The Republican journal., 1906-01-18
A FRESHMAN AT U. OF N.
XXVII.

!
pale and shaky, perhaps, but otherwis
las good as new" you made your wa
quickly over to the field again, s.
anxious as to what had been going OF
in your absence that you were almos
afraid to ask. Asking was not neces
sary, however, for as soon as you cam
within sight of the center of action, thu
evident result of events was all to-
plain; for on the baseball diamond, in
side the track, thirty or forty Bowdoir
men, with joy radiating from ever!
feature, were revolving madly in
circle, holding hands, in Ring around
a-rosy" style. To any one who did moi
understand the spirit of the thing the
sight was a ridiculous one; but to the
spectators-it either voiced their Joy OF
emphasized their grief.
The events were not all over, for 1t
in the field the weights were still being
hurled into the air, to land with a thud
which spattered the soft, muddy earth
in a way which BODIED i'll for the
measurer who was at all hasty. In
front of the grandstand, where the
shivering spectators were trying their
best not to lose their interest. the
pole vaulters were having long and
wearysome contest for third place, and
the Maine men, with that never say
die" spirit which in the past had led
many a team upholding the blue on to
victory, were cheering with all the
yigor with which they had hopefully
started in. 1t was bitter disappolnt-
ment, but disappointments are bound
to come, in athletics as in everything
else, and the belief of every Maine
supporter that every man on the team
was there because he was the best man
for the place; that every team men,
Der was a student in good and regular
standing, and that every man who had
been chosen to represent Maine had
done his level best for her, did much
toward offering consolation. When
everything was over, and Bates had
carried off the last point in the pole
vault, and the managers had begun,
with an eye to business, to clear away
all the equipment, and the grandstand
slowly emptied itself, you and Jack,
slipping down off the bleachers, fol-
lowed the crowd Of students which
halted, reconoitering, in front of Oak
Hall.
1t is. be it known to the uninitlated,
strictly against college ethics for the
supporters of winning team to march
across or have any kind of a trlumphal
celebration on the campus of the de-
feated college; but it looked for few
minutes as if the victors, unmlndtul OF
this unwritten rule, were forming for Il
procession. The ranks Immediately dis
solved into groups, however, as the
solid wall of opponents stretching across
the pathway was observed, and rush
was made for the fast approaching car,
which was crowded to its utmost capac-
ity almost before it stopped. The spec
ials had gone their way, bound for Ban
gor, some time before, leaving behind
number of people who were not quick
enough, or lucky enough, or nervy
enough to attach themselves to it
somehow. There was no celebration
that evening ''on the campus OF old
Maine" but there were many resoln-
lions made as to what would happen
next year when the time should come
for the meet.
Approaching exams-for already the
thought of those spring finals were
darkening the horizon of many care
free youth-and the baseball prospect,
which interested every normal boy,
were he inclined to be stndious or 9TH
erwise. now took the place of the track
and the weary trackmen gave up their
suits and banished all thoughts OF runs,
Jumps, vaults, weights, ETC., until the
call for candidates for the team next
spring should bring them to mind with
renewed interest.
Some few of the trackmen-ahd Jack
was among the number-bent their EN-
ergies, after tantalizing day or 80 of
freedom from training rules to baseball.
You had been working conscientious
". ever since baseball work had begun,
in the cage, and though, of course, you
would not have admitted it for worlds,
it seemed almost as if you would dare
hope for at least subs place on the
team. Every afternoon saw the squad
at work, almost Invariably encouraged
by a group of interested onlookers,
which. though its size varied, seemed
lost In the wilderness of the empty
fraNdstand and bleachers. 1t was uni
4ersally admitted that it was unfortu-
nate that Jack was at his best at first,
as that position was unquestionably
filled by an experien ,ed man, but he
was being "tried out" in different posi-
tions, and those who followed the can
didates from the spectators bench pre-
dicted that his superior ability with the
stick and his general excellence would
surely land him somewhere, You saw