"You would not care to leave your neighborhood then? You do not love your alma mater well enough to prefer her environment?"
"I'm not likely to be permitted to have a preference, for home is many miles away. Of course I love my alma mater, and if I should choose some other spot than our dear old Warwick, I'd take this very place."
"That is encouraging."
"In what way?"
"I'll tell you on Commencement day, not before. Will you save me half an hour then? I hope to know my fate by that time, and shall need either your congratulations or your condolences."
"I'll save you the half hour, if I am allowed. The world and his grandmother will be on hand to see me graduated and I don't know whether I shall be given a chance to take a long breath, but if I am permitted a moment's pause, I will notify you. I might issue a bulletin every hour so you could see how matters are going with me. It might run something like this: Eight to nine, breakfasts with family; nine to ten, receives calls from classmates; ten to twelve, packs; twelve to one, weeps; one to two, lunches; two to five, listens to orations and receives diploma; five to Six, receives congratulations, shakes hands and kisses some twenty-five girls; six to eight, dines with alumna; eight to eight-thirty, breathing-spell."
"I'm glad you allowed for the breathing-spell. I'll look out for the bulletin," said Mr. Evans; "you might pin it on the tree just in front of your house and I'll go look at it every hour."
"And in case the breathing-spell period is taken up, you can select some one beside the president of the seniors to offer you condolences or congratulations as the case may be. Of course you will be disappointed if the president should be so occupied that she cannot give you even five minutes, but allow me to tell you here in the seclusion of the Worthingtons' driveway; there are others much, much more sympathetic."
"Then if you cannot offer me your sympathies will you provide a substitute?"
"Willingly. Here we are, and alas for my pretty slippers; they feel like sponges and exude sloppiness at every step."