The Plastic Age, Percy Marks [top 10 books of all time TXT] 📗

If You Had Stayed Away One Night,  There Would Have Been A

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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