Standing On The Campus
Is. Be Sure That You Like The Fellows; That Is All-Important. We Want
You To Come To Us. I Think That You Would Fit In Here, But I Am Not
Going To Urge You. Think Us Over. If You Like Us, Accept Our Bid; If You
Don't, Go Some Fraternity Where You Do Like The Fellows. And That's My
Warning About The Nu Delts. Be Sure That You Like The Fellows, Or Most
Of Them, Anyway, Before You Accept Their Bid. Have You Thought Them
Over?"
"No," Hugh Admitted, "I Haven't."
He Didn't Like Graham's Talk; He Thought That It Was Merely Very Clever
Rushing. He Did Graham An Injustice. Graham Had Been Strongly Attracted
To Hugh And Felt Sure That He Would Be Making A Serious Mistake If He
Joined Nu Delta. Hugh's Reaction, However, Was Natural. He Had Been
Rushed In Dozens Of Ingenious Ways For A Week; He Had Little Reason,
Therefore, To Trust Graham Or Anybody Else.
Graham Stood Up. "I Have A Feeling, Carver," He Said Slowly, "That I
Have Flubbed This Talk. I Am Sure That You'll Know Some Day That I Was
Really Disinterested And Wanted To Do My Best For You."
Hugh Was Softened--And Smiled Shyly As He Lifted Himself Out Of His
Chair. "I Know You Did," He Said With More Gratitude In His Voice Than
He Quite Felt, "And I'm Very Grateful, But I'm So Woozy Now That I
Don't Know What To Think."
"I Don't Wonder. To Tell You The Truth, I Am, Too. I Haven't Got To Bed
Earlier Than Three O'clock Any Night This Week, And Right Now I Hardly
Care If We Pledge Anybody To-Morrow Night." He Continued Talking As They
Walked Slowly Down The Stairs. "One More Bit Of Advice. Don't Go
Anywhere Else To-Night. Go Home To Bed, And To-Morrow Think Over What
I've Told You. And," He Added, Holding Out His Hand, "Even If You Don't
Come Our Way, I Hope I See A Lot Of You Before The End Of The Term."
Hugh Clasped His Hand. "You Sure Will. Thanks A Lot. Good Night."
"Good Night."
Hugh Did Go Straight To His Room And Tried To Think, But The Effort Met
With Little Success. He Wanted Desperately To Receive A Bid From Nu
Delta, And If He Didn't--Well, Nothing Else Much Mattered. Graham's
Assertion That Nu Delta Would Bid Him No Longer Brought Him Any Comfort.
Why Should Graham Know What Nu Delta Was Going To Do?
Shortly After Eleven Carl Came In And Threw Himself Wearily Into A
Chair. For A Few Minutes Neither Boy Said Anything; They Stared Into The
Fire And Frowned. Finally Carl Spoke.
"I Can Go Alpha Sig If I Want," He Said Softly.
Hugh Looked Up. "Good!" He Exclaimed, Honestly Pleased. "But I Hope We
Can Both Go Nu Delt. Did They Come Right Out And Bid You?"
"Er--No. Not Exactly. It's Kinda Funny." Carl Obviously Wanted To Tell
Something And Didn't Know How To Go About It.
"What Do You Mean 'Funny'? What Happened?"
Carl Shifted Around In His Chair Nervously, Filled His Pipe, Lighted It,
And Then Forgot To Smoke.
"Well," He Began Slowly, "Morton--You Know That Alpha Sig, Clem Morton,
The Senior--Well, He Got Me Off Into A Corner To-Night And Talked To Me
Quite A While, Shot Me A Heavy Line Of Dope. At First I Didn't Get Him
At All. He Was Talking About How They Needed New Living-Room Furniture
And That Sort Of Thing. Finally I Got Him. It's Like This--Well, It's
This Way: They Need Money. Oh, Hell! Hugh, Don't You See? They Want
Money--And They Know I've Got It. All I've Got To Do Is To Let Them Know
That I'll Make The Chapter A Present Of A Thousand Or Two After
Initiation--And I Can Be An Alpha Sig."
Hugh Was Sitting Tensely Erect And Staring At Carl Dazedly.
"You Mean," He Asked Slowly, "That They Want You To Buy Your Way In?"
Carl Gave A Short, Hard Laugh. "Well, Nobody Said Anything Vulgar Like
That, Hugh, But You've Got The Big Idea."
"The Dirty Pups! The Goddamn Stinkers! I Hope You Told Morton To Go
Straight To Hell." Hugh Jumped Up And Stood Over Carl Excitedly.
"Keep Your Shirt On, Hugh. No, I Didn't Tell Him To Go To Hell. I Didn't
Say Anything, But I Know That All I've Got To Do To Get An Alpha Sig Bid
To-Morrow Night Is To Let Morton Know That I'd Like To Make The Chapter
A Present. And I'm Not Sure--But I Think Maybe I'll Do It."
