The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1905-09-28
A FRESHMAN AT u. OF N.

1 ~ 80 W
held in the evening. You did not quite
know whether it would pay to rag out
and 60, or not. Still, you rather thought
it might be good idea, as in that way
you would meet a good many of the
fellows. You had a very vague idea
of how things would be conducted, but
the thought of the outcome of that
game gave you pleasing sense of
amounting to something after all. The
reception was to be from to TO- and,
although you had hazy notion that it
was not compulsory to be ON hand ex-
actly at the hour mentioned, still it
would be better to be sure than sorry.
and you two took the quarter Of car
up. There was not much doing at
Alumni when you got there, and you
spent almost as long time in the coat
room as you would had you been escort
ing some young ladies, and waiting for
them to emerge from the dressing room
opposite; only you did not know that
until long afterward. Finally, good
many other Freshmen drifted in, and
did not seem to be in any hurry about
going out, until a bunch of Juniors,
your friend among the rest, took the
little flock in tow and led them up to
the chapel door. The chapel chairs
had been partially removed and ranged
around the walls, while the rear If the
room was filled with them. There
had been little attempt at decorations
but in one corner the glass on the punch
table caught the glimmer of the lights
and sparkled alluringly. Near the en-
trance was little table, presided over
by an upper class man, and on it were
little slips of paper, pencils and pins.
This looked like combination of regis
tratlon and some of the home church
sociable games, and you wondered what
was coming next. 1t was with rather
feeling of relief that You learned that
it was merely little plan for the bene.
fit OF the newcomers, and to help over
come the disadvantage under which
they labored. Everyone was requested
to write his name and class numeral on
one of the slips, which was then pinned
to his coat that he who ran might read.
1t was bright idea of some ones, and
helped very much to lessen the confusion
and embarrassments of a function of
this kind Before long some one ap-
peared and carried you off, protesting,
to meet the reception committee. The
ordeal was not so very awful, although
you were intentionally conscious of
the size of your hands during the per-
Torrance. The committee consisted of
the President, and one or two of the
most popular professors, with their
sweet faced wives, whose smile and
cordial greeting treasured you ard
! made you feel quite at ease, after
all. A visit to the punch table was
next in ORDER and you were not let
go until your captor had taken you
across the room to where a group of
girls were standing, and where, to your
horror, he left you, after taking you
''down the line" You hadn't the
falntest idea of the name of the girl
you were confronting, and your wild
glance after your guide had given you
glimpse OF Jack, over by the door,
grinning a malevolent grin. You stood
on one foot, and then on the other.
| and as for making any remark, you
couldn't to save your life. You were
just on the point of making mad dash
for the distant door when she took
pity on you and began the conversation
by enqulring what part of the State
you were from. After you told her,
she Informed you that she had friend
there, and wondered if you happened
to know her. Well, this wasn't so bad.
You were beginning to discover that
other Freshmen were talking to other
girls around you, and she seemed very
pleasant. CHANGING at the little pla-
card on the front of her dress you
found that she was Sophomore-and
where had you seen that name before?
But she was asking you a question
Did you happen to know her friend,
who graduated from High school last
year-her name was-but she didn't
! need to 60 any farther; you knew
now where you had seen her
name. Yes, you rather guessed you
did happen to know the girl she
meant, and you were daring enough to
ask Her friend to sit down, while you
talked-of many things" You would
have liked to ask her to have some
punch, and almost did, but remember
ing the grin on Jacks face you did not
dare, and you saw her carried off by a
big upper classman, who smiled at you
condescendingly. After they left you
found couple of boys you liked, and
had long conversation with them on
athletics in general and those at Maine
in particular, and you probably would
have talked until morning if Jack had
not torn you away and started you on
the homeward path. On the way home
you decided to take him into your con-