The Portland daily press., 1886-06-22

ners flung from the peaceful halls of learn
ing. The village spire forgetting to point
heavenward, draped its summit in the folds
Of a fearful flag, in which you might have
read the soul-inspiring, Notwithstanding
"Bellun1." The sun reached the zenith.
From all quarters the motley crowd poured
into the College grounds. Every man was
not been put forth in vain. Some glowered
in painted faces. Masks transformed some
into fantastic demons. Gorgeous whiskers,
putting to shame all the music teachers for
miles around, bristled on the cheeks OF the
mailed minions' of war. Through huge gog-
giles leered the hooking images of old age,
and around sides shaking with laughter were
tied melancholy badges of despair. The head
gear was equally varied. Broad-brimmed
beavers, smart cooked hats, hats of every
to. a generals chapeau, topped. heads brim.
ming with wisdom. Plumes of all styles, of
old rope, feathers, brooms and brushes
waved from tin caps and chdpedu de bras.
mounted helmet of bark from which float
ed down the majestic pine bough,-'pinos
toquenteS semper." For arms they bore clay
mores and cimeters, iron or wooden, rusty
guns rendered trustworthy by padlocks,
hand spikes, poleaxes, scythes, brooms, bay
onets, spears, case knives and saws. And
had the Calculus been born into the world,
that Sublime instrument" would have
adorned every hand. AS for body equipments,
every battlefield from Bannockburn to
and furnished its share. No eye ever before
beheld such motley groups All the nations
and tribes, from Lapland to Australia, were
mImlcked and caricatured to perfection.
Ihus the crowd stood, each convulsed with
laughter at the comical costume of the other.
And thus equipped, they were marshaled in
the order Of classes, the Pandean and Pan
dowdy, musical bands marching in the van,
beneath flag inscribed 1.-THE Dell cam
fiddlin', Thro' the Town" The medical
class followed with banner bearing an
armed skeleton, surrounded by the motto,
magma est medicina ct prevalent" The
Seniors and Juniors carried the flag we have
already described The Sophomores were
death, with the MOTTO, .Dulce ct decorum
pro patria mori,' and the Freshmen by
jackass rampant, and beneath him 'sThe
sage ass what made the low." Then com
menced the march. Slowly swelled the sol
emn strains from Pandean and Pandowdy.
diously. Welcome worthy the noble com
mander, who appeared just then to pluck
the fadeless laurels Of that fadeless day.
He merits particular description. says the
we describe him. On his head was dimin-
utiye hat. Over his shoulders dropped the
waving folds of an ox-tail plume. Wood |
en- goggles bestrode his nose. Behind his
Udck cldGIeT6Q al Olu UdI, d CduIeeU, u Dln
kettle, cigar box, and Heaven knows what |
else. His horse was a strange animal,
compound of horse and jackass." Price, |
eight dollars, as was afterwards discovered,
for he died on the field of glory.
Receiving with shouts of applause their |
hero, who bowed to the very verge of equi-
hbrium, the troops marched down Main |
street, crossed into Back Stand, and pro- |
ceeded to the place of training. behind the |
Bank, where now a row of quiet cottages, |
Qo0 nr1n NET fha 9th afIrlIx
their roofs-their commander amusing them,
with comical remarks, pleasant |
no doubt, then, but unappreciable at this |
present. Arrived on the ground, the deep
They were then drawn up before their cap
tain to listen. to the roll-call. Attend"
he, "and answer to your
names" The whole troop thronged around
the affrighted officer. 'sOne at time
trembled he in terror-stricken tones. The
clerk called the first name. 'sHere r ''Herep'
name. sHereis SHereI'' from mail ali again
The Colonel as before, makes few jocose
remarks which cannot be smiled at now. At
on. Then began the examination of equip
ments. They stepped forward, one by one
Mark him down no equipments" shouted
the captain, grown quite yalorous now, find
Iators nearly split their sides, while rage
was filling the hardened bosom of the man
Of war. But what could he do, when his
officers were ''grinning around him like
bears at bayf" This ended. they were
ordered to form line. ''We've formed
line, but we can't keep it," mourned the
valiant defenders Of their country. "Form
inc or march off the field," roared the de-
'pairing and discounted captain, biting his
Ups.
Loudly swelled the trains of triumph from
Pandean and Pandowdy. Wreathed with
earliest victory and laureled with latest re-
lown, the conquerors left the field, their
swords unsheathed, their guns unfred, but
heir souls lifted heayenward by the glowing
of battle done for truth and
light. So they marched on, throughIthe YER
lent streets of Brunswick, and the shaded |
anes of Topsham, until they Preached the
College grounds.
Thus we have endeavored to collect and
preserve whatever might be valuable of
Gene aud action which still linger in dim
tradition about the College walls Of its
consequences, it suffices to say, that it was
he prime cause of that utter contempt into
which general musters have sunk within the
pounds of Maine. As to it's immediate eff
ects no pen can do it justice; for no pen
an bring back the quaint antics of the ac-
ors, the jolly laughter of staid professors, or
i'll again the windows with the giggling
roups; or line the sidewalks with the grim
ing Sovereigns.