“‘I imagined I smelt something,’ one of the old professors said. ‘How comes it, sir, that—don’t you know——’
“Before he could add another word, Tom opened upon him with a fine passage from Virgil, which being apropos as to time and place, and well recited withal, disarmed the anger of the first doctor, who took a pinch of snuff and passed on.
“The second was red with anger.
“And as he totally eschewed ‘the use of the abominable weed in any form,’ was ready to explode with rage and indignation.
“For being a great epicure, he felt certain that most of the grapes would fall to his share at table, and didn’t wish their early growth in any way retarded.
“‘Mr. Templeton! I am astounded at you, sir. How dare you imagine that——’
“Tom did not appear to notice his remark, but casting a look of surprise upon the pompous old gentleman in cap and gown, burst forth into a Greek oration from the Iliad.
“And before the astonished professor could recover his surprise at the action and voice of Templeton, who was personating Achilles among his ‘black ships banked up on shore,’ left the vine walks in a state of triumph.
“Tom had been several years at college, and was deservedly reputed to be the best man ever on the rolls.
“He was light-hearted, gay, generous, a good musician, splendid classic, and passionately fond of dancing.