The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-05

remove his hat or his wig as the case may
be-
oxford men cherish the memory OF the
day when John Bright and Oliver Wendell
Holmes, gentlest of autocrats, received
their degrees IN the historic theater. Or.
Holmes, with his slight, boyish figure and
amiable face made strong appeal to the
gods, In The gallery, who. 20 a man, decid-
cd 60 protect him, at all cost, from the on
slaughi of the public orator
1t Is always the Latin orator who is the
chief butt of undergraduate wit and on
this occasion nothing but nerves of steel
would have brought him through the or
deal.
do you mind pronunciation, SIR" the
gallery shouted, even the DOCTORS laugh
ing at YOU" false quantity again. sir,
and inequality 70 speak Of: don't prompt
him, vice chancellor get him Prime
ifia >; now sir, take a deep breath--one
two, three; do tell the doctor the joke,
he's too polite not to laugh; there's a
lady looking over your shoulder, SIR
These were. few of the thousands OF
comments which descended on the regius
professor of civil law; thick as autumn
leaves and singing as hailstones.
When Browning presented himself for
his degree, red cotton nightcap was
gently dropped on his head as an appro-
pirate decoration: and when hansen was
crowned" a barber's pole, cunningiy
wrought in colored paper served TO remind
him of his title to academic honors.
The undergraduates mustered Ia great
force TO honor Nansen with their wit and
Prof. Cloudy, the Latinist Of the occa-
sion,. had time sufficiently warm to dis
pei all thoughts of arctic SHOWS. Speak
up, sir, do put a little life in IT,; pull
yourself together; assailed the weak
voiced professor on every hand Shock
lAhg Latih1 sir; where did you learn it7'
Proctor, do set the professor right"
During his really eloquent speech Prof
Goudy introduced the word Jam Gnow).
Not JAM" a young alumnus cried:
bears grease is the thing for an arctic
explorer" When the ceremony was over,
and DR.. Nansen, in his gorgeous robes of
doctor of ciyil laws, was released, an UNI
dergraduate shouted OUT do give DR..
Nansen1 some brandy-the professor has
frozen him"
1Witticisms such as these are character
istics, il not brilliant; and If brutally
frank, they are at least full of good humor
Perhaps, however, the palm Of under
graduate humor in recent days must be
awarded to the Trinity oxford man who
was sent down" a few months ago. The
occasion was solemn one, and the under
graduates decided to invest 1t with becoT.
ing gravity.
At the hour appointed for his departure,
hearse, drawn by long-maned black
horse, drew up at the college gates, and
the undergraduate took his seat among
the noddiug plumes Two friends, clad in
black. took up positions on each side OF
the horses head, and crowd Of UNDER
graduate mourners formed a procession
behind the hearse.
I'M this solemn form the cortege wended
its way slowly through tine oxford streets
toward the station. the crowd Of mourn
ers being gradually swelled by hundreds
of townsmen and gownsmen alike. AZ
intervals the happy deceased improved
the occasion by speeches OF fitting solem-
nifty from his dad enfinence."
When the station was reached the
= corpse" was carried shoulder nigh to
his train, while hundreds of lUsty voices
joining in singing "Britons Never Shall Be
Slaves" and Aud Lang Syne."