The semi-weekly messenger., 1906-09-07
TALES OF THE PLUPERFECT PUSH

1t usually takes a good deal of nos
ing around TO keep up a big fire prop
erly, especially if the brushwood is
scarce. By the time the freshman has
done the trick for two or three hours
and no fellows or snipes have showed
up, he keeps up the fire for a while
longer To be sure, he is no uuitter,
and it may be a bad night for snipes.
anyway.
"A good, lucky freshman will kept
It up until 1 o'clock, and the most
foolish one will keep it up for an hour
longer. | kept up the fire and held the
sack until o'clock
Then the sIeepy-eyed freshman
drops the sack and wanders over 10
see how the horse and wagon is get
ting along. 1t is usually and always
gone for about five hours, gone within
ten minutes after he piled on his first
stick Of brushWOOd.
Then for the long waly TO the cam
pus. Great time that for meditating
Great time to think Of your past and
future. All the world seems a hollow
mOckery, and its pleasures like a
SNOWFALL in the river. If he doesn't
lose his way, the freshman will reach
the campus just as the sun begins 10
peep over the eastern hills, a saIde~
TALES OF THE PLUPERFECT TWO
and wiser freshman. If he loses his
way, he usually turns uD somewhere
some time next day, hundreds foot
sore. AS | remember now, | believe
he is more fOOtsOre than hungry. And
claim the distinction Of having made
the trip twice
A quiZzical smile lighted up Bar
nettS face, as he puffed great clouds
of smoke toward the ceiling and re-
called the incident
Bob Allen was detailed to get next
TO BOggs," he continued He called
on him casually the next day to borrow
red ink pen and started up a cOnver-
satiOn, during the course of which he
learned four things namely, that he
freshman from Arizona was lonely
that he had never been snipe hunting,
that he felt sure he would enjoy the
spirit and that he could join the bunch
that night.
Bob told him he was not sure
whether there was room for him in
the wagon, but he would see and let
him know. Bob hurried to the gang
and bubbled over as he told how easy
Il mark was BOggs. Why, he told me
he didn't have a red ink pen, and
would a black one do?
Doc Slater didn't say much, but
set about making arrangements. He
hired a spring wagon from a stable
and at 9 O'Clock we started. Doc did
the driving, and as he made no signs
Of slowing up at the little patch of
timber land three miles from the
town where we usually did our hunting
some one suggested that he tie up. |
know better place about two miles
farther,' said Doc.
Doc had blood in his eye as he
tied up to the fence and led the way
into Il patch of thick underbrush A
big fire was built, and then, after the
unique manner of hunting snipes in
Nebraska was fully explained to BOggs
there was some skillful parrying as
to who should stay and keep the fire.
Each did the Alphonse and Castor act
until finally Doc said, with an air of
the captain of the party, that since
Mr.. BOggS was our guest he should
have the position of honor
AS we scurried out into the brush
to scare up the snipes, mere was an
audible smoker as some one turrcd
and saw the long, lanky freshman III
nOcnntly standing there by the fire,
holding a large guEny sack waiting
for the snipes TO drop AT
his faet. We kicked about for a
while yelling and whistling, so that
he freshman could see that we were
loing our part until finally we rounded
Up 1T the place where We had left he
horse and wagon.
1t was gone, We hunted all around
accusing one and another of hiding it
rom the party, but each one SwOre he
knew nothing about it. Mechanically
We started down the road toward home.
trusting to luck that the horse had
only been driven a half mile away
)y some others sOphs who had follow
ed us.
Nothing doing We walked the
whole six miles home. and about tha
only enjoyment We got out of the trip
was in talking about the Arizona
freshman's surprise and chargin when
he found the wagon gone, and i'll de-
batting how long he would keep up the
fire
I1C 81 udlIIllSu Sllldl II Il u ,
him good said Bob Allen. who vas
along the dusty road, YEARLY
lragging one foot after the other Boo
never Went out for football because
ne was too fat.
THAT'S dead right said another
fellow, painting. L never saw a more
Drecocious freshman in my life. This
nights work will be a great benefit
TO the university
so. unconsciously our own misfor-
tune was saddled onto the freshman
We were up to our necks in trouble
md not knowing whom TO be sore at
We attributed the whole bunch 10
Boggs, who at that moment was wip-
ing the smoke out of his eyes, or tear
ing his hands on briars trying tt
get more wood for the fire.
1T was long after midnight when
We reached the dorm and We imme-
1iately tried to learn who had played
the joke on us. All the fellows Swore