The Washington times., 1902-02-02
COLUMBIAN UNIVERSITY.

| group of Columbian students recently
had an encounter with two members OF
Washington's Police Department which
has afforded great amusement to the for
mer and subjected those guardians OF the
| peace to considerable guying.
One of the prominent fraternities at the
university was holding its weekly initia :
tion and three of the best-kuown young
men in the school were being put through
the PAGES upon that particular occasion.
II was horrible night; the rain was fall
ing in torrents. In accordance with Gus
tom the initiating committee met the can
didates In the evening. having devised the
expected methods of torture. The three
young men had been commanded to don
the oldest and most ragged clothes in
their possession, but to bring no umbrel-
las. Shortly after dark the victims were
escorted over into Rosslyu TO take their
first degree.
They were compelled 10 stand out in
the rain by the roadside opposite the
waiting room of the Falls Church electric
railroad, each balancing brick upon his
head. For a whole hour they stood there
in the downpour. never moving out of one
position or speaking a word. Meanwhile
their guardians stood on the porch Of the
waiting room. protected from the rain,
and hurled sarcastic remarks at their
dripping companions. They were kind
enough to tell them what fine soldiers
they would make and how dignifed they
looked, finishing up with enquiries as TO
the condition of the weather out there.
When the candidates were thoroughly
drenched they were marched single file
over the Aqueduct Bridge into Georgetown
and thence down to Seventh Street. Here
three neat signs were produced and pinned
on the trio They read: Please Help the
Blind With their eyes closed and tin
cups in their hands they were led about
the streets. At last when they had COM
pleted this performance to the entire sat
isfaction of their custodians. they were
presented with canes and required TO go
through drill and various other stunts"
on Pennsylvania Avenue.
Their next task was to sit on the curb
stone in the wet and make love TO them
selves. 1t was an extremely ludicrous
sight to see these young men hugging
themselyeJ and applying all manner of
tender epithets TO each other. The next
feat was to gather about n lamppose and
sing hymns to 1t. BY this time. despite
the rain, a large crowd OF people were
following them around, nlSnly amused at
their antics.
At the close of the operate perform
ance the candidates were marched up to
the Benjamin Franklin statue, at the
corner of Tenth Street and Pennsylvania
Avenue Here they We're lined up, each
victim being given three empty beer bot
ties to hold under his arm. Then they
were required to eulogize the Hon Ben
jamin ending up their remarks with an
abbreviated imitation of a Salvation Army
meeting.
But 10 and behold, while the perform
ance was at It's height. two cops" plain
clothes men7 approached and abruptly ter
minated the service by taking the trio
into custody. 4 lively fuss ensued. The
college students banded together and Of
fered stout resistance to the cops" They
even agreed to knock the block on'n'
anyone who tried ITO interfere with their
candidates. They asked the plain clothes
men to show their badges. so that they