Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-06-27
QUEER ETON CUSTOM
FAGS AND TAGGING IN ENGLAND'S
LEADING BOYS SCHOOL.

Mcas@s Wqsa trrtgrraed By sons of
Dukes For Their Schoolmates.
Duties OF Fag-Tcrm of Service.
Nearly All of the Nobility Have
Tagged.
Most people contemplating a debate
in the house of lords from the gal
lery would be surprised to hear that
goodly proportion of those grave and
reverend seigniors engaged i'll settling
affairs of state on the very steps of
the throne were adopts ut frizzling the
toothsome sausage and cooking the
homely bloater. Yet SO it is, for close
on half of the peers of England are
old Etonians, and one of the Oldest in
stitutions still cherished under the
shadow of the distant spires and an
tique towers sacred to the memory of
Henry's holy shade is that OF tagging.
The first or second day % every
term, when the whole school has re-
turned Il sort of slave market IS held
in each house, at which the upper
boys have the privilege of choosing
from among the lower boys their own
particular flag for the next three
months or so. In some houses, where
the lower boys that is. boys who have
not reached the fifth form-are numer-
Gus, an upper boy may have two such
servitors for his own exclusive use.
The right of selection Is exercised
according to seniority, the boys known
to be the quickest and best servants
being snapped up first, except in the
case of new boys, when looks have to
be taken as credentials as often as
not, to the ultimate disgust of the fag-
master for the smartest looking boys
are very frequently the greatest buffers
at their work.
The duties of Elton Tags are many
and various. Not few of them would
be declined by their fathers servants
at home as far too mental to suit the
dignity of the modern James de la
Pluche. The flag is responsible for get
ting his master out of bed in time for
early morning school-a dangerous and
thankless task to perform on big boy
who is a hard sleeper and free with his
| fists and quick at throwing boots when
| once awakened. School over, the flag
has to prepare his masters breakfast.
| He lays the cloth, makes the tea and
| toast-woe betide him If the latter be
| burned or cut too thick-boils the eggs
aud fries any extra luXuries in the way
| Of rashcrs or sausages his master may
| send him to purchase In the town.
The meal prepared, the flag is by no
| means tree to go and get his own
breakfast, as he has to wait at table,
| be ready to fetch hot water from the
| kitchen and if ordered " off up
! town to one of the "sock shops" for q
| pot Of jam or marmalade. He is a
lucky boy If he can snatch a clear ten
minutes for his breakfast before ,ae
chapel bell begins to ring.
The same round of duty has to be
gone through again at teatime, the only
difference being that there is more
time to do it in, and flag masters are
| generally in Il better temper VIXEN
school for the day is over
| But tagging at meals is by no means
| the only service which the lower boy
| has to render, He has to scrape the
mud off his masters football boots, tt
put his change clothes away after
cricketing or running with the beagles
and take notes to other boys in Other
| houses.
1t is strange to think that if Lore
Salisbury had only gone to Elton few
! years earlier than he did he might have
| had to clean Mr. Gladstones boots ant