A great man was explaining the custom of "plucking," but the Vagabond heard not. Somewhere in the vague hinterland beyond the anti-macasser and the cupped ear was a rocking chair. The distance, he remembers, was not great, nor for that matter was the "Half a league Onward," up on the thin green brink of his saucer, however, there teetered an incoherent mass which adicts style cake. It is all very hazy; there were a thousand eyes, and two red ears, a sharp grunt from the possessor of an abused bunion, and then the muffled howl of some lonely offstage Phantom. The Vagabond had faint reminiscences of a woman called Eliza, and he persevered. A rocker creaked, but the jaded cushion was anctuary. And the Vagabond answered a fool who wrote "Wouldst thou eat thy cake and have it?"--with a loud gulp.

A great man was explaining the custom of "plucking," and the Vagabond listened. Outside those blood red curtains, snow was whirling to the gentle stop that tomorrow would be mud, but within there was a sort of dark brown warmth. To be sure, there was bric-a-brac, there was the sky blue oriental, there were landscapes, and there were the chandeliers, but this did not matter; for there were outstretched legs with two shiny boots at their ends, and there was the cupped ear. "Liquid jade," he mused, and was reconciled.

The sharp "How" broke in on his thought. Whence came this white-haired intruder who braved double vengeance, so the Vagabond hoped, with his crass "Don't you think. . ." A sole invasion, perhaps. But no. There was the seedy individual who whined it down his long spectacle bestridden nose; there was the impeccable curlyhead, doubtless a Freshman, who wheedled; there was the lumpy cherub who peeped. The pack was on.

Somewhere a clock tinkled, and friendly man hopped from his chair. Within a minute the long nose, the curlyhead, the cherub would be gone. For a moment the Vagabond sensed the greatness of a man who had built his house by the side of the road. And then there was Quincy Street.,

Today, President Lowell passes his seventy-sixth birthday, and tonight the Vagabond will hasten to another House where a grateful generation will in some measure repay a heavy debt of hospitality.

TODAY

9 O'Clock

"The Oxford Movement," Professor Brinton, Harvard 5.

10 O'Clock

"Paul 1 of Russia," Mr. Karpovitch. Boylston 21.

TOMORROW

10 O'Clock

"Aristotle's Politics," Professor Perry, Emerson D.

"Prussia's Regeneration after Jena." Professor Fay, Harvard 1.

11 O'Clock

"Isthmian Diplomacy to 1853," Professor Baxter, Harvard 1.

12 O'Clock

"France-Prussian War Violent end of epoch," Professor Binkley, Harvard 6.

"Transmission of Heat," Professor Black, Jefferson Laboratory 250.

"Fourth Century Greek Architecture," Professor Conant, Robinson Hall.

"Illustration of Italian Arias." Professor Hill, Music Building.