The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1905-08-10
A FRESHMAN AT i. OF N.

IVY oooheu 20 be busy-and
everybody seemed to know just what
to do. Unlike the rest, you were at a
loss as to your next move, but the omen
doorway at your right seemed to he an
objective point for countless paper.
laden young men, and so you followed
the crowd, getting into line as Won
neared the long counter or desk that
faced you as you entered. While
waiting you improved the opportunity
to look around, first noticing, in the
corner, the little window set in back
ground of boxes, with the magic words
post Office" over it, and if you could
have looked forward a bit into the
future-but you couldn't, for it was
almost your turn to talk with the
sweet faced lady whom you knew must
be the college secretary, Mrs. Balen-
tine, with whom you had had some
correspondence, and whom you were
sure you would like. You had time to
glance around the big room behind the
! desk, note its letter files, coping ma
chine, the two small desks, the type
writer, and other indications that the
college office is busy place, when you
were greeted by bright smile as you
introduced yourself and were given
handful of papers, with directions to
find the room across the hall, known in
uncounted class secretary's reports,
later in the year, as Number Alumni.
Jack was close behind you as you cross
ed the stone floor of the hall and found
the soughtfor room. You did not get
very far over the threshold when you
were stopped by'a young man seated at
table near the door, who asked you
your name. Mentally wondering,
"what next" you told him, and shut
fling of the white cards before him en-
sued before he found your card of ad-
mittance and passed you with nod,
By this time you were getting curious
as to the import of the sheaf of papers
in your hand, and you and Jack seated
yourselves side by side at long tables
similar to those you had helped to set up
so often for suppers in the church vestry
at home. First, you found sheet con-
tanning instructions for Registration,
then big information blank, upon
which you were to write your name,
age, and lot of other information
Then you found an immense paper
marked "Time Schedule for Fall Term"
which seemed to you al intricate mass
of unintelligible letters and figures
Then subject list of fall term studies
came to light, with your real registra-
ton blank, set of little blue cards,
perforated and ready to be broken
apart, and two white cards exactly
alike.
You were rather at loss, but as
every one else around you seemed to be
writing, you started in to follow the
directions" and had comparatively
easy work at first; but finally compli-
cations began to arise about hours and
divisions and studies and you would
have gotten into hopeless middle if
one of the instructors, there for the
purpose of helping people, had not dis
covered you just before you were ready
to give up in dispair. He Strengthened
things out so that it all was very
simple. You then sorted out the pa
pers to be handed in at the office and
with your own little white schedule
the duplicate of the one you were to
pass Unsafe in an inside pocket, you
were ready for trip to the treasurer's
office across the hall. You got into line
behind Jack, who had beaten you in
making out his papers, and behind you
was fellow who had sat next to you in
the room, and whom you knew must
also be Freshman. You had been too
much absorbed i'll the work of getting
your own papers satisfactorily arranged
to pay much attention to the Others in
the room who were similarly engaged.
but had noticed this fellow, and re-
membering that you had made up your