The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-10-25
HARPER. CLASS OF '4e.


white side whiskers. Harper weighs us
in active training at tho present time.
and he Wabbles badly when he walks.
He was talking to his grandson, &c, who
left the other day for New Haven.
I got out my old files on the Lit the
other day said Harper, '46. and I no
ticed, by the gods, sir, that Harper.
1 IS. won the running high jump at the
field day exercises in 40. His mark was
five feet ten inches. 1t takes a pretty
good man to beat that. even today, sir
Harper, '46. won the running broad. too
He jumped eighteen feet ten inches on
the level That's been beaten often
since, l understand, but when I was
jumping they didn't have any pneumatic
sulkies or any of these new-fangled con-
trivances. Why. there amt horse alive
today that could catch old Flora Temple
IN her prime Records? OF course. But
they are made by the aid of all sorts OF
mechanical contriyances- We jumped and
trotted on the level in the old days. Why,
I believe that even now 1 could go out
and make some of these cigaret-smoking
athletes look foolish
when you get down to New Haven
he went on, Il want you to see If old
'Janitor john is still alive. The last
time I saw him was in '45. He was
young fellow of So or 90 then Did ever
tell you about the time We boys put up
the famous skeleton job on him2''
The grandson smiled sympathetically
He had heard the tale on an average Of
once a month for fifteen years. But this
was a special occasion. Besides, grand
father had an estate valued at half
million, which would be left TO some
body, sooner or later.
why, no, grandpa" he said What
was it?'
well. you see. in those days" the
old man went on joyfully, they had
one skeleton in the physiological labora-
tory. lot of us young chaps broke in
to the laboratory one night and stole
the skeleton. We called it the Colonel,
and we were all anxious to put UP a job
on Professor Billy He was the head
of the natural science department then.
suppose he's in the same old chair still,
Ell? Well, we took the skeleton out
Piggy Raiston and I-Piggy's United
States senator now-and we climbed the
tallest elm on the campus We tied the
Colonel up in the tiptop branches of the
elm where every chap who came down
the board walk would see it, when the
bell rang for morning chapel. But jan
itOr John'-Ive always believed the little
old cuss was a mind reader-got up be-
fore 5 O'Clock that morning ard cut
down the Colonel before any Of us had
got a glimpse of him.
I'VE sat up nights trying TO figure out
finally 'Piggy'-he was the rich man of
the class with an allowance of $50
month-he spent 81 so for paddock, and
we borrowed a log chain from a man
who lived out on the old Turtle road. We
took the Colonel up to the same old
place and chained him to q branch six
inches thick Then we padlocked the
two ends Of the chain together and threw
away the key. We were sure that would
fool old John, but we sat up all the rest
Of the night to see what would come
of it.
along about o'clock old Janitor John
came down along the walk. looking up
in the tops of the trees. When he came
to the Coloners elm he stopped. took off
his coat pulled a couple of big files out
of his pocket, and Skinned up the tree
like a monkey.
Il tell you there was no such thing
as getting ahead OF old 'Janitor John
and if the old boy is on duty still I'll
bet there are none OF the chaps of the
present day who can come 1t over him.
We We're about as lively lot as the old
college ever turned out, I'll warrant
you.
And the old eating club at South Mid
die! 1t cost us s. a week there for board,
unless you helped wait on table. Then
you could get three meals a day for 81,
or even for nothing, if you were ready
for work three times on six days in each
week.
II remember when Piggy Ralston.
Lengthy Salters, and I've three left
a terrible reputation behind US. I'm
afraid-raided the store room of the
South Middle Eating club. Old Mrs.
Martin was the matron and she had laid
in big stock of honey and apples. We
knew about it and one Friday night we
broke into the store room and stole a
we could carry and two loayes Of bread.
We took our plumber up into Professor
Tommys room on the third floor of
Middle College and had a good square
meal That was really the only time I
ever got enough TO eat during my col
lege course-and I paid as high as 50 a
week for board part OF the time. We
were just finishing up the honey when
we heard footsteps on the stairway lead
ing up from the second floor. The foot
steps sounded one, two, limp; one. two.
limp and we knew that it was old Pro
fessOr Pete He was the Greek pro-
fessor and he always had been lame. We
waited until he pounded on the outside
Of the door with his cane and said,
Young gentlemen. let me in instantly.
Then we climbed out the window on
TO the balcony which grew out of the
front Of Middle College like the top OF
toadstool and got ready to slide down the
big white Grecian pillars to the ground.
Lengthy Salters went first, because his
arms and legs were longest and we fig
ured that be could come nearest to
reaching clear around the big white pill
lars
When we got down to the second floor
Professor Pete was threatening to break
in the door. and We were tickled when
Lengthy called back that It was dead
easy Piggy followed him and I went
last We found out for ourselves in a
minute what Lengthy had carefully
concealed. The white pillars were, OF
course only imitation marble. They had
/ beeu covered with couple of coats OF
white paint and then sand and fine
gravel had beer scattered thickly over
them so that sliding down them was like
making similar trip on cylinder OF
sand paper. Lengthy mad on the suit
he had expected 70 wear at Junior *
hut by tie time he got to the bottom
mis- trousers were in such share that nc
found II necessary % withdraw alto
gether. I didn't fare much better. but.
then. I vas one Of the wealthy non OF
the class. with a regular allowance OF
S5o a month. so that I was able 70 stand
The loss OF my trousers without serious
results.
d" Lengthy you know, was the chap
who stole the 'Sophs' mortar boards
wnlle they were al eatirg supper down
az the eating club at South Middle. The
diningroom vas IN the basement and tho
SoQhs' had piled up their fancy hats on
the window siiis The windows were
half above ground and II was just be-
fore commencement, 50 the windows we're
open. Lengthy started AZ ore end and
went al around the building collecting
every mortar board on the sliis he got
half way round before the 'Sophs no
ticed what was going on. Before he
started in he had locked the doors TO the