Page:The Fraternity and the Undergraduate (1923).pdf/130

 and of course even under "Cap's" careful management, the party had cost about twice what they had planned. They were like the man, however, who said that he did not get off as cheaply as he had thought he would, and he did not think he would. It had cost more than they thought it would, and each one of them had always thought it would, so they had been prepared for the worst and were satisfied. They had established their social prestige for a year or two, they had proved their ability to put on a really high class social function, and they were ready to have a good sleep and get back to the real work of college.

Seriously, I have never known an organization to give a house party that did not ultimately cost nearly twice as much, when all the bills were paid and the actual overheard expenses added on, as it was scheduled to cost. It is difficult to use judgment and to practice economy when one is entertaining a pretty girl. When we plan we are conservative; when we are in the midst of expenditures and the actual money is not going out, we are far less likely to hold ourselves down. There are so many unexpected things to be done, so many desirable ones, so much acting upon the impulse that the bills rapidily mount up. My experience has been that it is much easier in theory to keep down the bills than it is in practice. Any frater-