The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1905-08-03
A FRESHMAN AT u. OF N.
Ill,

to be Jack" had arranged your re-
spective possessions in your room and
had discussed plans for the future.
You had come up to college fully de-
termined not to stand any hazing of
foolishness without a vigorous protest,
but your friend, the Junior, had
strongly advised the grin and bear it,
attitude, which Jack was inclined to
favor One thing you had determined
upon, you'd adopt one policy and stick
to it, After long discussion of GUS
toms and methods, and pros and cons,
you concluded that Jack, who had been
out of school for two years, and who
had seen something of the world, had
the right of the matter. You agreed
that you would stick together, keep
your eyes open, keep quiet and await
developments.
After dinner you and Jack started up
to the college to register 1t was a
glorious afternoon and you decided to
begin saving carfares by walking.
Down Ferry Hill and through the
rickety old covered bridge you went.
The trees on the river bank whose
vivid colors were reelected in the water
reminded you of the pond at home
and brought little catch into your
throat. You recognized the two chap
ter houses at the end of the bridge from
pictures you had seen, and they seemed
like familiar friends when your eyes,
getting accustomed to analyZe un-
familiar objects, fell upon them. You
turned into the College Road-neither
you nor Jack knew it by that name,
then,-and back of the row of profess
sors' houses, among the green trees,
stood out the red and gray buildings OF
the college Your heart gave little
thump as you saw them, and you won
dered if at the end Of the year you
would find that college had meant to
you all you thought it would and you
Wondered-but there was too much
going Oh around you to indulge in
dreams. Groups of students-happy,
laughing grolps-were passing, and you
and you We're meeting Others, who, the
task Of registering over, were bound
down town. Bicycles whizzed by, and
here and there even your inexperienced
eye could pick out freshmen from the
others. You and Jack met one fellow
whose haggard, strained look and nerv-
Gus air plainly said examinations,
and you were both thankful that you
were fortunate enough to be certif-
Gated. You noticed that the eyes of
the passers glanced half scrutinizingIy,
half amusedly, in your direction, and
they seemed to be saying: "Ah, two
Freshmen; wonder if they are good for
anything"
By this time you were almost on the
campus, and the frat houses doomed up
near at hand. You read the letters on
the flags and over the doors with inter
est, and promptly forgot which was
which. You rather admired the archi-
lecture of one of the houses. 1t was
in simple, colonial style with a long
yeranda connecting two wings, and you
were wondering at the absence of the
flag and the enlightening letters, when
half dozen girls appeared in the open
doorway and you knew it must be the
girls dormitory, which you remembered
from the catalogue was called "Mt.
Vernon House, and which you soon
learned to call, in all good nature, "The
Coop" BY the time you had stopped
laughing at yourselves you were on the
board walk, and fairly on your way to
the college buildings. You saw the
frog pond famous in tie college his
tory, out of the corners of your eyes,
and you involuntarily quickened your
footsteps until it was passed, almost as
if you feared some of the dreaded
Sophomores would step out from be-
hind the shrubbery and invite you to
bnhC q DIV IN. Ou saw lIlS NIiluC must
with green blinds which you knew
must be the Presidents home, behind
its screen of shrubs. You smiled, as
you remembered the day he had visited
your prep. school, and after his depar-
ture the principal had assured the pu-
pills that the President was "a very
brilliant man" OF course everybody
laughed and that was just what Jack
did when you told him about it, and
you were joining in when deep voice
directly behind you said, in solemn
tones, Freshmen should be seen and
not heard on the campus" You turned
expecting to face bowling mob of
oophomores, to find it was only your
Trend, the unior. After you had laugh
ed with him and confessed that it "took
rise out Of you. you introduced him
TO Jack, and lie saved you from going
INTO Coburn to register. He pointed
ont Alumni Hall to you, and as he
moved his hand at you and wished yon
good luck from the steps of Coburn,
You confessed to Jack that you were
beginning to believe in the existence of
guardian angels.