The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-01-29

A QUEER ETON CUSTOM,
Tags AND TAGGING. IN ENG
LANDS LEADING BOYS SCHOOL

for Their Sehoolmates- Duties of =
'-Fag'-Term of Service-Neariy All Of
the Nobility Have Tagged"
Most people contemplating a debate in
the house of lords from the gallery would
| be surprised to hear that n goodly proper
ton Of those grave and reverend signiors,
engaged in settling affairs of state on the
very steps of the throne, were adopts at
n1zZllng the eoothSome sausage and cook
ing the homely bloater. Yet so il is; for
/ close on half of the peers Of England are
old Etonians, and one of the oldest insti-
buttons still cherished under the shadow
OF the distant spires and antique towers
sacred TO the memory OF Henry's holy
shade, is that of Tagging"
The first or second day of every term
when the whole school has returned, a sort
Of slave market is held in each house, at
which the upper boys have the privilege OF
choosing from among the lower bows their
own particular flag 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.
The right of selection is exercised ac-
cording to seniority, the boys known to De
the quickest and best servants" being
snapped up first, except in the case OF new
boys, when looks have TO be taken as ere
dentials as often as not, to the ultimate
disgust of the fsgmAster, for the smartest
looking boys are very frequently the great
est buffers at their work
DUTIES or Gag"
The duties Of an Elton flag are many and
various. Not few of them would be de
clined by their fathers servants at home
as far too mental 20 suit the dignity of the
modern James de Ia Pluche. The fag is
responsible for getting his master out of
bed in time for early morning sch0ol-a
dangerous and thankless task 20 perform
on a big boy who is hard sleeper and free
with his fists, and quick at tnrowing 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 il the latter be burnt or cut
too thick-boils the eggs and fries any ex-
ira luxuries in the way Of rashers or sau-
sages his master may send him to purchase
IN the town.
The meal prepared, the flag is by no means
free to go and get bis own breakfast, as be
has to wait at table, be ready to fetch hot
water from the kitchen, and, IL ordered, fly
off zap town" TO one of the ''sock shops"
for a pot Of jam or marmalade. He is
lucky boy if be can snatch a clear ten min
utes for his breakfast before the chapel bell
begins to ring.
The same round OF duty has TO be gone
through again at tea time, the only differ
ence being that there is more time TO do it
ia. 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 60 scrape the mud OF his
masters football boots, TO put his change
clothes away after cricketing or running
with the beagles, and take notes 70 other
boys in other houses
GREAT MEN AS ''FAGs.
1t is strange to think that if Lord Sails
bury bad only gone TO Eton a few years
earlier than he did he might have had to
clean Mr.. Gladstone's boots and run err
rsnds for his future rival Mr.. Gladstone
himself was somewhat lucky in his fag-
ging when at Eton, as he tagged for his
elder brother Thomas, and naturally got
let down easier than il he had been appor-
TONED to some strange boy The present
Of Blandford-and Lord Randolph Church
III had the reputation of being incorrigibly
die Tags, but when they chose 10 exert
themselves they were excellent cooks, and
As such were much in request. 10 il equally
difficult to imagine our digniied Lord
Chief Justice Coleridge making soast and
boiling eggs for his master" but tradi-
lion has it that he was most exemplary
Tag
In addition TO their regular daily work
Tor their own master, the lower boys have
20 fsg in desultOry way for any upper
BOY vgho may want them during The day.
AT the cry Of "Low@r boyp shouted by any
fellow above the lower division Of the fifth
iorm, every boy below the fifth has 70
scamper out in answer 20 the summons,
and the hindermost in the race is generally
ordered off for whatever dut- has 70 be
performed.
This il rather a hardship when a boy a.
busy preparing his lessons for school, but
ne would rather run the risk of getting in
% trouble in school than of mourning the
wrath Of a boy very little older than him
self by "skuiking" The head masters
arch does not inhict such wounds a. the
vigorously applied toasting fork Of an in
,ensed fagmsster.
On the whole, Eton boys don't seem 70
mind tagging much, and the system At any
rate has the advantage Of being the same
or all Every boy knows that though he
has 70 flag at present, be Is certain 70 be
ible 10 fag Others IN ashOrt time.-LOndOn
Tit-Bits.