CONCERNING THE "NICEST FELLOWS"
began cultivating the society of the quiet fellows who really counted; and gained it in time, when he deserved it. Became ambitious and industrious, took a high standing in his class, won respect by his independence, tried for some more honors, missed one or two, worked harder and earned several. By the time he was graduated last year he was one of the "big men" of the college, as I believe you call them, and withal a great upholder of the democratic spirit. That is the most interesting phase of his development to me. I understand that he used to take down home for the week-end not those classmates whom his sisters would call the "nicest men," but friends of his who he thought would most enjoy and benefit by a Sunday at his mother's very complete country place, worthy fellows in most cases, but sometimes rather astonishing. His sisters used to laugh about it with their friends and blame it to his sociological fad, but his mother took the blow pretty hard, wondered which side of the family was to blame for the taint of common blood, and prayed for pa-
283
