按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
his cousin they were with the men who did not count。 Samuel Miller was
an example。 He was a big； stodgy fellow with a slow mind which arrived
at its convictions deliberately。 But when he had made sure of them he
hung to his beliefs like a bulldog to a bone。
It was this quality that one day brought them together in the classroom。
An instructor tried to drive Miller into admitting he was wrong in an
opinion。 The boy refused to budge； and the teacher became nettled。
〃Mr。 Miller will know more when he doesn't know so much；〃 the
instructor snapped out。
Jeff's instinct for fair play was roused at once； all the more because of
the ripple of laughter that came from the class。 He spoke up quietly。
〃I can't see yet but that Mr。 Miller is right； sir。〃
〃The discussion is closed；〃 was the tart retort。
After class the dissenters walked across to chapel together。
〃Poke the animal up with a stick and hear him growl；〃 Jeff laughed
airily。
〃Page always thinks a fellow ought to take his say…so as gospel；〃
Miller commented。
Most of the students saw in Jeff Farnum only a tallish young man； thin
as a rail； not particularly well dressed； negligent as to collar and tie。 But
Miller observed in the tanned face a tender； humorous mouth and eager；
friendly eyes that looked out upon the world with a suggestion of inner
mirth。 In course of time he found out that his friend was an unconquerable
idealist。
Jeff made discoveries。 One of them was a quality of brutal indifference
in some of his classmates to those less fortunate。 These classy young
gentlemen could ignore him as easily as a hurrying business man can a
newsboy trying to sell him a paper。 If he was forced upon their notice they
17
… Page 18…
THE VISION SPLENDID
were perfectly courteous； otherwise he was not on the map for them。
Another point that did not escape his attention was the way in which
the institution catered to Merrill and Frome； because they were large
donors to the university。 He had once heard Peter C。 Frome say in a speech
to the students that he contributed to the support of Verden University
because it was a 〃safe and conservative citadel which never had yielded to
demagogic assaults。〃 At the time he had wondered just what the president
of the Verden Union Water Company had meant。 He was slowly puzzling
his way to an answer。
Chancellor Bland referred often to the 〃largehearted Christian
gentlemen who gave of their substance to promote the moral and
educational life of the state。〃 But Jeff knew that many believed Frome and
Merrill to be no better than robbers on a large scale。 He knew the methods
by which they had gained their franchises and that they ruled the politics
of the city by graft and corruption。 Yet the chancellor was always ready to
speak or write against municipal ownership。 It was common talk on the
streets that Professor Perkins； of the chair of political science； had had his
expenses paid to England by Merrill to study the street railway system of
Great Britain； and that Perkins had duly written several bread…and…butter
articles to show that public ownership was unsuccessful there。
The college was a denominational one and the atmosphere wholly
orthodox。 Doubt and skepticism were spoken of only with horror。 At first
it was of himself that Jeff was critical。 The spirit of the place was opposed
to all his convictions； but he felt that perhaps his reaction upon life had
been affected too much by his experiences。
He asked questions； and was suppressed with severity or kindly
paternal advice。 It came to him one night while he was walking
bareheaded under the stars that there was in the place no intellectual
stimulus； though there was an elaborate presence of it。 The classrooms
were arid。 Everywhere fences were up beyond which the mind was not
expected to travel。 A thing was right； because it had come to be accepted。
That was the gospel of his fellows； of his teachers。 Later he learned that it
is also the creed of the world。
What Jeff could not understand was a mind which refused to accept
18
… Page 19…
THE VISION SPLENDID
the inevitable conclusions to which its own processes pushed it。 Verden
University lacked the courage which comes from intellectual honesty。
Wherefore its economics were devitalized and its theology an
anachronism。
But Jeff had been given a mind unable to lie to itself。 He was in very
essence a non…conformist。 To him age alone did not lend sanctity to the
ghosts of dead yesterdays that rule to…day。
19
… Page 20…
THE VISION SPLENDID
CHAPTER 3
〃Whoso would be a man must be a non…conformist。 He who would
gather immortal palms must not be hindered by the name of goodness； but
must explore if it be goodness。 Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of
your own mind；〃 Emerson。
CONVERSING ON RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY； THE REBEL
LEARNS THAT IT IS SOMETIMES WISE TO SOFT PEDAL IDEAS
UNLESS THEY ARE ACCEPTED ONES
During his freshman year Jeff saw little of his cousin beyond the
usual campus greetings； except for a period of six weeks when the junior
happened to need him。 But the career of James K。 tickled immensely the
under classman's sense of humor。 He was becoming the most dazzling
success ever developed by the college。 Even with the faculty he stood high；
for if he lacked scholarship he had the more showy gifts that went farther。
He knew when to defer and when to ride roughshod to his end。 It was felt
that his brilliancy had a solidity back of it； a quality of flintiness that
would endure。
James was inordinately ambitious and loved the spotlight like an actor。
The flamboyant oratory at which he excelled had won for him the
interstate contest。 He was editor…in…chief of the 〃Verdenian；〃 manager of
the varsity football team； and president of the college senate。
With the beginning of his senior year James entere