The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-07-27
The Freshman Initiation

kuiu:S udu UCCu iull dilu oIuiiS
since school had opened, but now it
had come to a staldstill. 1t had
ept up nasty drizzling rain for a
week, and although the sun had
come out a little while that day it
was too wet to do any outdoor
sports. In fact the girls We're rath-
er cross by having to be kept in
doors for so long.
I'VE can't do a thing but sit
around this old fire and study,
grumbled one of the girls. I'VE
haven't had anything to do for so
long that l wish something real ex
citing would happen"
by the way" spoke up Jane
CoErtland, I'VE haven't given the
Freshies their initiation yet. |
think it would be great to have it
real soon"
At this the girls were Immediate
ly interested.
They had forgotten all about the
Freshman initiation into their club.
lnuitiatiCn was strictly forbidden,
but if the Seniors could think of
something for the Freshman to do
they usually managed to have them
TO it: The club became suddenly
very lively-everyone giving her
suggestions. The evening soon
passed and as the girls left for
their room they all had a mystic
rious expression on their faces.
The following evening about ten
o'clock three of the birls stole
quietly out of the Senior Dorm.
Jane CORTLAND leading She car
siedp a lantern besides a blanket,
q candle and some matches. At an
appointed place they met Fresh
man girl, Jane Dale. Dorothy quiet
ly, mysteriously blindfol1ed Jane
and the other two girls started to
lead her on. They went on for
about ten minutes, none having
spoken a word when Dorothy f.
nally said, ri expect We had bet
ter take the handkerchief off as it
is pretty hard walking here and she
had better see where she is STEP
ping"
lane found herself in front of an
old house which sat back quite
distance from the road in a pine
grove. The walk to the house was
so broken and overgrOWn with
weeds that it was indeed hard walk
ing. They finally came to the
house, and it certainly was spooky
looking, the moon shining on the
white or once-white walls. The
girls went up the rickety porch and
opened the front door, which
creaked dismally Silently leading
Jane into one of the rooms, Doro-
thy laid the blanket down, lighted
the candle and left her alone.
Jane became terrified. she could
hear the girls going away and here
she was in this horrid old house
alone She could hear the rats and
mice scampering through the walls
which sounded quite spooky.
Strangely enough this fear soon left
her and she began to get used to
the strange noises. Unknown to
the girls, Jane Dale was considered
the bravest and most daring girl
at her home, as she had done
things there that her friends shud-
dered to hear.
Finding some wood and paper,
Jane Immediately made fire in a
small fireplace at one end Of the
room. While waiting for the fire
to start she began to look about
her. There were some old store
boxes piled in one corner of the
room and an old table made out of
two barrels with boards over the
top was in the center. There we're
some soap boxes which must have
been used as chairs. On the table
was a bottle with a half-burned
candle in it. The fire had now
started up fine, making gruesome
shadows on the walls. In a little
while, Jane not having anything to
read or to do, became sleepy, SO,
curling up in the blanket she lay
down in front of the fire.
Suddenly she awakened and
found the room in total darkness.
She was wondering what had wax
ened her so suddenly, when she
heard some one coming up the