, 1891-01-29
A QUEER ET0N CUSTOM.
"FAGs" AND TAGGING" IN ENG
LANDS LEADING BOYS SCHOOL

Mental Work Performed by Sons Of Dukes
for Their schooImRtes- Duties of n
"FRE"-Term of servioe-SearIy All of
the Nobility Have Tagged"
Most people contemplating a debate in
the hous Of lords from the gallery would
be surprised to hear that a goodly proper
ton OF those grave and reverend siguiors,
engaged in settling affairs Of state on the
very steps Of the throne, were adopts at
tnZzling the toothsome sausage and cook
ing the homely bloater. Yet so IL Is; for
close OF half Of the peers Of England are
old Etonians, and one of the oldest fnsti-
buttons still cherished under the shadow
Of the distant spires and antique towers
sacred to the memory OF Henry's holy
shade, Is hat 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 boys 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 own7eKelusive
The right of selection Is exercised &C
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 Gre
dentials as often as not, to the ultimate
disgust Of the fagmhster, for the smartest
looking boys are very frequently the great
est buffers at their work.
DUTIES OF A "FAG."
The duties of an Elton flag are many and
various. Not a few Of them would be de-
clined by their fathers servants at home
as far too mental to suit the dignity Of the
modern James de la Pluche. The faR il
responsible for getting his master out of
bed in time for early morning school,
dangerous and ~thankless task to perform
on n big boy who il a hard sleeper and free
with his fists, and quick at throwing boots
when once awakened. School over the fag
has TO prepare his masters breakfast. He
lays the cloth, makes the tea and toast
woe botide him II the latter be burnt or cut
too thick-boils the eggs and fries any ex-
ira luEuries 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 his own breakfast, as he
has TO walt at table, be ready to fetch hot
water from the kitchen, and, IL ordered, dy
OIL up town" to one OF the sock shopsn
for a pot of jam or marmalade. He is a
lucky boy II he 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
In, and fagmasters are generally in a better
temper when school for the day is over,
But tagging Mt 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 change
clothes away after cricketing or running
with the beagles. and take notes to other
boys in other houses.
GREAT MEN AS "FAGs."
1t is strange to think that II Lord Sails
bury had only gone to Eton a few years
earlier than he did he might have had TO
,lean Mr.. Gladstone's boots and run err
rands for his future rival. Mr.. Gladstone
himself was somewhat lucky in his fag-
Sing when ut Elton, as he tagged for his
elder brother Thomas. and naturally got
let down easier han II he had been appor-
TONED to some strange boy. The present
Duke of INSTRUMENTATION the MARQUIS
Of Blandford-and Lord Randolph Church
III had the reputation OF being incorriRibly
IDLE Tags, but when they chose to exert
themselves they were excellent cooks, and
rs such were much in request. 1t is equally
difficult to imagine our diguifed Lord
Chief Justice Coleridge making toast and
boiling eggs for his master" but tradi-
ton has it that he was a most exemplary
Tag.
In addition TO their regular daily work
Tor their own master, the lower boys have
70 flag In a desultory way for any upper
boy who may want them during the day.
AZ she cry Of Lower boyi' shouted by any
torn, every boy below the hftin If agtth
camper out in answer to the summons,
and the hindermost in the race is generally
ordered of for whatever duty has to be
performed.
This is rather a hardship when a boy Is
ousy preparing his lessons for school, but
he would rather run the risk of getting in
% trouble in schoolt than of mourning the
wrath Of a boy very little older than him
Ielf by 'skulking." The head masters
birch does not infict such wounds as the
vigorously applied toasting fork of an in
;ensed fagmaster.
On the whole, Eton boys don't seem to
mind Tagging much, and the system at any
rate has the advantage OF being the same
Tor all. Every boy knows that though he
nas to Tag at present, he is certain to be
able to flag Others in ashort time.-London
Fit Bits.