The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-08-29
A COLLEGE PRANK.


Princeton's great heads, and his remains
now lie In the historic presidents plot In
the famous old cemetery which hol = ike
Edwards and his Ill fated son-in law,
Aaron Burr.
President Carnahan, like most of Prince
toms heads, was Scotchman, noted alike
for his austerity Of mapner and goodness Of
heart Unlike most Scotohmen, - had a
keen sense of humor, though with nation
al pride, and perhaps not wishing to Of
fend his fellow Scots, no kept 1t In the
background. He could be as savage a
looking man as ever wore tartan, but
down In his heart there was a great udder
Of the milk of human kindness, which one
had but to press gently to find q grateful
stream.
Boys were boys 80 years ago as they are
today. Princeton's boys Of that period
were no worse than they are now and no
better. Their pranks in those days, how
ever, took different form. There were
then no boat racing, no football, no base
ball, no athletic sport to work off the su-
perfluous animalism, and the boys had
their ingenuity taxed to find means of di-
version. They would muff1e or steal the
clapper of the chapel bell, would smear
the blackboards with oil, would I'LL up
Princetons sacred Revolutionary cannon
shot holes In the walls of the old Nassau
with bird lime, with picture of Scotch
hen, with some kind of cackling legend
above It. The professors were always get
ting it in some way. Peter Bogart, who
was granddaughter of the first Freling
huysen in America, was also a descend
ant Of John Witherspoon. He was noted
as a man with two sides to his nature He
was curator of the theological seminary
and an intimate friend of President Car
nahan. He was likewise q close friend
and sympathizer with the boys in all their
sports.
One day in the early thirties Mr.. Bogart
got gentle tip that the "boys" were GO
ing to play a huge joke upon "the prex."
The boys had usually let President Carna-
han alone His dignity and his awful
voice had q repressing effect upon youth
full spirits, and by common consent 1t was
not considered advisable to monkey with
the stalwart Scotchman.
1t was the week before Christmas, the
weather being very cold when Mr.. Bogart
gave his chief quiet hint that the boys
were going on a certain night at a certain
hour to take his family carriage out of its
house, run it down to Willow creek, two
miles away, there hold certain orgies and
festivities over it and then run 1t into the
creek up to the hubs to be frozen In solid
before morning. The boys thought 1t
would be rare fun to see "old prex" and
his coachman cutting the carriage out with
axes the next morning. The carriage was
one of the old fashioned strap hung ve-
hicles, with tight doors and a flight of
steps that folded up when the doors were
closed.
On the night agreed upon the boys
stealthily approached the presidents car
riage house, and after much mystery and
silence reached its doors. They ought to
have been little puzzled TO find that the
door was slightly ajar, but they were prob
ably too excited to notice that. They
swung the door open, attached a long rope
to the carriage pole, and about 90 young
rascals lined themselves on the rope after
the fire fashion of the day. They observed
silence until they got off the campus, but
when they struck the Nassau pike we'll out
Of hearing they got to work with their
songs and gibes and jeers. On the way to
the creek they frequently stopped the car
riage to gather about open TASKS Of apple
jack and with great glee picture what was
TO happen next morning when "old Scotty
prex" found his carryall imbedded in the
Ice. The night was very cold, and when the
boys reached the bank of the stream they
found it already frozen over, but dozen Of
them with axes soon had place broken
through, into which they trundled the
presidents carriage. Then they built big
fire, uDloosened some more applejack and
sang n lot of college songs They were just
about to detach the rope from the carriage
and proceed homeward when every moth
er's son of them found himself transfixed
to the spot.
"Young gentlemen" said great and
majestic voice as its owner opened the car
riage door and let down the folding steps,
II am exceedingly obliged to you for the
pleasure of an enjoyable evening" 1t was
President Carnahan wrapped in huge COW
ering and well caparisoned with fur. II
don't know" he continued, with wither-
ing sarcasm, but pleasant voice, when
have had so enjoyable ride. 1t is rare
indeed that man Of my years can call
into his personal services so we'll born and
SO we'll bred body of young men, willing
to haul his carriage about, and want to
add further that l appreciate keenly the
delight with which your various exercises
have impressed mo. / will add further
that between the kindly light of the moor
and my own knowledge of the sound Of
most Of your voices have pretty correct
list of the names Of the young gentlemen
to whom 1 am indebted for this distin
guished honor. So now, my young friends
If you will kindly reman the rope we will
proceed on our journey homeward. w
have had pleasant time, and we have al
enjoyed it, l know, but let us have M
delay, please, for the night is very cold"
And there was nothing left for thos
miserable, crestfallen studNnts to do bu
man that rope, haul the carriage out o
the frozen creek and pull 1t home amid I
silence that could be felt
DIR, Carnahan and his friend, Petor Bo
gart, sat inside the carriage and chuokled
But the president kept his word. III
knew every scamp engaged In the prank
but he never again referred to the subject
Who were on the rope that night Well
hve or more at least well known to fam
subsequently. w. G. Alexander of th
Equitable Life Insurance company wa
one, ex-Secretary Of War MoCreary wa
another, ex-Secretary Of State Frelinghuy
sen another, ex- x-Minister to France Wi
liam ID. Dayton yet another and ex-GoV
ernor Robert s.. Green of New Jersey wa