River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1903-06-18

LIVE or six sophomores of Acadia
| College were assembled in John
Morgan's room. Counting them,
find there were siX-Theod Pendall,
Billy Harris, Cole Carey, Jess Pres
don, Johnny, and myself.
College had been running about six
weeks on the fall term, and we were
getting pretty well acquainted with
the 30 or 40 new men who had come
in. 1t was regarding these that the
Bophs were now conversing.
Johnny l thought was the hand
soonest fellow in the class, with his
large build, big head, wide brow,
light, curly hair and laughing blue
eyes; and he now had the floor. The
others were scattered around, three
on the bed and two on the table.
YES" Johnny was saying, with an
expression as near a frown as he ever
got on that smooth front of his, Il
tell you, fellows, there's a sneak in
the building, dirty sneak! That's
the only explanation. How else could
the faculty get onto everything that's
going? How could the Old Doc know
it was EnOch Morse that blew the
fife the night we had the racket on
the roof? Or that Billy here manipu-
lated the bellows for the fog-hOrn?
And it's been the same way with
everything this term; every time we
had little fun that wasn't down on
the calendar, the next morning the
Old Doc sends over to the building:
Il want to see Thomas William Fow-
Ter Harris or whoever it may be that
got it up Immediately in my Office,
and he never misses the ringleaders."
That's right, Johnny; that's
right" said Jess, our husky football
captain, who was a man of action
rather than words.
Theod Pendall interrupted.
81 don't agree with YOU" he said.
TheOd was never carried away by en-
thusiasm unless it appealed to his
cool reason. Remember, the Old Doc
has been here a good while. These
little racketS of ours are pretty old
story to him. He has known us sophie
mOres for year, and l don't see any
thing very remarkable in his being
able to pick out the boys that cut up
the capers."
1.-The trouble with some fellows is, .
answered Johnny, they think the
Old Doc is supernatural, think he is
omniscient, think he can see in the
dark, and knows what's going on be-
hind closed doors. How could he
know about that roof racket unless
somebody put him on to it?''
"Good gracious, man." said Theod,
getting off the table, didn't people
hear that racket clear over to Can
ming, five miles away? Wouldn't
the doctor hear it block away?
Couldn't he put up his window and
hear every word that anybody could
hear above the din-tin pans, pOkers
and shOvels, tin horns, Enoch's fife
and the fog-horn? Don't you suppose
he knows EnOch is the only man on
the Hill that plays the fife like an old
soldier? and couldn't he hear you
bawling. foot her up again, Billy
whenever Harris arm got tired with
turning the fOg-horn crank?"
Johnny turned to me.
"What do you think about it, judo
I was lying on the bed, my feet
over the foot-bOard; but on being
addressed | got up, took chair and
seated myself with the back between
my legs, for l had thought of some
thing, and [ wanted to make it i'm.
presSive.
"I'l tell you, fellows, think this
is very serious matter. If there's
q traitor in the camp running to the
doctor with these things, we want to
know it and give him his medicine;
and, if the Old Doc is a mind-reader
from way back, we want to know that
and conduct ourselves accordingly.
Now, I've got Il proposition. L know
who you fellows suspect, and so do
you; it's this fresh-faced freshie
from RestigOuche. l move we take
out a warrant for his arrest and try
him before the Hazing Court"
Cole Carey gave yell, and every
soph sprang to his feet to second the
motion-with the exception of Theod,
who took his hat and went out. John
ny and l were appointed committee
OF arrangements.
= i x
1.-The fresh-faced freshie' was a
description of Allen Jones sufficient
for his Identification. His skin was
as fair as a girls, and his cheeks
burned with a continual blush. Yet
his clear eye was fearless, and he had
a bearing so erect and manly that, as
l look back on it now, 1 wonder how
he ever came to be suspected of be-
ing the college sneak"
\ week from the time of our meet
ing in Morgan's room everything was
ready, and the court was fully or
ganized.
At eleven p. M, by twos and threes,
witnesses, jurors, police, lawyers and
judges silently made their way
through the narrow corridors down
the long, dark ell, to room Is.
This apartment was draped to suit
the solemn occasion. Sheets were
tackled to the walls all around, COW
ing windows and wall tints, so that
the prisoner, when led there blind
folded, should not know whose room
he was in.
BY way of ornament, black skulls
and cross-bones, pinned against the
white background, grinned hungrily
and vacantly at one another from OPP
posite sides of the room.
At the lower end terrace of tables
was covered with Turkey red cotton,