Page:The Fraternity and the College (1915).pdf/101

 that money paid by an alumnus to a fraternity, like one's annual contribution to the pastor's salary, is a gift, payment of which may be withheld to any time which may suit the mood or the convenience of the giver. He feels that his "I promise to pay" when given to the treasurer of his fraternity still leaves him free to keep his word or not as he chooses. He does not stop to think that the building of the chapter house was based upon that integrity of his written word, and that if he does not honestly meet his obligation the chapter is often seriously and even irreparably injured.

Marriage, I have found, is considered by most men an adequate excuse for failure to meet any financial obligation entered into before the marriage occurred. When a man entrenches himself behind a little family, he seems to feel safe from any arrows of financial obligations which may be hurled against him. Even an engagement is considered no mean excuse and makes the man immune from the effects of previous debts as vaccination protects him against smallpox. If there are children, his fortress is invulnerable; nothing can effectively storm his financial citadel. More recently assumed obligations also are wont to take precedence of a chapter house note. The man who buys a farm, opens an office, goes into business, takes a trip to Europe, or spends money in any way, considers this a logical reason for not meet-