Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-08-14

VIVIAN BURNETT IN HIS PI ETA INITIATION
COSTUME.
which everybody read and which nobody
who read can forget.
Vivian Burnett wishes they only could
forget it, for it is making his college life
more than half q bore. He was Little
Lord Fauntleroy. He ran beautifully for
u long tine in st. Nicholas. He had q
stupendous sale in book form. He found
his way into Christmas stockings and
made many little hearts happy, and at
last came out upon the stage and was
played in half the theatcrs of the country
by such child actors as the Gerry society
did not put an embargo on. His fame tray
clcd to England. He was translated into
various foreign tongues.
1t was lovely while he was Il toddler.
but he is a college man now, and nights
when he puts his hcad-yitn the famous
curls all gone from it-down on his pillow
in Quincy hall lie is sorry that the maternal
genius ever took the notion of traISmoeri-
flying him into 1.-The little lord' and max
ing n household word Of him.
Harvard wouldn't be Harvarl-or any
sort OF an American college at ail-if it
gave Burnett any chance TO forget thlt he
is the original of Little Lord Fauntleroy.
1t doesn't make any difference how mas
culine he may grow to be- He may have a
voice like Old Boreas and the whiskers of
a PETER or an Orson. Harvard will al,
ways call him "Curly Locks" and say
things to him about his velvet collars His
classmates, with a persistency which only
classmates know, will remind him of his
cunning little talks with the grocer and
all the cute and winsolnc things he did
hp ha hov in ba
book.
And when class day comes and he gets
his diploma he will be guyed and grilled
by the class day takers until maybe he'll
swear.
For all that Burnett is known in Cam
bridge as chap who is getting about all
there is to be gotten out of college life. He
Is neither grind nor sport but
just an easy going youth, who keeps fair
class standing and for the rest gets all the
fun he can without iInpairing his nervous
system or his status as a gentleman.
Perhaps the worst funmaking on the
Fauntleroy lines that Burnett was forced
to undergo was when he was a neophyte in
Pi Eta society. He had to stand no end of
joking. They made him tog himself
up in the whole detestcd Fauntleroy outfit
The initiation ceremonies last three whole
sufferer thought he was paying pretty dear
ly for the red bandanna handkerchief the
long hemp rope and the short iron bar
which are emblems of the society, and
which now decorate his quarters in Quincy.
There was no getting out of it. He
| wanted and had started out to be a ri Eta
and he either had to bear the impost of
probationary misery or give up, withdraw
his name and abandon all hope of the dis.
| tinction.
The preliminary teasing he had endured
told him plainly that if he wanted men,
bership in the society he would have to
| play Fauntleroy. So he was not surprised
| when the mandate came. He was ordered
TO go forthwith and secure Fauntleroy
| clothes to fit his now well developed figure
and wear thSm until further notice But
it was especially imposed on him not to
| omit any detail Of the makeup. He must
| go the whole figure.
And he went it. He visited high priced
tailor and ordered suit of Fauntleroys
| that would have made Elsie Leslie heart
| jump for joy. Short brooches, velvet collar
and all-nothing was overlooked His
haberdasher got some fine, long, black silk
| hose for him, and from Il wigmahcr he Sc
cured a wig that was u wonder 1t looked
| like molten gold.
Fauntleroy was as pretty as ever, only
bigger. And the word of the rulers was
that he should wear it all, and thus work
out his title to membership.
| Then the fun began. Wherever Fauntle-
| roy went the cry was sure to GO 1t made
the students laugh and play to see him
dressed up SO.
In immaculate misery he walked around.
and when the senior members smoothc,i
his shining locks he didn't dare upper
cut or reach out with his left or do any
indicate thing like that. He just lad TO
ynile and smile and be a Eauntleroy still
and a still Fauntlcroy
I After he had stood two days Of chatting.
had been chucked under the chin and
pinched and tickled in the ribs for pref
ty boy' and sweet thing and too
cunnin," he took one Of the prominent Pi
Eta Men to one side and told him sad
story.
The guying was insufferable, he said
Ordinarily he wouldn't mind it ut all, but
1 se 10 ;r-isi 10