Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-10-02
WILD BOYISH TRICKS
cRA0 FRANKS PERPETRATEO BY
COLLEGE STUDENTS.

A Cart Loaded with Bricks That
Posed ON the Roof of Harvard Me-
mortal HalI-A Weird Decoration
For n statue of Justice.
'Tn all ages" said the man who OBJ
serves. boys have been boys, and II
at times their play may smack OF bru-
tallty, at others Il Is amusing and even
clever. Some years ago at Harvard
n cart containing bricks broke down In
front Of Memorial hall. II being then
late, the driver left II there for the
night. The next morning. securely
resting on the ridge Of the roof OF
Memorial hall. was that self same load
OF bricks, although how II got there
is TO this day a mystery. The scuttle
10 the roof was far too small 10 admit
the body OF the cart. On the other
hand, the carr was too heavy. II seemed.
to have been pulled mp by hand from
the outside, and besides neither wall
nor roof showed any sign OF It's pas
sage. Yet there IL was, and there IL
remained until at considerable expense
TO pockets and temper the college au-
thorities had it removed and restored
TO It's clamorlng owner.
The preparatory school 70 which
I went was In a small country village.
A fire was looked upon as a great
affair and was attended by the stu
dents In n body. Once there our Gus
tom was TO hurl ribald remarks and ad
vice at the various fremen by name.
To get even IL was th fir habit. at un-
expected moments, 10 turn the hose
upon us. A few duckings taught US
caution. and We az length were usually
able TO scamper away without a wet
ting
lone bitter winter afternoon We
gathered at a fire and engaged In our
usual occupation OF batting the fire.
men. At length they tried 20 reach
US with the hose. but having antici-
pated the move we were without its
range. But unnoticed behind us had
been standing the principal OF the
school. On his august person the
stream OF water descended like an
ayenglng fate, and before the panic
stricken -fremen could turn II away he
was wet 10 his respectable skin. The
water froze as IL struck, and we were
presently gazing upon human icicle.
AT length we recovered sufficiently
TO go 10 his aid and, wrapping him
In coats. drove him rapidly 20 his
home. during which the entire school
shook In It's shoes. while the wretched
firemen were for resignlng in a body.
But he was a thorough good fellow.
and beyond few words as TO the
wrong we were doing in Interfering
with public servant I'm the discharge
OF his duty he allowed the incident
to pass by unnoticed.
The town hall was one Of those
hideous and bleak structures so COM
mon In the New England towns OF 20
years ago. where the only attempt at
decoration was funereal cupola In the
exact center OF the roof. on top OF
which was n large figure OF Justice.
To the horror OF the selectmen the
town awoke one morning 10 gaze upon
a transfgured Justice. A light blue
crinolne skirt and red shawl enwrap-
ped her figure, and she looked coquet-
tishly out from beneath the shadow
OF an immense poke bonnet. AS a
particularly happy thought, she was
weighing two babies In the scales.
Then came an awful row. The
town had no hook and ladder truck,
without the aid OF which no one could
be found 10 remove the garments. The
nearest hook and ladder company was
II miles distant and required not only
permission Of the town council but the
expenditure OF cash 20 bring II over.
The selectmeD declared that as II was
manIfestly a trick OF the students the
faculty should pay. The faculty firm
ly refused. holding that there was no
proof that such was the case. For
ten days the controversy ragged. and
then the selectmen gave way and paid
for the hook and ladder truck. The
day the hook and ladder company was
to come storm sprang up which
lasted for three days. When the god
dess was finally stripped OF her cloth
Ing. the dyes had run. and she emerg-
ed tinted with all the colors OF the
rainbow. She had to be painted afresh,
the selectmen footing the cost with
sullen faces.
''The secret was successfully kept
as to how the goddess was decorated
The night previous to the occurrence
there had been show In the town
hall. When II was over, the captain
OF the football team and two fellow
conspirators had sneaked beneath the
baize fronted stage. When all was
quiet, they had ascended to the roof.
Once there one end OF a long rope had
been attached a. the captains waist
and the other 10 that OF one OF the
others. The third man accompanied
with the bundle OF clothes. The skirt
and babies were easily placed. hut
the shawl and bonnet came as harder
work. the figure rocking fearfully on
It's base. The idea OF the rope was
that In case the dresser fell he would
be saved from rolling to the ground.
IL such an accident had happened,
when he bounded from the sloping
sides Of the roof he undoubtedly would
have carried the football captain to the
ground with him. They didn't think
Of this, however, and 1t gave them a
greater feeling Of safety."-New York
Tribune.