Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1895-12-02
OXFORD UNIVERSITY.

How the Audience In the Galleries BE-
haves During Commencement Exercises.
A bright and observant woman, just
returned from tour of Europe, thus re-
lates her experience at Oxford ON the
evening OF degree day: eve sat III the
great hall where the exercises were to
take place. 1t seemed as it all the dig
nitar1es Of church and state were pres
ent, besides vast crowd Of people who
packed every gallery to ovcrt1oWng
Professor Roberts sat at the organ wait
ing for the entrance Of the faculty ana
students The Marquis of Salisbury,
chancellor of the university tae Earl OF
Carnaryon, high steward, and all the
prOctors, burgesses, librarians, keepers.
orators, professors and mOderatOrs We're
present. 1t was a dignifed occasion.
Suddenly from the highest gallery
came thin voice:
oh, Mr.. Roberts, won't you please
to cplige AS all by playing that beauti
full composition entitled Cher Golden
Hair Was Hanging Down Her Back?'
Not head was turned III the hall
The crowd sat in studied silence. ]
thought it the most shocking thing [ had
ever heard Of, but the great people
around me seemed to take not the slight
est notice Of it. In minute or two the
voice was heard again:
"'Oh, Mr.. Roberts. are yea going to
.,blige US with that sweetest of melodies
this evening entitled "Her Golden Hair
Was Hanging Down Her Back?" Per-
haps you have forgotten it, Mr. Rob
erts?'
Cup arose man on the ether side Of
the hall
Perhaps the gentleman making the
request of MI. Roberts does not under
stand that this is too di8nifed an coca
sion for the music he has mentioned.
Mr.. Roberts would like to play for us
all q nocturne or somCS ing of similar
character.
But Mr.. Roberts sat still.
cat last the procession entered and
the crowd awoke. Walk right to the
front, gentlemen, and don't be bashful,
said Il voice IL the gallery, while from
the opposite side came a rrnning fire of
words that were bold, sarcastic and
witty. The graduates read their papers
ortried to lead them, but not word
was heard from one of them. The sallies
from the crowd We're SO vigorous and so
constant that they riveted the attention
of the entire audience. One of the grad
yates Wore flaming red necktie, which
the galleries did not admire.
6 Take off that red ragp they called
from all sides. He read on. off with
that red rag = Get out and borrow an
other tier Wen excuse you for ten
minutes, but for heavens sake get on
another tie!' we can stand the speech,
bat we can't stand that tie!' of with
it = sI1 .a-|
GAS the student paid no attention to
these remarks, one of the gallery gods
leaned ever the railing in full view of
tho audience, and taking off his own tie
threw it down to the stage, calling out:
Here you are, my boy. I'll lend you
this til you can get another. Return it
to "a High street
'.Late i'll the evening 1 met several
friends among the faculty and ex-
pressed surprise that such Interruptions
were allowed.
g oh, that is what we go for, ex-
planned one Of the professors. Nobody
cares to hear the papers read. All want
to listen to the remarks from the gal
leries. Tho wit was not at all up to the
standard this year, not at all. Last year
it was really very clever. 1t made most
of US laugh. New York Press.