The Washington herald., 1906-12-23

and Winter streets to the Park street
| subway and take a car for Harvard
square. On the way out 20 Cambridge
ne would use his greatest wiles as a
salesman TO dispose of the poor pickle
Tor SO At Harvard square Teddy. jr.
was TO leave the car, and. still bearing
the pickle to board the various cars
and salute with osculatory fervor the
features Of the fair women who look out
smilingly from the advertisements.
only part Of the programme as de-
tailed above actually took place. but the
anticipation OF IL in its entirety kept the
dauntless neophyte in a ferment Of worry.
The initiation committee, however had a
iine list of stunts" as yet untouched, and
they. proceeded TO extract a few. The
well-known test for control in time of
danger-the cheerful stunt of lashing the
neophyte, biindfolded to a railroad track
running parallel with main line and
leaving him there while an express thun-
dered past was not tried; nor was Teddy
sent to the home of some beautiful debu-
tante with Instructions TO pour an impas-
stoned proposal into her ear on Bonded
knee. with the inevitable exit on the toe
Of the buffers shoe. But Teddy was
treated 10 a sumptuous repast of worm
wood and gall, ice cream taking the place
of NORWOOD and catsup and mustard and
honey in equal parts the place of gall.
Initiation Lasted Three Days.
The initiation. which lasted three DAYS
put Teddy through the crisis Of his young
life. Every morning. no matter what the
other numbers Of the particular DAYS
programme, he was required TO call at the
committee mems various rooms before
breakfast with papers and cigarettes. He
was made 10 run on schedule time like a
great transcontinental, and the schedule
was so fixed that he had 20 go some. He
would then take orders from the MEM
bers. such as carrying several hods of
coal and copying notes. and at morning
chapel each day he was required to take
notes Of the sermon so that he could in
strUct those members who found il ilnpos-
sible to attend, but who could not think
Of missing the points of the discourse.
The public humiliation portion Of
Teddy's initiation was worthy one.
with stunts so stiff that they were
growing compliment TO the distinguished
neopEyte as indicative Of the stuff Of
which his tormentors considered him
made.
As diversions from the regular line Of /
initiation stunts Teddy was made to skip |
rope as lightly as girl on the slippery /
sidewalk on Mount Auburn street. and that 1
day he attended lectures with a leather 4
belt around his coat. At intervals during 1
the day he was taken into the clubhouse, /
where private stunts were laid out for /
him. II the private portions of the initia- /
ton Of young Roosevelt may be fairly /
Judged of by the portions that were semi 4
public, he must have had the time of his 1
lie.
Carrying papers, singing ridiculous /
songs, running the gauntlet, eating ice /
'ream and vinegar, making bows 10
passing women, carrying cigarettes.
standing in the square and announcing
% all who came that ne was Theodore
Roosevelt jr., son Of the President of the
United States. balancing pickles and
Walking about blindfOlded-these and
many more were melted out to Teddy. II.
he bore them without murmur 10 the
admiration of his fellows on the last
hight of his initiation. after a trying
'rdeal, he was taken into the arms OF
Mother Dickey and welcomed as a Jolly
rood Dickey bird. He had shown the real
Goods. and when pressed for details OF
us stunts by outside" friends he merely
miled relieveGly and answered: Its all
'ver now But Teddy has grown his
Gathers and is full-hedged Dickey bird.
With all powers to hand it TO the next
lunch OF fortunate neophytes.