As ever, your old chum, PHILIP STRONG.
It was characteristic of Philip that in this letter he said nothing about his call to Elmdale, and did not tell his college chum what salary was offered him by the church at Milton.

As a matter of fact he really forgot all about everything, except the one important event of his decision to go to Milton.

He regarded it, and rightly so, as the most serious step of his life; and while he had apparently decided the matter very quickly, it was, in reality, the result of a deep conviction that he ought to go.

He was in the habit of making his decisions rapidly.
This habit sometimes led him into embarrassing mistakes, and once in a great while resulted in humiliating reversals of opinion, so that people who did not know him thought he was fickle and changeable.

In the present case, Philip acted with his customary quickness, and knew very well that his action was unalterable..