Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1879-06-14

morning. "Chess,' was short for Ches
, terfeld. We thu, dubbed the Profess
or of Greek, his name being Field, hi
body as long and stiff as the Levitica
Law, and his disposition Is surly as tina
of a hyena. To hate him came to US BY
nature, and he taught thirty-nine out o
the forty in the class to abhOr the sigh
and sound of Greek word. The for
tieth man was Lady Jane.
His aptitude for language, ancien
\ and modern, was marvellous, and Ole
Chess, with characteristic tact anC
grace, used the lads proficiency as s
ferule for the rest of us-never prais
ing him, you may be sure, but with hap
ply adroitness proving whet ounces We
were, not to attain to even SO mean s
standard as was set up by one Of oul
number.
Nevertheless, it was understood that
il Old Chess could like any body, tC
Lady Jane belonged the honor of hi:
partislity. 1t was at once an evidence
of the unpopularity of the professor,
and or foundness for the pupil, thai
none of us envied the latter. In no 9th
er department of the venerable institu.
ton we were to remember as our Aims
Mater, did the lord of misrule have such
sway as in the Greek-room.
The like law obtains in every college,
I fancy. Your best beloved preceptOr
gets, likewise, the credit of being the
wisest disciplinarian.
Upon the day have named We were
in q state of badly suppressed revolt. A
| frightful "imposition" had been laid up.
on us at the last recitation; Lady Jane
again excepted. The punishment was
not quite undeserved, being the direct
consequence of boyish prank perpe.
Irated by the class at large, ''barring.
out" or something of that kind. BY
general consent none of US had prepared
the prescribed task. Before this fact
could transpire, indeed, by the time Old
Chess had given the menacing "Hem!"
that always preceded the recitation, q
slight puff and fash went up from this
top of the heated stove, and then Tar
tartan odor.
The veriest tyro in chemicals there
knew how it was done. Given-a judi
cious mixture of gunpowder, birthstone
and cayenne pepper, the last-named in
gredient having the balance of power ;
pour it dexterously upon red-hot plate.
Result-wild symptoms of suffocation
ON the part of all present, and an empty
room in forty-five seconds.
1t was witless joke, for college boys
humor was no finer then than now; but
we enjoyed it immensely, and the OBJ
noxious imposi ion was dead letter for
that day. Old Chess had q chronic dis
position to asthma, and an hour after
the "eruption," was reported as cough
ing in manner that sent ecstasy to our
souls.
There must be form of Investigation
into the occurrence, so it was no sur
prise to US when, rs Lady Jane and
sat in our room that evening (did l tell
you that we were chumsD he was sum-
moned to the Presidents private apart
ment the " Star-chamber, as we call
ed it.
l looked up with laugh.
81 hope the dons won't squeeze you
numerically, old boy!"
remembered afterwards that he was
pale and i'll at ease.
81 don't mind the squeeze" he said,
:" but l wish you had not done it, Dick.
These senseless tricks put the class so
evidently in the wrong as to hurt our
reputation with sensible people" t
In about an hour was sent for. Just
without the Star-cbamber l met Lady
Jane. He was very pale, and his aoita-
ton awakened me to plying curiosity.
"What cheer?" / hailed him gayly.
He east warning glance at the ''sub"
who had brought me the summons,
shook his head and passed on. l threw
away the stump of my cigar and laugh
ed softly.
1.-THE dons have scared him badly"
I remarked to my attendant, in entering
the judgment-hal,.
rrhav r,oro a ii .haro fr<.,,, prev ,ubnr,