www.freeclassicebooks.com

"And then, too," he mused, "I have my diploma. I am a college graduate, and that

must mean something. If dad had only reproached me or threatened some

condign punishment I don't believe I should feel half as badly as I do. But every

line of that letter breathes disappointment in me; and yet, God bless him, he tells

me to come home and spend his money there. Not on your life! If he won't

disinherit me, I am going to disinherit myself. I am going to make him proud of

me. He's the best dad a fellow ever had, and I am going to show him that I

appreciate him."

And so he sat down and wrote his father this reply:

DEAR DAD:

I have your letter and check. You may not believe it, but

more to me than the latter. Not, however, that I spurn the check, which it was

to send without a lot of grumbling and reproaches, even if I do

the former is worth

just like you

deserve them.

Your letter shows me what a rotten mess I have made of

myself. I'm not

going to hand you a lot of mush, dad, but I

will give you reason to at least have hopes of rejoicing before I come home

again. If I fail I'll come home anyway, and then neither one of us will have

any doubt but what you will have to support me for the rest of my life.

However, I don't intend to fail, and one of these days I will bob up all serene as

president of a bank or a glue factory. In the mean time I'll keep you posted as

want to try to do something that

to my whereabouts, but don't send me another cent until I

I do you will know that I have failed.

ask for it; and when

Tell mother that I will write her in a day or two, probably

from Chicago, as I

have always had an idea that that was one

burg where I could make good.

The Efficiency Expert