farm which he was operating so successfully.  Cliff Farm was a little more than a mile from Barnard’s Castle, and as Elder Sparrow was very popular with the people, many of them came to see Billy’s son, both young men and maidens, and many a delightful time they had together.  Though gifted with personal grace of person, Tom’s real attractiveness was his naturalness.  He was just as simple and natural as when, years ago, he went to the warehouse and talked to God about Carl.  And so, now at twenty-one, he had a pleasant greeting and a happy word for everyone.  The young girls were charmed and the young men listened admiringly.  He talked to the young farmers about farming.  Horses, breeds of cows, sheep hogs, fertilizers, until the young men went away feeling that they knew but little about real farming.

The aged rector of Ascension Church, who had known Billy when a child, came to Cliff Farm to see Billy’s son.  He likewise knew something of the Monastery, and more about Bishop Albertson, with whom he had been associated in his collegiate days at Oxford.  The aged clergyman was much interested in the curriculum at Monastery University, and perhaps no one was better able to satisfy his quest than Tom.  Tom might safely have written, if such had been his ambition, “Veni, vidi vici,” but nothing of this spirit inspired this young man of nature; and perhaps while he would not have been adjudged a remarkable scholar, yet he was an encyclopedia of general information, and out of the fullness of a healthy heart and memory his mouth spoke to the edification and enjoyment of all who heard him.

We have said that Tom was not a remarkable scholar; yet he was a scholar, he was cyclopaedic.  He had a general knowledge, and never forgot anything.  He was an unconscious student all the time.

But his attractiveness was not in his scholarship, but in his heart and character.  He possessed and was actuated by an unselfish and clean heart and a pure conscience.  He did not need to write upon his hat, I am a Christian.  The Golden Rule was the standard of his life and he was hardly conscious of it.

CHAPTER XVI

THE FAREWELL COMMENCEMENT

Commencement exercises this year were very interesting; more than ordinarily so.  There were twenty-two graduates in the classical course, and twenty-seven seniors in the theological class.  There were four hundred and sixty students in all.  This was a much larger number than in any preceding year.  Nothing had occurred during the year to mar the peace of the institution.  Sixteen professors, clothed in their official garments, with the president, occupied the platform, which was profusely decorated with plants and cut flowers, while an immense American flag floated over the president’s table.  But, somehow, there was a feeling of sadness pervading the whole program; probably no one could have told what caused it.