Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-09-04
A COLLEGE PRANK.


now lie in the historic presidents plot in
the famous old cemetery which holds like
wise the dust of Witherspoon Jonathan
Edwards and his i'll fated son-in law,
Aaron Burr.
President Carnahan like most of Prince
tons heads, was Scotchman, noted alike
for his austerity of manner and goodness of
heart. Unlike most Scotchmen. he had a
keen sense of humor, though with nation
al PRIDE and perhaps not wishing to of
fend his fellow Scots, he kept it 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 lind grateful
stream.
Boys were boys so years ago as they arc
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 a different form. There were
then no boat racing, no football, no base
ball, no athletic sport to work off the SUI
perfluous apimalism, 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
Princeton's 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
IL - cid II
was curator of the biological seminary
and an intimate frienSof President Car
nahan. He was likewise a 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" We're GO
ing to play huge joke upon tthe prex."
The boys had usually let President Carna-
han alone. His dignity and his awful
voice had a reprcssing effect upon youth
full spirits, and by common consent it 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 certain night at a certain
hour TO take his family carriage out of its
N,
miles away, there hold certain orgies and
festivities over it and then run it into the
creek up to the hubs to be frozen in solid
before morning. The boys thought it
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 We
hiclos, with tight doors and flight of
~, fc1 i.
closed
On the night agreed upon the boys
stMlthily approached the presidents car
riage house, and after much mystery and
silence reached its doors. They ought to
have been a little puzzled to find that the
door was slightly ajar, but they were prob
ably too excited to notice that They
swungsthe door open, attached long rope
to the carriage pole, and about 20 young
rascals lined themselves ON the rope after
the fire fashion of tho d,fy. They observed
silence until they got off the campus, but
whom they struck the Nassau pike well out
of hearing they got to work with their
songs and gibos and jecrs. 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 carrvall 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 a dozen of
them with axes soon had q place broken
through, into which they trundlcd the
presidents carriage Then they built big
fire, unloosencd some more appleiack and
sanga lot of COLLEGE songs. They were lust
about to defach the rope from the carriage
and proceed homcward when every moth
er's son of them found himself transfxed
to the spot
"Young gentlemen," said a great and
majestic voice as its owner opened the car
riage door and let down the folding steps
81 am exceedingly Obliged to YOU for the
pleasure of an enjoyable evening"" 1t was
President Canadian. wrapped in huge Gov
ering and well caparisoncd With fur. 81
don't know" he continued, with wither-
ing sa-casm but pleasant voice, "when l
have had SO enjoyable ride 1t is rare
indeed that man of my years can call
into his personal services so well born and
so well bred body of young men, willing
to haul his carriage about, and l want TO
add further that l appreciate keenly the
delight with which your various exercises
have impressed me. | will add further