The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-26

1t was on the eve of the mid-year exam
nations, and a gloom had fallen over the
college. The conscientious ones who had
worked all the year were working harder
than ever, and the frivolous ones who had
played all the year were working with a
desperate frenzy calculated to render their
minds blank when the crucial hour should
have arrived But Patty was not working.
II was canon OF her college philosophy,
| gained by three and a half years of per-
sonal experience, that the day before ex-
aminations is not the time to begin to
study. One has impressed the instructor
with ones intelligent interest in the subject,
or one has not, and the result is as sure as
| II the marks were already down in black
and white in the college archives. And so
| Patty, who at least lived up to her lights,
| was, with the exception of a few points
| which she intended to learn for this period
only, conscientiously neglecting the "ju-
| dicious review recommended by the fac
ulty.
| Her friends, however, who, though per-
haps equally philosophic, were less consis-
tent. were subjecting themselves to what
and as no one had any time to talk to Pat
ty. or to make anything to eat, she found
| it an improbable period. Her own room
mate even drove her from the study be-
cause she laughed out loud over the book
she was reading; and, an exile. she wan
dered around to the studies Of her friends,
and was confronted by an engaged" on
every door. She was sitting a window
sill in the corridor. bordering on the gen.
eral barrenness of things, when she sud
denly remembered her friends the freshmen
| in Study 321. She had not visited them
| for some time, and freshmen are usually
interesting at this period She accordingly
turned down the corridor that led to 32l,
and found Positively Engaged to Every
| One!' in letters three inches high, across
| the door. This promised richness of en-
tertainment within, and Patty heaved a
| disappointed sigh loud enough to carry
| through the transom.
The turning of leaves and rustling Of pa
| per ceased: evidently they were listening.
| but they gave no sign. Patty wrote a note
| on the door block with reverberating pune
| tuation points and then retired noisily and
| tip-toed back moment later and leaned
| against the wall. Curiosity prevailed; the
| door opened, and a face wearing hunted
look peered out
ooh, Patty Wyatt, was that your" she
| asked. 1--WE thought it was Frances Stod-
| dard coming down to have geometry ex-
planned, and so we kept still. Come in"
Goodness. no; I wouldn't come in over
| I'm engaged like that for anything. I'm
| afraid you're busy"
The freshman grasped her by the arm.
| Patty. If you love us come in and cheer us
up. We're so scared we don't know what
| to do"
Patty consented to be drawn across the
threshold. II don't want to interrupt you,''
she demonstrated, 'if you have anything to
| do The study was occupied by three
| girls. Patty smiled benignly at the two
| haggard faces before her. Where's Lady
| Clara We're de Vere?" she asked. "She
surely isn't wasting these precious last mo-
| ments in anything frivolous.
''Shes in her bedroom, with a geometry
in one hand and Greek grammar in the
other, trying to learn them both at once"
'"Tell her to come out here; want to give
her some good advice" and Patty sat down
| on the divan and surveyed the dictionary
bestrewn room with an appreciative smile
Il
Clara exclaimed appearing in the doorway.
1.-The sophomores have been telling us the
most dreadful stories about examinations.
| They aren't true, are they?"
Mercy, no! Don't believe a word those
sophomores tell you. They were freshmen
themselves last year. and if the examina-
tons were as bad as they say they wouldn't
have passed them, either
-
| faces.
You're such a comfort, Patty. Upper
classmen take things easily. don't they?'
lone gets Injured to almost anything in
time" said Patty. Examinations are even
entertaining, If you know the right an
| swers."
But we won't know the right answers
one of the freshmen walled, her terror re-
turning. 1--WE simply don't know any,
| thing. and Latin comes tomorrow, and
geometry the next day."
"Oh, well, in that case you can't get
through anyway, so don't worry. You must
take it philosophically. you know" Patty
settled herself among the cushions and
smiled upon her frightened auditors with
easy nonchalance. LAS an example Of the
uselessness of studying at the eleventh hour
when you haven't done anything through
the term. will tell you my experience with
freshman Greek. l was badly prepared
when 1 came, I didn't study through the
term, and, without exaggeration, 1 didn't
know anything. Three days before exam
nations 1 suddenly comprehended the stu
alton. and 1 began swallowing that gram
mar in chunks. / drank black coffee to
keep awake, and worked till in the
morning. and scarcely stopped examining
irregular verbs for meals / simply thought
in Greek and dreamed in Greek. And, II
you will believe it, after all that work,
nunked in Greek! 1t shook my faith in
studying for examinations I've never done
it since, and I've never funked since.
believe that it's just matter of fate
MUSICAL NOTES.