The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1897-04-30
ACOLLEGE PRANK.

| remember with affectionate regard
| President James A. Carnahan, who
| for many years controlled the destinies
of that great institution. He was one
of the earlier of Princeton's great
| heads, and his remains now lie in the
historic presidents plot in the famous
old cemetery which holds likewise the
dust of Witherspoon, Jonathan Ed
wards and his ill fated son-in-l law,
| Aaron Burr.
President Carnahar, like most of
Princeton's heads, was Scotchman,
noted alike for his austerity of man
ner and goodness of heart Unlike
most Scotchmen, he had keen sense
of humor, though with national pride
and perhaps not wishing to offend his
fellow Scots, he kept it in the back
ground. He could be as savage a
looking man as ever wore tartan, but
down in his heart there was q great
udder of the milk of human kindness,
which one had but to press gently to
find a grateful stream.
BOYS were boys so years ago as they
are to-day. Princeton's boys of that
period were no worse than they are
now and no better. Their pranks in
those days, however, took a different
lOIID. 1llSTe were Gllth HO UOdU IoC-
ing, no football, no base ball, no athlet-
anilnalism, and the boys had their
diversion. They would muffle or
would smear the black boards with oil,
would fill up Princeton's sacred Revo-
lutionary 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 getting it
in some way Peter Bogart, who was
grand nephew of the first Freeling
huysen in America, was also descend
ant of John Witherspoon. He was
noted as man with two sides to his
nature. He was curator of tho thco
logical seminary and an intimate
friend of President Carnahan. He
was likewise close friend and sym
pathizer with the boys in all their
sports.
One day in the early thirties Mr..
Bogart got a gentle tip that the boys
were going to play huge joke upon
1.-The prex" The boys had usually
let President Carnahan alone. His
dignity and his awful voice had re-
pressing effect upon youthful 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 a 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 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 vehicles, with
tight doors and flight of steps that
| folded up when the doors were closed.
On the night agreed upon the boys
stealthily approached the presidents
carriage house, and after much mys-
| terry and silence reached its doors.
They ought to have been little puz-
zled to find that the door was slightly
| aiar, but they were probably too ex-
cited to notice that. They swung the
door open, attached long rope to the
| carriage pole, and about 20 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
carriage 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 froZ-
EN- over, but dozen of them with
axes soon had place broken through
into which they tumbled the presi-
dents carriage. They then built a
big fire, unloosened some more apple
lack and sang lot of college songs.
They were about to detach the rope
from the carriage and proceed home
when every mothers son of them
found himself transfiXed to the spot.
Young gentlemen said great
and majestic voice as its owner opened
the carriage door and let down the
folding steps, II am exceedingly
obliged to you for the pleasure of an
enjoyable evening" TWAS President
Carnahan, wrapped in huge covering
and we'll caparisoned with fur. II
don't know" ne continued, with
whitening sarcasm, but pleasant voice
when l have had so enjoyable ride.
1t is rare indeed that a man of my
years can call into his personal SER
vices so we'll born and SO well bred a
body of young men, willing to haul
his carriage about, and | want to add
further that | appreciate keenly the
delight with which your various eX-
ercises have impressed me. Twill add
further that between the kindly light
of the moon and my own knowledge
of the sound of most of your voices
have a pretty correct list of the Names
of the young gentlemen to whom | am
indebted for this distinguished honor.
So now, my young friends, if you will
kindly remain the rope we will pro
coed on our journey hOmeward. We
have had q pleasant time, and we
have all enjoyed it, | know, but let US
have no delay, please, for the night is
very cold
And there was nothing left for those
miserable, crestfallen students to dc
but man that rope. haul the carriage
out of the frozen creek and pull il
home amid a silence that could be
felt.