with. Do you remember the
tenth anniversary of the founding of Morton College.

FEJEVARY: The tenth? Oh yes, that was when this library was opened.

HOLDEN: I shall never forget your father, Mr Fejevary, as he stood out
there and said the few words which gave these books to the students. Not
many books, but he seemed to baptize them in the very spirit from which
books are born.

FEJEVARY: He died the following year.

HOLDEN: One felt death near. But that didn't seem the important thing. A
student who had fought for liberty for mind. Of course his face would be
sensitive. You must be very proud of your heritage.

FEJEVARY: Yes. (_a little testily_) Well, I have certainly worked for
the college. I'm doing my best now to keep it a part of these times.

HOLDEN: (_as if this has not reached him_) It was later that same
afternoon I talked with Silas Morton. We stood at this window and looked
out over the valley to the lower hill that was his home. He told me how
from that hill he had for years looked up to this one, and why there had
to be a college here. I never felt America as that old farmer made me
feel it.

FEJEVARY: (_drawn by this, then shifting in irritation because he is
drawn_) I'm sorry to break in with practical things, but alas, I am a
practical man--forced to be. I too have made a fight--though the fight
to finance never appears an idealistic one. But I'm deep in that now,
and I must have a little help; at least, I must not have--stumbling-blocks.

HOLDEN: Am I a stumbling-block?

FEJEVARY: Candidly (_with a smile_) you are a little hard to finance.
Here's the situation. The time for being a little college has passed. We
must take our place as one of the important colleges--I make bold to say
one of the important universities--of the Middle West. But we have to
enlarge before we can grow. (_answering_ HOLDEN's _smile_) Yes, it is
ironic, but that's the way of it. It was a nice thing to open the
anniversary with fifty thousand from the steel works--but fifty thousand
dollars--nowadays--to an institution? (_waves the fifty thousand aside_)
They'll do more later, I think, when they see us coming into our own.
Meanwhile, as you know, there's this chance for an appropriation from
the state. I find that the legislature, the members who count, are very
friendly to Morton College. They like the spirit we have here. Well, now
I come to you, and you are one of the big reasons for my wanting to put
this over. You