The Blot

1
"Men are only boys
   grown tall."

2
Professor Andrew Theodore 
Griggs whose reward
for long and faithful
service was less than
a bare living wage.

3
As the son of the 
wealthiest college
     trustee Phil
     West "got by"
     with murder.

4
Bert Gareth's father was
not a trustee but he
was a member of
Congress.

5
Walt Lucas, the third
member of this famous
trio, a bored rounder
at twenty-three years
of age, was com-
pelled to finish
college or forfeit
his inheritance.

6
"I am giving you the
 best service in my
 power. May I not in
 the future expect at
 least the courtesy of
 your attention in return?"

7
"Oh, forget it! Don't
 let's get soft just because
 the old fossil has a
 pretty daughter."

8
He was glad that the boys
         did not know how
         that same pretty 
      daughter piqued and
           intrigued him.

9
The Professor's wife, well
born and fiercely loyal
to her family, was ill
equipped for the
endless struggle
with poverty.

10
"If the Minister comes 
 in it will mean tea. 
 Why doesn't the
 Professor realize that?"

11
Foreign born Hans Olsen
  was an expert at mak-
    ing the high priced
    shoes that ruin the
      feet of the women
         who wear them.
    He averaged $100.00
      a week in salary.

12
"Do come in. Amelia
 will be home presently."

13
The Reverend Gates
had but one vice -
his love for rare old
books.

14
"Perhaps a better invest-
 ment would have been
 a book on shoe making."

15
Weak tea of a poor 
quality without cream
- and toast spread
with a little butter
substitute.

16
Juanita Claredon had
long believed herself to
have a first mortgage
on the affections of
Phil West.

17
All day long she had 
asked people to please 
close the door.

18
The public library!
She had not known he
was such a bookworm.

19
"Great book! Immense!"

20
Becoming suspicious
because of his daily 
demand for books, she
had laid a trap for him.

21
"It's the only way I can
 get to talk to you.
 You never have time
 for a fellow unless it's
 on business."

22
It was a girl then!

23
The walk home was 
a good mile and a half 
long. Her throat hurt 
and there was little 
leather between her
foot and the pavement.

24
Peter Olsen, the adored
oldest son of the family,
was Americanized to
the extent that he didn't 
know whether to take 
a Ford seriously
     or not.

25
"Don't you know 
 it's raining?"

26
"In my young days
 gentlemen did not
 smoke while conversing
 with ladies and they
 removed their hats."

27
"If he is the son of
 Mr. West, at least
 he has money."

28
A new, strange sense 
  of inferiority.

29
"He's always watching
 that stuck up Griggs
 girl and she won't even
 look at him."

30
It was true. Peter had 
never been the same 
since the Griggs family
had moved next door.

31
Let them look at that 
and see what all their 
education wouldn't get 
them!

32
Even the cat, Amelia's
one pet, was a luxury
made possible only by
night raids on the Olsen
garbage can.

33
"I live next door. Won't
     you come in?"

34
Curiosity concerning
this shy, threadbare,
well bred young fellow.

35
"I'll pay it back, sir,
 the minute Thomas 
 gets work."

36
"I think we get our
 greatest pleasure out
 of giving."

37
The pleasing discovery
of a common interest.

38
The playthings most
popular with the 
youngest member of
the Olsen family were
shoes that retailed at
$18.00 a pair.

39
He hadn't smoked
  for an hour!

40
Mr. Olsen's usual 
evening experience was 
that of most fathers.

41
"He's not so good in a crowd 
 But when you get him alone,
	You'd be surprised,
 He isn't much at a dance 
 But then when he takes you home,
	You'd be surprised - "

42
The privilege dearest to 
the heart of any teacher -
that of helping those rare
souls so eager for learning
that they suffer privation 
and ostracism by working 
their way through college.

43
The Country Club 
party had a smarter
setting but the caliber
was about the same.

44
(Now-a-days it is
 necessary for one's 
 tailor to know whether
 one desires pint or 
 quart pockets.)

45
"You ought to see
 Phil's new 'working
 girl' flame."

46
Curious he had never
noticed before that 
Juanita was - well -
rather loud.

47
Poor, proud, helpless
souls! Something should
be done for them.
Perhaps Peter could 
study nights with the 
old man.

48
"I should give them 
 stuck up Griggses
 that satisfaction? Well, 
 I guess not!"

49
For a week past a
very distraught young
man had haunted the 
library.

50
"We will have to build
 you up with some 
 nourishing food."

