The Republican journal., 1905-12-28
A FRESHMAN AT u. OF NJ.

| XIV.
After the excitement attendant on
the interclass meet had died down q
bit, speculation as to who should repre-
sent the college in the intercollegiate
affair, so soon to come off on the same
field, took up the attention of manv.
Ever since the class meet Freshman
faces had been wearing "the grin that
won't come off,; for far more precious
to them was the victory over their
Sophomore rivals than untold gold in
the class treasury. Glass meetings
were again getting frequent, for spring
was getting on, and with spring. as
every well informed Freshman knows
comes the Frog Pond scrap, famous in
many tradition of class prowess. The
affair was thoroughly explained to those
in ignorance of the time honored Gus
tom at class meetings, and plan Of
campaign was carefully laid out. The
Importance of being present on the oc-
casion was made quite plain, and even
the most feeble intelects had no diff
Guilty in grasping the idea that if they
were not present, and ready to ioin in
the exchange of incivilities between the
two classes, their own men would at
tend to their cases later on; and. in the
words of the speaker: "We'll see that
anyone who don't get out will get Just
as wet as if the Sophomores had put
him in.'
The threat was not needed, however.
for every loyal member of the class lent
himself with vim to the furtherance
of plans for the event of uncertain
date. n dozen men were selected to
have charge of, and account for an
equal number of men when the night
should come. Jack was appointed to
the leadership of your bunch and
his associates were all men we'll known
in the inner circle of class activities.
The rendezvous was selected, after
much discussion and discussion, and
the matter was left as it was. The
wiseacres argued that as Junior week
and many other festivities were yet to
come, and as the scrap was supposed to
end all hostilities between the lower
classes, it was extremely improbable
that it would pull off, for some time
to come.
Baseball practice was now taking on
a more serious turn and every after
noon when your Rotations were over
found you and Jack going gym-ward
he to get ready for the track work, for
which he was training down to a fine
point, and you for base ball training.
After the intercollegiate, Jack was 60
ing to "get busy" at base ball, too, and
the hopes of both of you We're high for
making at least subs on the varsity
One evening, when you were comfort
ably enSconsed on the couch with a
book which was not required in any of
your courses and Jack was bending stu
diously over bulky text book on his
desk, something III the atmosphere
seemed to forebode trouble ahead, and,
throwing aside the book which had
been absorbing the whole OF your at
tention, you sat up. There were va
riOus noises outside the house that in
dicated something doing" while in
the nearby rooms people began to stir
around and Freshman dashed by your
door with a come on, fellers.' You
noticed III your hasty flight through
the house that Sophomores were at
premium, and hardly stopping for
any preliminary preparations you and
Jack started down stairs, taking
the steps three at time. There
was a group of upper-classmen in front
of the door in the lower hall and Jack
came to a sudden halt as he was about
to disappear through the door in the
wake of two rapidly vanishing class
mates. You could not stop for Small
things" and quickly comprehended the
fact that Jack, on account of the fast
approaching meet, was not to be allow
ed to participate in any trough house
then. You knew, of course, that this
was not the frog pond scrap as the re-
CURED warning notice had not been
given. Just what was going on you
were unable to determine, but you were
sorry that Jack could not be Gin it.
The night was dark and a mist lying
over the ground gave everything far
off, weird look.
A feeble cry of Freshmen this way
attracted your attention as soon as you
got out of the house, and, taking the
direction it came from, you stumbled
along, wondering what was coming
next. 1t was not long before you found
out, for simultaneously you felt hand
firmly grasping your arm and heard a
voice saying, with a delighted
chuckle, Here's another one, fellers.
Your eyes soon became enough accus-
toned to the atmosphere to admit of
your seeing your captors and youl
wrath rose when you discovered that
one of them was the Big Fellow with
, whom you had several encounters
which were the exact reverse of pleas