The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-14
TIE HARVARD ANNIVERSARY.
Cosby Account of the Old Lady's Two Hun
dred and Fiftieth Birthday Celebration.
From Letter by Bertrand Walker.

From Letter by Bertrand Walker.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. Nov. 8-How fortunate
that old Harvard is lady eccentric enough not
to be ashamed of her age; elsewise such shame
less Wanting in everybody's mouth of womar's
last and dearest secret might produce Mysteries
dangerous even to her hale and hardy frame.
AS it is. she makes no secret of her day of BIRTH
but summons myriad number of her scattered
children. many old and weak enough to be her
grandfather. These children are here, badged,
banqueted and content. Some have grown
famous since they left her side; others have
grown-what even the least are entitled freely to
do-old. We unweaned infants are not inclined to
look with particular envy upon our elder breth-
renskor it is much grander and much more ad
vantageous 10 be a Graded child of Har-
ward now than it was twenty. thirty
or fifty years ago. We are larger
in our freshman class alone than all four class
es century ago. We enjoy an education that
even seniors fifty years ago might have sought
in vain. We are domiciled in a college which is
a very city compared with the little cluster
which it once included. In short. Harvard, in
the mighty year 1886, is par excellence, and, as
the English say, nothing but it I an inclined
to believe that, since we entered first upon our
celebration last Friday, the earth has whirled
with twice her accustomed velocity; every
thing seems to partake of her unwonted speed,
and, to put it mildly, we are on the
move It is q rather unusual sight to see the
it were, but they really seem willing to do this
unheard- of thing during the present celebration.
Harvard colors ore hung on every available perch
in Cambridge, and Harvard's name and fame
have superseded election gossip. We have
Grover Cleveland with US, as you have probably
learned from the papers, and Grover has
brought his wife, Four members of our
countrys Cabinet are in attendance, whether
in search of LII D. or not, cannot tell.
or elder brothers, we are favored with up
wards Of l,50O, who have come from the East,
West North and South, to shake hands all
round and be cheered by US youngsters. wish
that | were able to enumerate the Judges, d.
DIS. A. BIS. NJ. DIS, etc. who have deserted
their benches for the reunion and banquet
Friday was the opening day, and duly cele
brated by the members Of the law school, to
whose tender hands its various events were in
trusted The college gates, literal and
deurative, were thrown open to general
mass of forensic orators who spouted to their
hearts content. and played boy immensely we'll.
The learned corridors of Sanders. which have
echoed to every species of sound to which the hu
man voice can give utterance, rang law and it's
interests all day. Old Massachusetts, born to
serve dignifed Puritan community. was con-
verified into restaurant and dispensed food for
the body in lieu of the mind. Night descended
upon universal banqueting, and, after day
distinctively Blackstonian our venerable
lawyers ceased to harangue, simply
because no audience remained Saturday,
big, big day, with slice of athletics, slice
OF speaking. and generous cut of under grad
uate rejoicing. Aristocratic Boston came forth
at 8 A. NJ. and lined the banks OF the Charles.
Hacks, CABS, hansoms, herdics, sprang into life
and into Cambridge at one and the same time.
That much-lauded element of Harvard life
those mon who are so frequently in peoples
mouths and so seldom within their knowledge
in short, the sports. adorned the spacious front
of the University's boat-house Big
canes, English hats, overcoats under.
down How can these Insignificant
things fashion many mans estimate of Harvard
The ladies were with US, too. and brought their
handkerchiefs and little tiny voices to do US
out from the boat-house, followed by another,
and another, till the river teemed with them.
The gentlemen with underdone overcoats began
to cheer the snakes. and wagers were cast into
those English hats, on the several merits of
each animal They formed way down the river,
and the fog, which had hung over everything
during the morning. lifted its curtain. while with
general roar the snakes laden with striving
oarsmen, shot forward and rushed down stream.
flying past the boat house. past the crowd along
shore, and finally skinned the goal, whereat
the gentlemen howled, end the the ladies, whose
little voices had srccrmbed early in the race,
tried to initiate the males, and whispered con-
teDtedly among themselves, thoroughly con-
WINGED that the very air rung with their salute.
Soon the throngs began to desert old
Charles and made for Sanders. Stray
students broke into run and
rushed towards their class rendezvous,
for We college fellows were to form and march
to the theater festivities. In front Of Hollis the
class OF go assembled its forcesj next, our
natural enemies, the sophs; across the yard
sportive juniors gathered, and away over we
saw the staid and solemn senior take his stand.
The column started, seniors in the lead. and the
other classes in their order followed. We made
grand spectacle Our lines were strung back
and forth promiscuously over the yard, but as
we began slowly, steadily to unwind
we stretched on and on, twelve hundred
fellows strong AT Sanders fine
programme was NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., music.
poems, and we dispersed at last, chanting the
notes of Fair Harvard" Saturday night had
beer set for grand undergraduate parade but,
most unfortunately, the weather, which had
opened mp at morning In fog, settled at night
into dismal rain Procession YVES accordingly
postponed until Monday night. Yesterday (Sun-
day. fine services in the chapel consumed the
day, in the morning an eloquent sermon which
you will find in the Crimson, was preached by
DR.. Peabody. At night struggled in the vortex
OF vast crowd. through the chapel doors. and
heard splendid sermon by Phillips Brooks
advise you to read it. To-day is the biggest da az
of all; Cleveland Is here and thousands of 9TH
ers But, unuckly no undergraduate has been
permitted to enter Sanders. where Oliver Wen
dell Holmes and James Russell Lowell speak.
mob cheered Grover, ran after the band, and
performed other wild things which only a largo