"No, mam, I haven't." "Nor your mother neither?" "No, mam." "Waal, my dear, you must know somethin' abaout it. Dew you think he's a-goin' to leave us?" The child squirmed about uneasily and twisted her fingers. "Speak right out naow, that's a good girl. Be he a-goin' to go or stay?" urged the inquisitor. "I don't know, mam, really. Papa's in his study praying for Divine guidance." [Pg 39] [Pg 39] "Where's your mother?" "Upstairs packing the trunks." I simply mention this in a general way, father, and would note in addition that in the absence of mother the janitor has helped me do my packing. I decided it was best to agree with you, for I realize that it never pays a man to act like a fool; there are too many doing it as a regular business. While I should have liked a post-graduate course, with an elective or two from Radcliffe, I realize that the difference between firmness and obstinacy is that the first is the exercise of will power and the second of won't power. Give me a little vacation in Europe and I'll come home and let you can me as devilled ham if you want to. I don't want to brag about myself, but I'll bet you'll be surprised in me. We've all been cured of bragging by a New Yorker in my class who spends all his spare time proving why Gotham should be the only real splash on the map. To hear him, you'd think the good Lord moved the sun up and down simply to accommodate New York's business hours. A fellow from Dublin who's here studying home rule took him down the other day. Gotham[Pg 40] was boasting of New York's high buildings when Dublin spoke up. [Pg 40] "Hoigh buildings, is it? Begorra,
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