The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1905-11-16
A FRESHMAN AT U. OF N.
XVIII.

XVIII.
Morning brought with it the realiza-
ton that recitations were going on, up
in Orono, for the luckless few who, for
various reasons, had been obliged to
forego the joys of the Freshman ban
quet, and with that realization came
the thought of the final in math.,
scheduled for that very day. Alas and
alack! The first available train out was
at II, and "pine trees" without num-
Der darkened the horizon and waved
their branches menacingly, forboding
ill for the recipients. ["Pine trees" be
it known to the uninitiated, is the un-
dergraduates' synonym for notifications
from the Office, in the corner of whose
envelopes is the Official University sign. J
! Things really looked pretty serious, for
a while, until some one was wise
enough to offer a suggestion. What
was the matter, said this wiseacre, with
telephoning up to the Dean, who was
also the head of the department of
mathematics, explaining the situation
and asking for postponement? No
sooner was the idea advanced than it
was acted upon, and, to the joy of the
entire class, the answer was favorable.
With that load off their minds, every
body started in to enjoy himself as
thoroughly as the resources of the
town and of individual pocketbooks
would admit.
A raid ON the dry goods stores
brought forth ribbon by the yard, in
the class colors, and streamers of it
waved aggressively in the breeze. The
stock of fruit and peanuts of the local
merchants was depleted rapidly, and
as GROWING glory to the occasion
buckboards were chartered for a drive
about town. A call was made on Sen
ator Hale, who cordially received his
visitors and played up in the most
approved manner, with cigars and a
characteristic speech. Time was flying,
however, and the train was reached
just in time. The journey up was as glee-
full as had been the trip in the opposite
direction, the feeling of triumph CON-
pletely outweighing the sensations of
sleepiness and WEAKNESS in general,
which were attacking everybody. AT
ter rousing cheer for the class at the
Bangor station, the jewellers separated,
to drift into Orono by various ways, as
they had departed.
The Sophomores had been employing
what energy they had left in the mean
time, and, with the assistance of an un-
limited amount of funereal black crepe
had transformed the Freshman place
in chapel into haunt of gloom. A
placarG over the presidents chair bear
ing the interrogatory, "Where are the
freshmen" remained unanswered; for
those who were obliged to stay at home,
true to their class spirit cut chapel
with deliteration, and spent the few
minutes in the Library, exchanging
scanty bits of news and information
regarding the absent.
About noon you and Jack ''blew i'm
to your frat house, a bit weary by this
time, but still undaunted. An inter
ested audience assembled in your room
to hear the story of your individual ex-
periences, and you held the undivided !
attention of everybody, except when
the only Sophomore present turned the
laugh on one of you by II cleverly !
worded question. The warning bell for |
afternoon recitations quickly emptied
the couch, desk and chairs, and you
threw yourself down on the. pillow
heaped couch for few moments rest !
before giving up to 'lab. work. the
next hour, as you informed Jack. 1t
was quite warm in the room and the |
couch was soft, and-and-and-Well, |
it was the vigorous ringing of the sup
per bell that brought you up all stand
ing with start. A glance at the chair
near by revealed Jack, rubbing his eyes,
with bewildered look on his 'open'
countenance. A laugh all around greet !,
ed your appearance at the dining room
door, where glance told you that the
places were all occupied, and that you
would have to "wait a WHILE" The !
laughing remarks fired at your retreat |
ing head betrayed the fact that the way
in which you had spent the afternoon
had not passed unnoticed. After your
supper was secured and little-a very
Understanding was done, you found
yourself nodding again until a fusilade
of pillows which whizzed in at the door
and by your head woke you up again,
and a short and extremely good natured
trough house" ensued. After that was
over the Freshmen all seemed impelled
to move bedward with that delicious
uncertainty as to what would happen
to them in the next mornings recita-
ton that is part of the irresistible
charm of college life.