THE BOOK OF THE CLASS OF NINETEEN-ELEVEN 181
E had devoted much time and thought to our preparations for Faculty reception.
Besides the obvious, commonplace arrangements for electric lights and Japanese
lanterns, we had held a special consultation of the almanac, and had discovered
that we should have a glorious moon that night, just short of the full. We expected great
things of that moon. What charm it would give to the Gym roof, transformed already
with rugs and wicker chairs! What an interesting pallour it would lend to those still uneasy
over the exam of the morning! I believe Amy had several anxious souls eagerly asking if
it was etiquette to ask a professor if you had flunked. And then the rumour spread that
Dr. Barnes had said he would tell the Physics class their marks, whereupon the Physics
class, as one man, said that if that were the case, they weren’t going near him, to have their
evening spoiled.
By that time, in fact as soon as we arose on Saturday, we had given up all hope of
our moon, and had made arrangements for a hasty departure to Merion at the last moment,
in case of necessity. But we lugged down chairs and rugs and cushions, at least half of
us did, while the other half squeezed lemons with our Commissary in Ordinary in the West
