“He was musing in his chair at the window, gazing at the moon, and puffing out volumes of cigar smoke.
“In a week the gay fellow seemed to have changed his nature.
“He was thoughtful, absent in manner, and seldom touched his books.
“Instead of trespassing upon the privacy of the president’s gardens at evening, he was often found strumming a guitar, and singing snatches from various operas.
“Months passed away, and none could account for his change of manner.
“He was thin, pale, thoughtful, soft in voice and manner, and juniors whispered one to another that he was ‘heavily in debt;’ ‘the uncle refused to come up.’
“Others, rather lazy students themselves, would sigh, and say, ‘Just as I told you; now you see the effect of “Nights with Homer and Demosthenes!” he is in a galloping consumption!’”
“The lodge-keeper, that terrible portly official with the clanking keys, who frowned on little boys, and slammed the gates with a triumphant bang of self-importance; that awful, lace-trimmed gentleman, and bottomless depository of college secrets, said nothing, but sighed heavily, stroked his red nose ominously, and remarked—
“‘Some folks is wise, and some isn’t. I hasn’t been here a matter of more nor forty year without knowing that much; and if you’re well up in your Greek you’ll know better nor I can tell yer, werbum sap., as Homer very nicely remarks.’
“And with that, went into his lodge, closed the door, and smoked his pipe.