Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1891-06-27
A Queer Eton Custom.

The first or second day of every term,
when the whole school has returned,
sort of slave market is held in each house,
at which the upper boys have the privi-
lege of choosing from among the lower
boys their own particular fag for the
next three months or so. In some houses,
where the lower boys-that is, boys who
have not reached the fifth form-are
numerous, an upper boy may have two
such servitors for his own exclusive use,
if he thinks he wants them.
The right of selection is exercised ac-
cording to seniority the boys known to
be the quickest and best servants being
snapped up first, except in the case of
new boys, when looks have to be taken
as credentials as often as not, to the ulti-
mate disgust of the fagmaster, for the
smartest looking boys are often the great
est buffers at their work.
The duties of an Eton fag are many
and various. Not few of them would
be declined by their own fathers SER
wants at home as far too menial to suit
the dignity of the modern James de la
Pluche. The fag is responsible for get
early school-a dangerous and thankless
task to perform on a big boy who is
hard sleeper, free with his fists, and quick
at fiinging boots when once awakened.
School over, the fag has to prepare his
masters breakfast. He lays the cloth.
makes the tea and toast-woe betide him
if the latter be burned or cut too thick
boils the eggs, and fries any extra lux
uries in the way of rashers or sand
wiches his master may send him to pur-
chase in the town.
The meal prepared, the fag is by no
means free to go and get his own break
fast, as he has to wait at table, be ready
to fetch hot water from the kitchen, and,
if ordered, fly off up town to one of the
"sock shocks" for pot of jam or mar
malade. He is a lucky boy if he can
snatch clear 10 minutes for his break
fast before the chapel bell begins to ring.
The same round of duty has to be
gone through again at tea time, the only
difference being that there is more time
to do it in, and fagmasters are generally
in better temper when school for the
day is over. But tagging at meals is by
no means the only service which the
lower boy has to render. He has to
scrape the mud off his masters football
boots. to put his clothes away after
cricketing or running with the beagles,
and takes notes to other boys in other
houses.
In addition to their regular daily work
for their own master, the lower boys
have to fag in desultory way for any
upper boy who may want them. At the
cry of Lower boy!" shouted by any fel-
low above the lower division of the fifth
form, every boy below the fifth has to
scamper out in answer to the summons,
and the hindermost in the race is gener-
ally ordered off for whatever duty has
to be performed.
This is rather hardship when boy is
busy preparing his lessons for school, but
he would rather run the risk of getting
into trouble in school than incur the
wrath of a boy very little older than
himself by "skulking" The head mas
ters birch does not inflict such wounds
as the vigorously applied toasting fork of
an incensed fagmaster.
On the whole, Eton boys do not seem
to mind tagging much, and the system
at any rate has the advantage of being
the same for all Every boy knows that
though he has to fag at present he is Ger.
tain to be able to fag others in time.