51
"Try tempting her
 appetite with chicken
 or some other delicacy."

52
Between the rich 
man's son and the poor 
Minister a rare friend-
ship had blossomed 
into flower.

53
"Oh, Min!"

54
"I really cannot accept
 it. This is the fourth
 book this week."

55
"She hasn't resigned.
 As soon as she is well
 enough to work she
 will be back."

56
Despite the impending
doctor's bill she meant
for once at least, to buy
the "nourishing food".

57
"It is her one big chance
 and I haven't even
 decent tea to offer him."

58
"And tea for two is
   so intimate!"

59
Old Mother Hubbard.

60
"It's damnable that
 your father isn't
 better paid."

61
"That is surely my 
 father's business."

62
"It's everybody's business!
 My father's one of the
 trustees and he's got to
 do something about it."

63
Dainty sandwiches -
tea - cakes and cream
of the finest quality -

64
Nourishing food! What
did that well fed family
need with so much 
of it?

65
For the first time she 
decided to go into debt.
She would ask for 
credit!

66
"We don't break our
 rule for no one. We
 have no charge accounts."

67
So his money had 
 not been found!

68
  The thought that
Amelia probably lacked 
even the necessaries of
life was maddening -
but how could one help 
people who were so 
proud?

69
It wasn't right! They
    had too much!

70
"As soon as your Pa
 comes home I will find
 out if a thief can live
 right next door to a
 person."

71
If she only had the 
courage to go down,
face her mother, save 
her from this terrible 
thing and return the 
stolen property.

72
"She shan't tell it before
 the children. And if
 she makes it public I'll
 leave home."

73
"Brook Trout" en
"Papillottes" - In other
words the most ex-
pensive way they could
be served.

74
"Do you suppose that
 nice Mr. West could
 have sent it?"

75
Mushrooms under
    glass.

76
"I seem to be getting
 soft. It never mattered
 to me before that some
 people had too much
 to eat while others
 hadn't enough."

77
The Reverend Gates
was occupied in re-
ceiving a committee
appointed to pay him 
part of his meagre,
always overdue salary.

78
One was a butcher, 
feeding men's stomachs.

79
Another a tailor who 
clothed their backs in 
fine raiment -

80
- but for the men who
fed their souls and
clothed their minds - 

81
Bird's nest dessert of
spun sugar that took
hours of labor and the
highest priced chef to
prepare.

82
"You've changed a lot
 lately Phil and it's all
 to the good."

83
"She must be very dear
 and fine. I wish you
 all sorts of luck."

84
Peter hadn't slept all night
   trying to figure out some
      way to keep his mother
         from disgracing the 
              Griggs family.

85
Another unhappy 
spirit that sleep had 
failed to visit.

86
Here was the real 
thing - a gentlewoman
- unbeatable!

87
"We're not only going
 to be decent in class
 but we're going to cram
 nights with Professor
 Griggs and pay well
 for the service."

88
"If you don't keep up
 the payments on the
 house you may lose
 what you have paid in."

89
"May I give you a
  lift home, sir?"

90
Weakness was weigh-
ing her down and her 
hardest task was sill 
before her.

91
"Amelia went to work 
 this morning and I do
 not think she is well
 enough to remain
 all day."

92
"It's about the chicken
 you have missed, 
 Mrs. Olsen."

93
"We are not dishonest
 but we have been so
 tried - we - are so
 terribly poor."

94
This hurt young thing
- hardly more than 
a child!

95
"Why, you poor child!
 What are you talkin'
 about? I ain't missed
 no chicken nor nothin'
 else."

96
"The poor child seems
 to be worrying - some-
 thing about a chicken
 she thinks I sent over."

97
"I hope you didn't mind,
 Miss Amelia. I sent
 the chicken. It seemed
 more useful than
 flowers - if not so
 beautiful."

98
"Maybe it's all right
 you should study nights
 with the Professor.
 We'll see."

99
Philip West, Sr., lost
no time in making the
acquaintance of this 
new son.

100
"Soldiers have been
 decorated for service
 no more distinguished
 than that required of
 our patient, loyal
     teachers."

101
"We enjoy the distinction
 of having the finest
 educational system and
 school buildings in the
 world. Why are we
 so niggardly with our
 teachers?"

102
  The night class 
crammed successfully (?)
as the term drew to 
a close.

103
"I am glad he is such a
   splendid fellow."