"What!" Hugh Cried. "You Wouldn't, Carl! You Know Damn Well You
Wouldn't." He Was Almost Pleading.
"Hey, Quit Yelling And Sit Down." He Got Up, Shoved Hugh Back Into His
Chair, And Then Sat Down Again. "I Want To Make One Of The Big Three;
I've Got To. I Don't Believe That Either Nu Delt Or Kappa Zete Is Going
To Bid Me. See? This Is My Only Chance--And I Think That I'm Going To
Take It." He Spoke Deliberately, Staring Pensively Into The Fire.
"I Don't See How You Can Even Think Of Such A Thing," Hugh Said In
Painful Wonderment. "Why, I'd Rather Never Join A Fraternity Than Buy
Myself Into One."
"You Aren't Me."
"No, I'm Not You. Listen, Carl." Hugh Turned In His Chair And Faced
Carl, Who Kept His Eyes On The Dying Fire. "I'm Going To Say Something
Awfully Mean, But I Hope You Won't Get Mad.... You Remember You Told
Me Once That You Weren't A Gentleman. I Didn't Believe You, But If You
Buy Yourself Into That--That Bunch Of--Of Gutter-Pups, I'll--I'll--Oh,
Hell, Carl, I'll Have To Believe It." He Was Painfully Embarrassed, Very
Much In Earnest, And Dreadfully Unhappy.
"I Told You That I Wasn't A Gentleman," Carl Said Sullenly. "Now You
Know It."
"I Don't Know Anything Of The Sort. I'll Never Believe That You Could Do
Such A Thing." He Stood Up Again And Leaned Over Carl, Putting His Hand
On His Shoulder. "Listen, Carl," He Said Soberly, Earnestly, "I Promise
That I Won't Go Nu Delt Or Any Other Fraternity Unless They Take You,
Too, If You'll Promise Me Not To Go Alpha Sig."
Carl Looked Up Wonderingly. "What!" He Exclaimed. "You'll Turn Down Nu
Delt If They Don't Bid Me, Too?"
"Yes, Nu Delt Or Kappa Zete Or Any Other Bunch. Promise Me," He Urged;
"Promise Me."
Carl Understood The Magnitude Of The Sacrifice Offered, And His Eyes
Became Dangerously Soft. "God! You're White, Hugh," He Whispered
Huskily, "White As Hell. You Go Nu Delt If They Ask You--But I Promise
You That I Won't Go Alpha Sig Even If They Bid Me Without Pay." He Held
Out His Hand, And Hugh Gripped It Hard. "I Promise," He Repeated, "On My
Word Of Honor."
At Seven O'clock Saturday Evening Every Freshman Who Had Any Reason At
All To Think That He Would Get A Bid--And Some That Had No
Reason--Collected In Nervous Groups In The Living-Room Of The Union. At
The Stroke Of Seven They Were Permitted To Move Up To A Long Row Of
Tables Which Were Covered With Large Envelopes, One For Every Freshman.
They Were Arranged In Alphabetical Order, And In An Incredibly Short
Time Each Man Found The One Addressed To Him. Some Of The Envelopes Were
Stuffed With Cards, Each Containing The Freshman's Name And The Name Of
The Fraternity Bidding Him; Some Of Them Contained Only One Or Two
Cards--And Some Of Them Were Empty. The Boys Who Drew Empty Envelopes
Instantly Left The Union Without A Word To Anybody; The Others Tried To
Find A Free Space Where They Could Scan Their Cards Unobserved. They
Were All Wildly Excited And Nervous. One Glance At The Cards, And Their
Faces Either Lighted With Joy Or Went White With Disappointment.
Hugh Found Ten Cards In His Envelope--And One Of Them Had Nu Delta
Written On It. His Heart Leaped; For A Moment He Thought That He Was
Going To Cry. Then He Rushed Around The Union Looking For Carl. He Found
Him Staring At A Fan Of Cards, Which He Was Holding Like A Hand Of
Bridge.
"What Luck?" Hugh Cried.
Carl Handed Him The Cards. "Lamp Those," He Said, "And Then Explain.
They've Got Me Stopped."
He Had Thirteen Bids, One From Every Fraternity In Good Standing,
Including The So-Called Big Three.
When Hugh Saw The Nu Delta Card He Yelled With Delight.
"I Got A Nu Delt, Too." His Voice Was Trembling With Excitement. "You'll
Go With Me, Won't You?"
"Of Course, Hugh. But I Don't Understand."
"Oh, What's The Dif? Let's Go."
He Tucked His Arm In Carl's, And The Two Of Them Passed Out Of The Union
On Their Way To The Nu Delta House. Later Both Of Them Understood.
Carl's Good Looks, His Excellent Clothes, His Money, And The Fact That
He Had Been To An Expensive Preparatory School Were Enough To Insure Him
Plenty Of Bids Even If He Had Been Considerably Less Of A Gentleman Than
He Was.
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