Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1888-02-09
A TRYING ORDEAL.
HOW A COLLEGE STUDENT SUPPEc
WITH THE PRESIDENT.

The Boys Rob the Henroost of One OF
the Faculty-A Nice Young Man Caught
in Trap-Before the Faculty-The Re.
fnement of Torture.
In the early years of this century, when
log houses were good enough for the average
Georgian, certain doctor presided over
Franklin college.
The simple habits of their dignifed sires
did not prevent the boys of those days from
having their fun-indeed, they carried on an
amount of devilment which the college BOYS
of these times would consider respectable.
The boys thought that anything was fair
which would make one of the faculty the vic.
tim of joke, and on one occasion they laid
dark plot to rob the doctors poultry yard
and afterward celebrate the event by a mid.
night banquet
The doctors chickens We're the pride of his
domestic establishment, and he had built for
their accommodation log house. The logs
were "notched down" at the corners and held
in place by their own weight and the roof.
At a late hour the boys repaired to the hen
house, armed with fence rail. 1t was an
easy matter to insert the rail between two
logs and prize up those above, so as to make
an opening through which man could crawl.
A dapper young fellow, who had visited the
doctors daughters, went in and began to pull
the chickens off the rOost and wiring their
necks. While he did so the boys outside kept
their weight on the rail, and so kept the
crack open for his escape The nice young
man, whom we will call Bob, had dropped
about a dozen chickens outside, and the
whole crowd was in high glee over the pros
pective banquet.
DANGER AT HAND.
Just then big, old rooster crowed.
"Look out, Bob; break that ROSTERS neck
and stop his noise"
"Sh What's that?"
There was low growl
"Boys, you have let these logs down too
iow; lift them a little so can get out. Be
quick about it."
At that instant there was a loud bark and
big dog bounded into the poultry yard
The boys on the outside for an instant stood
their ground. They dropped the rail and
they grabbed chance weapons to beat off the
dog, but before they could disable him the
door OF the doctors residence opened and his
tall figure appeared The boys scattered, all
but one.
The logs had come together again and
Bob was prisoner. He crouched in cor
ner and held his breath, hoping that he would
be overlooked, but the dog told where he was.
By this time the doctor had come up and
other members of the family came out, eager
to see who was caught in the man trap.
"Why, it's Bob"
"Who would have thought itg' The ex-
clamations were heard in the house and
echoed by the young ladies. Then the door
OF the log house was opened and the young
man was sent to the dormitory. He was
called before the faculty the next morning.
The poor fellow would have sold himself for
a song, and expected to be peremptorily ex-
PEELED and perhaps prosecuted
THE DOCTORS CONCLUSIONS.
Meantime the doctor had thought the mat
ter over. He was man of great sagacity in
the management of boys, and he recognized
this freak as piece of wild mischief which
might not be meanness He resolved to give
the matter such disposition as would put
sober head ON the young man. Accordingly,
when Bob appeared, looking like a criminal,
the doctor lectured him severely, but in q
fatherly way, and told him that such an
oHense must not go without severe punish
ment.
wv SApSScONi eAiO oClllcuCc VI Ills
With measured tones, like judge pronounc.
ing the death sentence, the doctor said:
"Mr -, will expect you to take supper
with me tonight, and as you show fond.
ness for chicken, the fowls you took off the
roost last night will be on the table"
Bob would rather have been expelled. But
for the distress it would cause his parents he
would have gone home. In spite of his larks
here was good stuff in Bob, and with a tire.
nendous effort he resolved to face the music.
1t is impossible to describe the mental ag.
my Bob went through that evening when he
'at at the table where the doctor presided
With courtly dignity
His elegant wife could not have been more
courteous to an hQnored guest than she was
o Bob, and her daughters treated the young
nan as cordially as ever. Not word was
aid about the affair of the night before, but
he la J., dish of chickens was like mount
lin in the poor boys eyes. 1t was the refine
nent of torture when the doctor, with the
Utmost suavity, helped him to the choicest
,ieces.
The situation, which, under ordinary cir
would have been ludicrous,
lnder the doctors composure and his wife's
act was carried almost to the pathetic.
1t was lesson written on Bobs memory in
'urning letters, and he never forgot it.-At-
anita Journal