The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1906-09-05

must remember Johu, tho OA"N6N
man.
When they used to hold the cham
pionship football games at Springfield
there was always John with the red
fringe around his head, pranked out
in good old crimson, riotously leading
the student crowd out to the battle
field. The girls in red-and many OF
the girls In blue-had smiles for MIN.
, The coaches listened to his sage ad-
vice.
The football captains took him into
their secret councils. To him the crew
manager applied for green apples
when 1t became necessary to reduce
the weight of the cockswain. 1t was
old John who led the cheering-even
when he could hardly stand on his feet
for enthusiasm; who, later, led the col
lege band, waving a ribbon bedecked
cane for a baton to the measured
rhythm Of Fair Harvard"
But now Fair Harvard" knows him
no more. The subfreshmen who have
! looked forward so proudly to meeting
him are doomed to disappointment.
| The sophomores and juniors who once
knew him will discover what a big
place the little old Irishman held in
their affections. His CHEEKY Good
evening friend" and Good night,
friend" will be heard no more about
the campus rooms at night-nor his
well known shuttle in the hallway.
1--WE knew him." said f. Herman
Gade, Gin gray days and gold. When
Harvard lost, old John was as discon-
ISOLATE as the manager Of the team
could be. The riotous days would have
been nothing without old John, in his
red coat and crimson banded silk hat,
reeling at the head of the student
crowd while they carried the victorious
| football captain on their shoulders.
1--WE took him everywhere, and
everywhere he was a mascot. Only
once did he make a mistake. 1t was
| at New Haven, and the old man evil
| IDENTIFY got twisted or forgot that the
goals had been changed during the sec
| ond half. A Yale man grabbed the ball
out of a scrimmage and lodging our
| half back, hurdling the quarter back,
plunged eighty yards down the field
| for a touchdown.
1.-THE Yale stands rose with mighty
roar. Seat cushions, hats and canes
| flew into the air. On the Harvard
stands, however, all was silence and
depression. But there was old John,
thinking that Harvard had scored
waving his arms and belching forth
husky 'Rah! rahs"
at was almost more than we could
stand. why don't you cheer, boys?
he yelled, and we've were in tears.
Then, up in the corner, the crimson
band began to play Fair Harvard
One by one the students took it up, and
old John stood in front leading us on.
| When he learned his mistake later he
was inconsolable.
! "In his business life John was won
| der. He never kept books, nor did we,
| but he could remember accurately how
| much each fellow owed him-to cent.
'He would shuttle into your room
when you were grinding for exams.
| WIN SOOu SNSnluSs 4IICnN, hC
would leave some oranges or bananas
| or figs where you might want them. If
| you weren't there he would leave them
anyway. At the end of the month,
when the remittances came in, he
made his collections, and if he cheated
any one it was himself.
HE grew feeble few years ago and
his friends bought him a donkey and
cart. The cart had two big HIS on its
| sides, and in this equipage John would
ride down the yard as if he was the
president. He was like a pet child to
the student body"
In the recent New York production
of Brown of Harvard" John, the
orange man, against the advice Of his
friends, was persuaded to go on the
| stage The strain was too great for
| him, however, and he soon returned to
Cambridge.