THE MAN WHO WAS AIR-TIGHT
" Possibly," replied Adams, smiling somewhat sadly.
" In a town in the eastern part of the State," he began, " there
lived a young fellow• (whom I shall call Brown) who had had a
hard row to hoe ever since he was a youngster. His parents died
when he was about ten years of age leaving him to the care of
an aunt who put the boy to work as Soon as he was old enough.
Consequently, the only time he had for study (for the boy was
ambitious) was in the evening, after his day's labor. He deter
mined, nevertheless, that he would go to college.
" In the same town there lived another young fellow, by the
name of White. His father was rich and allowed his son enough
money to ruin himself if he so chose. And when Brown saw
White spinning through the streets on his bicycle, or perhaps
taking a gallop on his pony, a' bitter feeling surged up within him
and he exclaimed: Why is it that fellow has so much money to
throw away when a half of what he spends would take we through
college ? It isn't fair!'
" Bye and bye White's father sent his son to college and Brown
did not see him, except at short intervals, for nearly a year.
" One evening during the Summer, as Brown was starting home
from his work, he met White who evidently had been waiting for
him:
" ' Brown,' he said abruptly, ' would you like to go to college ?'
Brown was thunderstruck for an instant; then recovering some
what, he said that he would like it above everything else, but that
he could not go for a long time to come.
" ' Brown, I want you to 'do me a favor. My father allows me
a thousand a year. Will you go to college along with me ? I
think that if we economize, the thousand will be enough for both
of us.'
" The proposition nearly took. Brown's breath. Here at last
was the opportunity for which he had longed for years. He had
the chance to go to college! But could he take it ? Could he
lay himself under such obligations to any one ? His 'dreams had
been of the time when he would have enough money of his own
to pay his expenses. These were the thoughts that raced through
his brain. But would he be justified in putting aside this offer
.which seemed as if Providence were concerned in his career ?
" All right, White, I'll go,' he said in a broken voice. They