The Red Cloud chief., 1879-07-03
HAUNTED.
A College "Reminiscences.
BY MARION HARLAND.

"Haunted!" Yes, for 80 years.
l was 80 my last birthday. l gradu-
ated at 20 l was Is and a "soph"
VIXEN we fellows sent John Grey to
Coventry. "John James Grey"-so
Stood his name in the College catalogue
Among us he was known as "Lady
Jane"
Lean not tell you how odd it seemed
to me to stand Is years ago in front of
a small, faded portrait of the poor little
10 days. queen, whose head was the
foot ball to the vaulting ambition OF
Messrs. Northumberland & Co., and to
recognize in the sad brown eyes the
sane wistful appeal l saw in another
pair when [ last locked into them. 1t
was a mere coincidence, of course, but
the portrait on the wall in the Bodleian
Gallery, Oxford, has John Grey's eyes,
as | noted before l knew whose the
likeness was.
We called him "Lady Jane" then,
partly in parody of his real name, as
much because of a certain refinement OF
manner and appearance, that was nelth-
er delicacy nor lack of manliness. 1t
was a boyish way of acknowledging that
he was a bit of choice porcelain cast by
chance among coarser pottery. None
of us even in Jest called him a milksop
or, as the collegi n of this generation
would put it, a "muff."
He was an admirable student, a jovial
comrade, ready alike for work and frol-
ic-in short, "a good fellow through
and through" and a decided favorite
with us all until what | am about to tell
you happened.
We were in Old Chess's room that
morning. sChess" was short for Ches-
terfeld. We thus dubbed the Profess
or of Greek, his name being Field, his
body as long and stiff as the Levitical
law, and. his disposition as surly as that
of a hyena. To hate him came to US by
nature, and he taught thirty-nine out of
the forty fnithe class to abhor the sight
and sound of q Greek word. The for
tieth nan was Lady Jane.
His aptitude for language, ancient
and modern, was marvellous, and Old
Chess, with characteristic tact and
grace, used the lads proficiency as a
ferule for the rest of us-never prais-
ing him, you may be sure, but with hap
py ad~roitness proving what ounces we
were, not to attain to even SC mean q
standard as was set up by one of our
number.
Nevertheless, it was understood that
if Old Chess could like any body, to
Lady Jane belonged the honor of his
~partiality. 1t was at once an evidence
? of the appropriately of the professor,
and our foundness for the pupil, that
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,
fancy. Your best beloved preceptol
gets, likewise, the credit of being the
wisest disciplinarian.
Upon the day l have named we wert
in q state of badly suppressed revolt. A
frightful ''imposition" had been laid up
on us at the last recitation; Lady Jan,
again excepted. The punishment wa,
not quite undeserved, being the direc
consequence of q boyish prank perpe
trated by the class at large, q s'barring
out" or something of that kind. B,
general consent none of rs had prepared
the prescribed task. Before this fac
could t~ranspire, Indeed, by the time OF,
Chess had given the menacing ''Hem!'
that always preceded the recitation,
slight puff and flash went up from tn
top of the heated stove, and then q Tar
tartan odor.
The veriest tyro in chemicals Their
knew how it was done. Given "a judi
cious mixture of g~unpowder, brimston
and cayenne pepper, the last-named in
gredient having the balance of power
pour it dexterously upon a red-hot plate