Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1900-12-06
WILD BOYISH TRICKS
CRAZY FRANKS PERPETRATEO BY
COLLEGE STUDENTS.
A Cart Loaded With Brick. That
Posed on the Roof of Harvard Me-
mortal Hal1-A Weird Decoration
For n Statue of Justice

serves boys have been boys, and IL
NJ times their play may smack Of bru-
tality, NJ others it is amusing and even
clever. Some years ago ut Harvard
4 cart containing bricks broke down in
front Of Memorial hall. 1t being then
late. the driver left it 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 it got there
is to this day a mystery. The scuttle
10 the roof was far too small to admit
the body Of the cart. On the other
hand. the cart was too heavy, it seemed
to have been pulled up by hand from
the outside. and besides neither wall
nor roof showed any sign of its pas.
sage Yet there it was, and there it
remained until at considerable expense
70 pockets and temper the college au-
thorities had it removed and restored
70 its clamoring owner.
The preparatory school to which
l went was in a small country village
A fire was looked upon as a great
affair and was attended by the stu
dents in a body. Once there our Gus
tom was to hurl ribald remarks and adj
vice at the various fremen by name.
To get even it was their habit. at I'M
expected moments, to turn the hose
upon MS. 4 few duckngs taught us
caution. and we AZ length were usually
able to scamper away without wet.
ting.
"Onc bitter winter afternoon we
gathered at Il fire and engaged in our
usual occupation of batting the fire
men. Al length they tried to 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
svenging fate, and before the panic
stricken tiremen could turn ii away he
was wet to his respectable skin. The
water froZc rs ii struck. and we were
presently gazing upon Il human icicle,
AT length we recovered sufficiently
10 60 to his aid and. wrapping him
in coats. drove him rapidly TO his
uOUlP, utIlnS w ultu the cHllIt SCloOl
shook in its shoes, while the wretched
nremen were for rcsignng in a body.
But nc was Il thorough good fellow,
and beyond n few words as to the
wrong we were doing In interfering
with Il public servant in the discharge
OF his duty he allowed the incident
TO pass by unnoticed.
t,'TNp town boll was opn pf those
hideous and bleak structures so com
mon in the New England towns OF 20
years ago. where the only attempt at
decoration was a funrreal cupola in the
exact center of the roof, on top OF
which was large figure of Justice.
To the horror of the selectmen the
town awoke one morning TO gaze upon
trdns6gurcd Justice. \ light blue
crinoline 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 wal
weighing two babies in the scales.
Then came an awful row. The
town bad no hook and ladder truck,
without the aid of which no one could
be found to 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 10 bring 1t over.
The sclectmen declared that as it 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
10 come n 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-
cd tinted with all the colors of the
rainbow She had to be painted afresh,
the selectmen footing the cost with
sullcn faces.
THE secret was successfully kept
rs to how the goddess was decorated.
The night previous to the occurrence
there had been show in the town
hall. When it was over, the captain
Of the football team and two telloW
conspirators had sneaked beneath the
baizp trontcd stage. When all was
quiet they had assembled 10 the roof.
Once there one end Of long rope had
been attached to the captains waist
and the other TO that Of one OF the
others. The third man accompanied
th, climber to the base Of the figure
with the bundle OF clothes. The skirt
and tables were easily placed, but
the shawl and bonnet came as harder
work. the figure rocking fearfully on
It's base The idea Of the rope was
OH. case the dresser fell be womb
De sa 4 from rolling to the ground.
II such an accident had happened
when be bounded from the sloping
sides IL the roof he undoubtedly would
have carried the football captain to the
-rr md Nth him. They didn't thlhh
u this however. and il gave them a
e. /. F,t YORK