The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-06-12

AFEw DAYS since, while being initiated IN
to a secret society of Yale. a young man was
hlindfolded and taken ont into the streets.
where those in charge of the exercises di-
rected him tow ards the pole of hack and
when within foot of 1t cried ont that o
team was coming towards him. Hc sprang
forward and struck the pole with such vlo-
lence that he was carried away insensible,
and subsequently died of peritonitis. The
same day another student, similarly blind
folded, barely escaped o similar contact
with a street-car. There Is, of course. much
regret over the fatal accident. but doubt
less the same yicious and senseless custom
of rushing bllndf0lded mon through the
streets will continue. That portion of the
public which has arrived at years of dis.
erection regards this sort of pastime as
worse than abeurd. If the hoOdlums of o
city should blindfold one of their number
and set him to running wild in the streets.
both the blinlfolded person and those
responsible would be, arrested by the
police. Indeed; i any other organization.
making less pretcns;ons TO intelligence,
should engage in such dangerous and sense
less pastimcs, the sensible public would
take some steps to stop them. Even If tho
rushing of blindfolded student through
the streets were not dangerous. it 10 silly
performance. Recently, at Harvard. there
was an initiation In which the initiates
were rushed about tho streets in fantastic
garments and were finally plunged into
pond. Recently, William Lloyd Garrison
denounced that practice Of initiation which
consisted in burning the initials of the or
ganization into the arm OF the victims with
lighted cigars. AS such cruelty is no longer
practIced by Indian tribes upon young
bucks as o part of their preparation
to endure torture il seems high time that
such infections should cease at those in
situations which claim TO furnish the
country with it's intelligence and culture.
1t all these performances were not danger
Ous to life and limb, and barbarous, they
should be dropped rs stupid and absurd.
AREPoRTEE Of the New York Mail and
Express, who called upon DR.. Parkburst on
the eve of his departure for Europe. writes:
He is a slender man. a tritie under the average
height, hut the slight frame is suggestive OF
strength and endurance. But chiefly Jon notice
tile grace OF the man-tke grace that Ia half
poetic half feminine The face is long and high
brOwed the black hair long. too, waves about
tho temples aud neck: the curiously cut black
beard leaves the thin-lfppcd delicate mouth ex-
posed. The hair and beard, untinged with gray,
emphasize tho pallor OF the face. IL you come
upon this man hy chance It wonid mover occur
to sou that he was DR. Parkhnrst--a dreamer.
rather, from the brown halls OF some old German
university, who had seen life only at the mas
qnerade ball of the poets and philosophers. And
yet. after time you begin 10 see the strength in
the delicate, high bred face; the tenacity, cOur
age, energy and snglencss of purpose. Then
YOU understand how IL is that this man could 20
down into a hell 40 black that Dante never
dreamed of iI could face rdcule. SANDER, mis-
representation, and 20 ont almost alone against
the organized iniq'i!ties on which the govern
ment of this city II founded