hundred in the school and some pretty fine
fellows. They come from fifteen different States and of course I haven't
met many of them yet and don't expect to for some time.

"I can't say that I like the steward business. I have to wait on the
swells at one of the fraternity houses and I don't like it. Father, I
wish you would let me do something else for my expenses. I can't
complain of any treatment of the fellows. They are all civil enough, but
I can't help feeling the difference between us. You see some of the
fellows come from swell families in New York and Pittsburgh and
Philadelphia. Six of the tables waited on have suites at the club house
that beat anything I ever saw. Their furniture is hand carved and one of
the fellows has paintings in his room that cost ten thousand dollars.
Half the upper classmen keep automobiles and dog kennels and spend a lot
of money on wine suppers and spreads. You can see for yourself that I'm
not in the same class with these fellows, but it must be fine to have
money and not have to scheme how to get on.

"As for the work, I enjoy the plant all right. There isn't anything like
this equipment anywhere else. Lots of the fellows are here to fit
themselves for work on the Isthmus. A good many of them are going to
fail out on the finals. For all it's a rich man's son's school it's only
fair to say the standard is kept up and I am told that over fifty failed
to get through last half. I have been fortunate enough to get a position
under the assistant foreman in the coil shop and he has been kind enough
to say that if I keep on as I have begun I may have a place in the new
experiment division just planned under Wallace, the government expert
recently sent here. If I can get this position it will carry a
scholarship and in that case I suppose you will not object to my
dropping the stewardship. It takes an awful lot of time and I don't like
it a little bit.

"There is fine boating here on the Wild River and we have a great crew
this season. We row against Brainerd Technology School three months from
now. Nothing else is talked about just now. There isn't much doubt about
our winning. Everyone knows that Carlisle, our stroke, is the strongest
man that ever sat in a Burrton boat and we have never had such a crew
for team work since the big race in 1891. There is lots of betting on
the game and the odds are four to one on Burrton.

"Now father, you won't object, will you, to my dropping the ste