HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY.

I HAD not been home many hours; the female members of the family had not exclaimed more than a thousand times, "Why, Fred, how you've changed! I 'd hardly know you!" my younger brother had only just succeeded in smashing my first cane, when word was brought that, "Your father would like to see you in the study, Mr. Fred."

"Ah, Fred, my boy, sit down and tell me how you are getting on at Harvard!"

"O, first-rate! I played foot-ball all the fall, am training this winter for the crew, and think of base-ball in the spring."

"Yes, yes; but, Fred, how about the Greek and Latin?"

"O, they 're all right; I'm in the advanced sections in both studies."

"I am very glad to hear it, for, Fred, I've been a little worried by two notices I received from the College, something about your doing poorly in Greek and Latin examinations."

"Did you really get such letters, father? That's immense! Why, they 're Deturs!"

"Eh?"

"Why, Deturs, gifts from the College. From the Latin, do, dare, dedi, detum, to give. The College gives them only to the twenty best scholars in the class. It's a great honor to get one; fellows that have Deturs hang them up in frames. You hardly ever get more than one; my having two is superb, equal to getting a double first at Oxford."

"Indeed! I always thought you were bright, Fred; but what does it mean by saying if you don't do better you will have to sever your connection with the College?"

"Pooh! That's nothing, father, a mere form; relic of an old custom. You see, about a hundred years ago, the twenty best men of the class used to contend in an examination for the first place. The nineteen who did n't win were told that they might go away into the country, that is, sever their connection with the College, for a while, study up and try their fate again. The custom has died out, but the notices remain, and now they are sent round to show that you are in the first twenty of your class. A great honor to get one, I assure you."

"I am glad of it; you have taken quite a load off my mind, for I feared that you were in danger of dismissal. Well, Fred, I won't detain you longer, your sisters are dying to know all about college; but before you go, here's a specimen of specie payments from me as a Detur for your good work in Latin and Greek."

STAR.