“Yes. And awful firewater we used to get. The governor supplied me, like a wise man.”
“Well, we have placed the college in the relation of benevolent father. Every undergraduate now can give two dinners a term in his own rooms, from the kitchen; or more, if he comes and asks, and has any reason to give. We take care that they have a good dinner at a reasonable rate, and the men are delighted with the arrangement. I don't believe there are three men in the college now who have hotel bills. And we let them have all their wine out of the college cellars.”
“That's what I call good common sense. Of course it must answer in every way. And you find they all come to you?”
“Almost all. They can't get anything like the wine we give them at the price, and they know it.”
“Do you make them pay ready money?”
“The dinners and wine are charged in their battel bills; so they have to pay once a term, just as they do for their orders at commons.”
“It must swell their battel bills awfully.”
“Yes, but battel bills always come in at the beginning of term when they are flush of money. Besides, they all know that battel bills must be paid. In a small way it is the best thing that ever was done for St. Ambrose's. You see it cuts so many ways. Keeps men in the college, knocks off the most objectionable bills at inns and pastry-cooks', keeps them from being poisoned, makes them pay their bills regularly, shows them that we like them to be able to live like gentlemen—”
“And lets you dons know what they are all about, and how much they spend in the way of entertaining.”
“Yes; and a very good thing for them too. They know that we shall not interfere while they behave like gentlemen.”