mother don't mind having a college sissy a-laying around the house to
support five years longer. I do."

"It's the free City College, pop."

"You got a better education now than nine boys out of ten. If you ain't man
enough to want to get out after four years of high school and hustle for
a living, you got to be shown the way out. I started when I was in short
pants, and you're no better than your father. Your mother sold notions and
axle-grease in an up-State general store up to the day she married. Now cut
out the college talk you been springing on me lately. I won't have it--you
hear? You're a poor man's son, and the sooner you make up your mind to it
the better. Pass the chow-chow, mother."

Nervousness had laid hold of her so that in and out among the dishes her
hand trembled.

"You see, Harry, it's the free City College, and--"

"I know that free talk. So was high school free when you talked me into
it, but if it ain't one thing it's been another. Cadet uniform, football
suit--"

"The child's got talent for invention, Harry; his manual-training teacher
told me his air-ship model was--"

"I got ninety in manual training when the other fellers only got seventy."

"I guess you're looking for another case like your father, sitting
penniless around the house, tinkering on inventions up to the day he died."