The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-10-31
Mary Anderson Tonight at
Harper's Theatre.
A Republican Worker has
Visions. Of Yellow Felines.
Everything Lively in Rock
Island, and Plenty Of
/ Brevities.
HALIowrEN Al vAssAR.

AA&AA<0 W y EN ma " 009St&<-
s In 1867 there were upward of 400 lady.
students at Vassar college, Poughkeepsie-
on-the- Hudson. nearly every state and terri
tory within the United States boundary
being represented bysmany of its most
talented, as well as fun loving, young Ia
dies At that time Vassar was the only
institution in this country where young
ladies could obtain thorough collegiate
education, but they had to pay pretty
dearly for their whistle, as the minimum
cost of the four years course was not far
from 81 900. The institution was endowed
by the munifcence of Matthew Vassar,
wealthy retired brewer of Poughkeepsie,
who honored the first college commence
writer (who had relative at the college)
well remembers the appearance of the Odd
gentleman as he walked up the aisle of the
college chapel arm in arm with President
Raymond, nor will he forget the enthusiast
tic outburst of the fair collegians when Mr..
Vassar appeared upon the platform. But
it is not of the college, its curriculum, etc,
that the ARGUS would speak particularly,
but of the celebration of 'tAll Halloween"
by the Vassar girls in that same year, 1867,
the story having been told him by one of
the fair participants.
HALLOWEEN AT vAssAR.
Get four hundred young fellows together
at college and we all know what uproar
ious times the boys viii have upon gala
days-or gala nights. But here we find
that number of young ladies hedged about
with restrictions of every name and nature
and who, unlike the college boys, were
almost invariably compelled to arrange
for and carry out their funny programmes
wholly within college walls 1t will be re-
membered that tradition hath it that if a
young lady win but go down stairs back
ward. holding mirror in her hand, she
will behold the likeness of her future hus-
band. Therefore. when Halloween day
came around nearly the whole four hun
dred girls determined, each for herself, to
carry out this tradition in both spirit and
| letter. To that end, after the hour when
| lights were to be extinguished, the grand
=
| procession was formed in one of the i'm
mense upper halls. into which the study
and sleeping rooms opened. each young
lady in her robe de nssSt. At given signal
the column moved slowly in single file and
as silently asa Processionof ghosts, through
the long and unlighted hall. leach of the
figures holding looking glass;
toward the head of the grand staircase
where halt was ordered, each ''about
| faced" and the CHASTITY figures began the
descent of the staircase in approved style
Everything went well until the head of the
column had reached the lower foer, (the
column moving in very close order,) when
shrek, Tor chorus of shrieks,) cleft the
air which sent those who were still on the
| stair case scampering to their respective
rooms like so many white mice. These
knew not the cause IL the outburst till the
next day when it all came out. 1t seems
that some particularly conscientious young
lady had informed Miss Lyman, (the old
maid preceptress1 of what was going on
and that she in turn told President Ray
mona. 10eSS Two WOTInlcs Sdtu U0tufuS
but when Halloween" arrived they
posted themselves at the - foot
Of the staircase In question and patiently
awaited developments. The leading spir-
| It in the movement was at The head of the
column, and when she had reached the
feot of the staircase and backed plump in
to the arms of President Raymond she
knew it was man, for a fact, but that he
was her future husband she knew must be
mistake when admouition after admoni-
| ton fell from the lips of the good man.
But when she landed squarely in his arms
she screamed like q panther. all the same.
which broke up the procession. as stated.
But the memory of that first Halloween
celebration at Vassar still fingers, and
many of those who took part never tire of
telling the story 70 their children on IAN
Hailow eve.n
A full stock of slippers. Al carse g
Rsa4sr Rfrnwtc & + 4 IA