St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1873-07-25


olimpse. this time a flash of water,
tremulous and tinted with sunset, blend
ing in its bosom all the colors of to-mor-
rows contending crews-blue, green,
red and magenta. 1t is next to impoSsl-
ble to keep from writing finely on TINS
subject. Indeed, some of the passengers
were so much impressed as to put up
their money on the staying color; BUT
lust then the trees waltzed up again,
and we darted into Springfield. hot and
dusty
How marvelOusly quiet the town,
and how decOrous the beribboned crowd
beyond. Even the hackmen did not
shout. There was, absolutely, no sign
of that feverish excitement that belongs
to these occasions. Perhaps it was the
weather. or some blessed influence OF
the mysterious providence that refers
all racing, wrestling, and trials OF
physical skill, to the hottest season
of the year; but there was also pleas
ing absence of that unruly element
whose outward and visible sign is hair
dive and diamonds. and whose speech is
ejaculation. There was very little OF
color but in the badges; there was
nothing spectacular but the array OF
college athletes. The town went to
bed, quietly, by 10 p. m.
No less notable for its prOpriety was
the multitude that this afternoon throng-
ed the river banks, stretching along for
two miles to the ''tinish" and its grand
stand. Over the breadth of LOngmead-
ow,-a gently undulating plain,-were
scattered vehicles of every kind and age,
and fringing the bank clusters of gayly-
dressed ladies. in all the bravery of
their favorites' cOlOrs, looked at little
distance like parti-colorcd shells left
by the receding tide. The colors were
not always harmonious or effective; the
depth of woman's consistency was shown
by her noble self-abnegation in wearing
the badge of fidelity, without reference
to its consistency with her complexion
or toilet. Harvard put the loyalty of
the fair to its severest test,-magenta.
The majority of masculine spectators
grouped themselves with that noble
disregard of the picturesque which Is
so characteristic of the Anglo Saxon
race, and patiently waited.
of course there was the usual delay (;
it was utterly unmitigated i'll this in
stance by any of those reckless cOllater-
ais that are apt to distinguish race or
other great public gathering. The
people walked about, smoked and chat
ted there were few side shows; there
was a mark at which a few credulous
people shot with toy rifle, but the
well-regulated collegiate mind passed
it by. At the grand stand there was
thin ascetic lemonade hypocIiticallH
colOred to a suggestion of Improperly
but no more Even the prize package
without which no American is expected
to enjoy himself. was absent. and vet
mirabile dictu. the people seemed tC
be happy. although the fact thereof wa:
not proclaimed vociferously from the
housetops. Nor did | discover any
large hearted Springfield citizen wh'
felt called upon to bear witness to it 10y
profanity, or prove il incontestable 10y
blow.
Presently, the clouds. which haG
gathered during my ride to the Finish.
put in an appearance, with few drops
of rain, that sent everybody to theil
carriages. Then there were cheer:
high up the river, that brought every
body to their feet and the bank again
1t was the freshman race. Then We
knew, by the peculiar yell from the
bank opposite, that Yale was leading
and then there drifted across our per
spective three centipedes-One with ;
suggestion of blue about it, whereof!
we knew that Yale had won, and thos'
of lis who had been prudent enough t.
carry a variety of badges instantly dis
PLAYED a blue and looked satisfied
| 81, Int litt1a hnSiDSn
few Harvard men, more. think. he
cause it was expected of them. SAT-
"'Rah," repeatedly, and otherwise i'm
itated, with more or less success, IA
their boat came by, the barking of
monOtOnOus and not over lntelllgen
dog. But. somehow, we all accepte
, the result of the freshman race as
logical conclusion, an effort of pur
reason, in which only the intellectus
faculties were engaged, and from whlc
the feelings were entirely eliminated
and then we all waited, which wa
after all. the real and abiding featur
of the afternoon. We discussed sand
witches and the merit of the crews, an
iced coffee and the Immortality of tn
! soul. and, like the judge in "Mau
: Muller" looked at the sky, and wor
2 dered whether the cloud in the ives
A would bring foul weather. Then
f shout on the opposite bank, whence
t band had been playing a number {
Y things, but nothing intelligibly, brougl
e us all to our feet, with more or les
= well simulated excitement. The grei
n race was coming.
1 1t came with faint tumult, increai
E ing along the opposite side into til
e roars of "'Rah," and yells of "lale
: like the Bore on the HoOgley river
e and then. after straining our eyes
o the uttermost, a chip, toothpicl
o drifted into sight on the broad surfat
: of the river. At this remarkably an
t utterly novel sight, we all went int
o commissions. We were positive it W;
# Harvard. We would wager our vel
t existence it was Yale. If there W;
q anything that we were certain of it W;
e Amherst and then the toothpio
= changed into a shadow, and we he
V our breath, and then into centiped
e and our pulses beat violently: al
V then into a mechanical toy, and "
screamed, of course, it was Harvard
n nearly two miles away, but we knew
It A few other protean shapes slippt
V across that shining disk, but our ey
o were fastened on the first boat, huggil
e the opposite shore and yet, someho'
i the great distance, the smallness of Il
IS object, and, mayhap, a lingering dou
is of the color, distracted all human al
vital interest from the scene. "
hurrahed because it was the prop
thing to do. We grew excited, al
carefully felt our pulse while doing St
L, and then, suddenly and without war
l. ing, on shore and here at our very fee
Is dashed a boat the very realization
the dream of tn-daN-lipht pracefI