The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-26
SMITH COLLEGE SPREADS.
JOYS THAT THANks0ITING BRINGS
TO GIRL STUDENTS.

SAhS"o 10 % ~ Jbstt hhAiObitb m "CIl ~ LECC-
dom from college obligations. Christmas is only
a month away; her pocketbook is light, and In all
probability hor llowance mortRaged far ahead.
Yet Christmas presents must be provided, and
It cuts her to tho heart to think Of foregoing
spreads. drives. and hot chocolates Mt Kingsley's
for four long dreary weeks. So she casts about
or cxpodi cnts, and after an hours tusslo with
her account book cmcrges from her room with
determined lines about her mouth. A spread be.
ing simplest, sho arranges for IL first, and pro-
ceeds to issue invitations to her friends for q |
spread in her room ut $3.50 that evening. Each
guest Is requested to contribute her nightly
glass OF milk TO tho common fund, and il also
taxed two cents. Having collected the tax. the
hostess travels down Main street. with one of
her boon companions and returns with q quart
OF oysters and a few cars OF pop corn.
when tho time appointed draws near. the
hostess begins to pop the corn over the gas Jet, |
for alcohol is a luxury not possible in hard times.
Lured thither by the subtle odor. her guests ar
rive one by one, until the whole company 10
assembled. 1t is time then to prepare the par
ticular r~efreshment OF tho evening, and while
the cook measures out the oysters anxiously, an
innocent freshman Is sent to tho college cook
for butter. She soon comes back with a meagro
little lump and bitter complaints Of the college
cooks scolding. whercnt the naughty upper
GLASS girls laugh. having been put to the same
stunt in their own freshman days. Again the
gas jet comes into play. The globe, covered
with an old-fashioned wire tea stand b%ottomside
MP. makes an ideal rest for the pan. and the hot
gas flame soon sets the milk a bubbling.
But in the meantime, IL the hostess possesses
the cleverness Of one college girl, she has already
begun to execute hor plan. At the propitious
moment, after a funny story in the pop corn
pause. when each girl was testing the crisp white
kernels, the maiden with the empty purse.
whipped out her note book and mounted q win
dow box.
young ladies'" she began. 1--WE are gathered
here tonight to"
"Drink oyster soup with after dinner coffee
spoons suggested a Junior from the couch.
Right you are. gay Junior" continued the
hostess. But is that all, my friendsY No, for
ever, no. Owing to tho impoverished finances
Of this rooms occupant there will be an auction
sale. A bargain sale that would make tho hair
Of McCallum's ghost to rise on end like Guills
upon the frctful porcupine. Don't you get the
point, baby q she asked of the freshman. TOO
bad, somebody explain 1t to her while I go on"
What have we here T. she went on, picking
up a small object from the desk. "a Boston
and Maine mileage book. Look ut its shiny COW
ers. Sec how they smile. What girl is going
away for Thanksgiving7 What girl wishes to
save her good shekelsi Only two cents n mile.
remember. You, Claral Yes. How many
milesi Two hundred7 Goodi Three hundred
are left. Who bids for the other three hundred !
You, Anniei You are going with Clarai Two
hundred more them Check them Off. scribe.
One hundred still left. Who bids for the Their
hundred , You Infant" she said, as the fresh.
and a Quarter a mile for freshmen;" she said.
to the freshman. One hundred miles. Going,
What have we here p the auctioneer began
again. pointing to u picture on the wall. IAN
What am 1 offered Five centsi FIFE, h'c, ten,
iii 'e GSr isa%sasP ! G etsasvf 10 n'f hfte Sn Y0qB5 ot weIi
Twentyf Remember yonr Harvard company.
room. Twenty-Five Does no one offer more
Twenty-hvei Going to Louisa at TWEEN ty-iive.
Before we proceed to the oyster soup. ladies'
the auetioneer concluded, stepping down from
ment. Terms for mileage, also for the Gibson
picture, are strictly in ADVANCE; In accordance
your own inclination, no doubt.
Ladies, l am also forced to another expedi-
Of my prosperity, l offered my dictionary to you
without money, and without price. didn't l
scended upon me-. I ann compelled e"np BY The nI force rec,
of circumstances to charge for the privilege,
word looked up, or 5 cents = week to look up
as many as You please. The oyster soup IS
yourbonor in this matter Of course, and when
am out | will leave n notebook with the die
siionsFy me- l@ wh rirlsy'@ you y %sy b snteP y op abru6 GTS,
There's 10 O'clock striking. 60 and turn out
AT i've minutes past 10 the soft swish Of tho
but the rooms were ali dark. When the last
echo of her football had died away the girls
breathed again. But out of the darkness came
"Girls, i've stepped into the oyster soup. and
my foot's scalded."
"whnt a situation! Who is 1t any way ?"
Me, Louisa replied the sophomore, land
Think OF the soup" said the senior, sternly.
Late there was q smell Of swect;oil and the
sampled the crackers and the las: jar OF jam be-
Ten dollars il and tWenty:ave CENTS was not bad
for an evenings work. thought the ~hostess;, but
OF a plausible story to tell the college doctor.
Spreads, however, are, not always of an in
they Could be given at any time and be- &c as eiaS,
crate as the girls desired. But one freshman
fall term a year or two ago. and that changed
the order Of things entirely, The doctor found
Al these all yours" she asked. III '''
.%Ses,m replied the EellPw,hued freshman;
f Fnrth %ssf inquiry Hns yu reSo al | f fSs f acme fh awaf This
freshman had also received ~bi.weekly boxes
d dIS@ ) home the hen irate dSct eno s.ia, f Go Isst tSs sbi Ia
the rest OF her life. After this incident, the
a presidSat a snd Shs "Ss sar y t6 Gotmb% mite ro In
home, were thereafter, to be discouraged. and
that II spreads must be given they should be
that meal, TIC girls We're sad, indeed, over the
new rule, but their health was SO much better
tnat the matrons were triumphant. The bed
time luncheon is not included under the ban, or
at least the girls do not so consider 1t. But all
formal spreads have been given since that time
betw en- @ and half past O..
The Ingenuity displayed by the girls in splicing
four college tables into one square tab 9. cover.
Ing the cracks with dainty linen borrowed from
their friends, setting 1t with silver, also bor-
rowed. and putting "a limited supply OF dishes to
all sorts of unexpected uses, is surprising to an
outsider. and even TO the guests themselves.
Well-trained freshmen in caps and aprons make
the bouillon and chocolate and serve the supper.
They are as deft-fingered as model maids, and
as solemn as the traditional butler.
A Robin Hood supper given by an enterprising
eenior to twelve OF her classmates is still green
In the memory OF the girls who attended II. Old
Fashioned curtains, discarded by the house
Tor modern ones, completely covered the walls
OF the seniors room like tapestry hang
ings. Quaint old ornaments were hung upon
them: as well as old prints and pictures gath