Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-04-01
FRIGHTENING FRESHMEN
What They Endure at Secret So.
ciety limitations.
Some of the Unique and Narrowing Ell.
periences of Students-Wild College
Franks That Mako LILO Lively
for Ncophytos.

Franks That Mako LILO Lively
for NCophytOs.
The college secret society has become
a great and powerful factor in American
society. The writer has seen old mon
who, at the most, had but few years to
live, come back to the annual college
society reunions, and with tears in their
eyes and voices trembling, tell that they
owed their success in life to the influ-
ences and training Of their college So
ciety life, and that the truest friends
were those first met within the charmed
circle OF the college club. They were
men whose mark in life had been made;
whose word was truth itself. 1t must
have been a great power that would
drag them back, year after year to
testify to the worth of college secret So
cieties.
A boys society life begins as soon as
he has declared his intention to enter
any particular college. If his head ia
level he will make the best Of that hap
py time. He is the object of the con-
centrated attention of all the various
fraternities in that college. 1t is dead
struggle between them as to which will
capture the prize. They fatter him, in
geniously feed his vanity. and make
him think that he is about the biggest
and best fellow alive. Suppers, with
perhaps little wicked bottles of wine,
flood in upon him faster than he can
handle them. Nothing is too good for
him. If he has sister she comes in
for her share of the fun, too. She goes
| to the theater more times in week
| than she usually gets opportunity to in
n Thnrnsc Nl,hn \ SSvs,,c 1nr
as the society men who engineer this
little game are called, show the large
ness of their heads.
| About this time we take it for granted
that the youth has been ''pledged." If
he is particularly observing he will per-
haps notice that, although the men of
the society of which he is to be star
green continue to be very pleasant and
polite, they do not tumble over each
other in their ck-breaking efforts to
afford him entertainment as before.
They are sure of him now. He is left to
entertain himself for many hours that
before were filled with engagements for
suppers and theater parties.
From this period on till his initiation
his mind is skillfully played upon by his
future compatriots till he is about ready
| y
Are dropped in his hearing, reckless
disregard of human life is gloomily ex-
pressed in a stage aside the condi-
lion Of the rack and the thumbscrews is
casually commented upon, go that to a
retiring and uncembative freshman. the
whole atmosphere of anticipation seems
tinged with a terrible rcd.
And what of realization?
Hora 10 NOM nj ~ nro ".
haired old Bostonian, graduate Of Har-
ward. and a man who has some reputa-
ton in the world Of letters, and perhaps
more for his geniality and fine powers OF
companionship. This Is his story, @
good sample Of all:
On the night of my initiation int my
society," can not name it in this con
nection, for that would consider q
breach Of loyalty-I went to the mysti.
hall with heavy heart and heavy legs
This particular band of brothers had {
special reputation for ferocity, and
knew we'll enough that it was more tina,
idle talk, too. But was pledged and for
ward was the word.
t II finally found myself mounting
pair Of stairs in utter darkness. Thi
was something Of 2 feat, for at interval
one leg would descend into some un
known abyss. to the greatdisavantage o
my best trousers and my shins. At tn
very top I carefully pushed open tn
door and sprang sort of waterway
from which about three gallons of tn
fluid, descending in big baptism
and soaked NE completely.
Having passed the water ordeal,
entered and was violently seized by Sc,
eral shadowy forms, who appeared IS
y sort Of luminous grinning skulls, Whic
effect is produced by pulling . shil
sleeve tightly over the face and rubin
. it with phosphorus. just try shir
sleeve mask, and see if it isn't q horr
BILE sight, even in the daytime. Wei
was soon rid Of my clothing an
stretched out on plank, on which wei
, placed various kind Of burrs and thistle
y any thing but downy bed. Then the,
came a low, tomb-like voice; Fetch tt
red-hot irons, Diabolus.' Soon I coul
see through the darkness the CLEAN
{ fiery metal; nearer and nearer it cam
The terrible voice whispered: Brar
pain flashed down my spinal column, q
COMPATIBILITY the sound and sctu
8 Smell Of sizzling flesh.
"With yell that no stole could ha'
depressed, I leaped from the plank al
stood in the full glare Of many light
lamps, with the society members dan
ing around me in hilarious glee. tt
branding9 Well, they used piece
iee. which gives much the same Se11