Part 15 (1/2)
”You think I ought to hit it between the eyes?”
”Yes, though I should not put it in quite that way,” said his father with a smile.
”I'd like to smash it! I don't like it! I'll never make a Greek scholar, and I detest Splinter. He's as dry as a bone or a Greek root! He hasn't any more juice than a piece of boiled ba.s.swood!”
”That does not alter the matter. It won't change, and you've got to choose in which of the three ways I have suggested you will meet it.”
”I suppose that's so,” said Will quietly. ”But it doesn't make it any easier.”
”Not a bit.”
”I know what you would say.”
”Then it isn't necessary for me to say another word. There's one thing I am thankful for, Will, and that is that you and I are such good friends that we can talk this trouble all over together. The dean was telling me this morning--”
”Have you seen the dean?” interrupted Will quickly. ”What did he say?”
”The dean was telling me,” resumed Mr. Phelps smiling and ignoring the interruption, ”that he sees so many of what might be termed the tragical elements of college life, that he sometimes feels as if he could not retain his position another day. Fathers and mothers broken-hearted, boys discouraged or worse, but the most tragical experience of all, he says, is to try to deal with fathers who have no special interest in their boys, and between whom there is no confidence. Whatever troubles may come to us, Will, I am thankful that that at least will not be one of them.”
As he spoke Mr. Phelps arose, for the machine which was to convey him to the station could now be seen approaching and the time of his departure had arrived. His good-bye was hastily spoken for he knew how hard it would be for Will to be left behind, and in a brief time he had taken his seat in the auto. He saw Will as he hastily ran back to his room and then he could see him as he stood by the window in his room watching the departing auto as long as it could be seen. He gave no signal to show that he saw his boy, but his own eyes were wet as he was carried swiftly down the street, as he thought of the predicament in which Will was and how the testing-time had come again. But the young student must be left to fight out his battle alone. To save him from the struggle would be to save him from the strength. If it were only possible for a father to save his boy by a.s.suming his burden, how thankful he would be, was Mr.
Phelps' reflection, but he was too wise a man and too good a father to flinch or falter now, and, though his heart was heavy, he resolutely kept on his way leaving Will to fight his own battle, and hoping that the issue would be as he most fervently desired.
Left to himself, for a moment Will was almost despondent. The departure of his father seemed to leave the loneliness intensified, but he was recalled as he heard some one run up the stairway and rush into the room. His visitor was Mott, and perhaps the soph.o.m.ore almost instinctively felt that his presence was not welcome, for he said:
”Governor gone, Phelps? Hope he left a good-sized check with you! I've come over to be the first to help you get rid of it.”
”What's the trouble?” inquired Will quietly, glancing up as he spoke.
”Your money all gone? Want to borrow some?”
”I'm always ready for that,” laughed Mott, ”though I'll have to own up that I've got a few cents on hand yet. No, I don't know that I want to borrow any; but I thought you might want a little help in getting rid of that check, and I'd just run over to oblige you. Just pure missionary work, you see.” Mott seated himself in the large easy-chair and endeavored to appear at his ease, though to Will it still seemed as if there was something which still troubled his visitor.
”I haven't any special check.”
”That's all right. My 'old man' never has been up to see me since I entered Winthrop, but as I look around at the fellows whose fathers and mothers have been up, I've noticed that they're usually pretty flush right after the old gentleman departs.”
”Hasn't your mother ever been up?” inquired Will in surprise.
”No. Why should she? She hasn't any time to bother with me. She's on more than forty boards, and is on the 'go' all the time. She has to attend all sorts of 'mothers' meetings' too, and I believe she has a lecture also, which she gives.”
”A lecture?”
”Yes. She has a lecture on 'The proper method of bringing up boys.' How do you suppose she ever has any time to visit me?” Mott laughed as if the matter was one of supreme indifference to him, but Will fancied that he could detect a feeling of bitterness beneath it all. For himself, the condition described by the soph.o.m.ore seemed to him to be incredible. His own relations with his father had been of the frankest and most friendly nature. Indeed, it never occurred to him in a time of trouble or perplexity that there was any one else to whom he so naturally could go as to his own father. Since he had entered Winthrop, however, he had discovered several who were not unlike Mott in their feelings toward their own families; and as Mott spoke he almost unconsciously found a feeling of sympathy arising in his heart for him. Some of his apparently reckless deeds could be explained now.
”Mott, you must go home with me next vacation,” he said impulsively.
”That's good of you, but it's too far off to promise. Say, Phelps, what's become of that man Friday of yours?”
”Who's he?”