Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1919-10-02
The Adventure of q Freshman.
Morgantown, w. Va,
Sentember 26. 1919,


Dear Dad believe you will be in
terested in the exciting experience that
happened to your youngest child since
last we met together. | will therefore
relate. They advertised thuse for
this evening in the commencement
hall, corresponding to our auditorium.
This was for the purpose OF getting
the students in line for the organized
cheering for the game tomorrow. The
veil leader in charge was Furoee,
frat brother of mine. But before we
yelled DR.. Trotter came in and said
that in view of the fact that the Meth
odist Episcopal Church was having
conference with six hundred extra
ministers in town, that he wished we
would postpone our class hgnt I'LL
the first of the week. So we freshmen
thought there would be nothing do
ing, and went to the Strand with
Hobart Roby to see "The Woman Thou
Gayest Me-" When the show was
about half over a bird with Fresh
men cap comes wildeyed down the
aisle and shouts that the Freshmen are
organizing to meet the Sophs, and II
there are any Freshmen in the audience
to get I'D and show their class spirit
and come out and help fight. So after
a few minutes delay UP jumped Roby
and I and we sally forth. When we
got to the door saw what suckers we
had been. There was a bunch OF
Sophs with paddles as big as crosstleS
waiting for us, and although | tried 10
duck back in the show didn't have as
much chance as the famous LII snow
ball that wandered far from home.
They got me. They got Roby, too. -,
They took US out in the street ana
tied us together by the wrists, and al
er a few more moves they marched US
down street. When we got to the inter-
section of the two main streets they
had rounded up another bunch, and
there we all were. The trouble was
that | believe that Doc Trotter was IN
cahoots with the SophS, because every
Freshman had listened to what he was
saving in the thuse and went home
without any trouble. But the Sophs
didn't listen, and so took us OIL our
guard.
Well, they had us there in the square,
and on the sidewalks were admirlng
onlookers waiting to see our fate:
was on the end of the line and they
surely did kid me. All at once jerk
ed nv wrist and one arm came loose
from the boy | was tied to. looked
guarding us, and he had joined the
gauntlet which was being formed for
gauntlet which was being formed for
us to run through. Every Soph had a
paddle and they were turning the
Freshies loose one by one and sending
them through. There | was, one arm
free, and found that the other one
was not tied tight, so got out OF my
bands after little effort, Houdini-like
You can bet "sold-out" up Main
street, heading for the Phi Psi house.
A Soph took out after me and ran him
ragged and ducked up the first alley
towards the house. Half way through
the alley | looked back and there ne
came right after me. kept on to the
next street and ran half block, but
there he was at my heels. BY this
time | had given out, so lay down on
the grass and told him to get me.
But when he came TO me he was an
other Freshman! He had been stand
lIlR III tllS at tIS amy
on Main street and hadn't been dis
covered. When he saw me coming
with the Soph behind me he trailed in
right after me. The Soph, thinking ne
had taken up the chase, turned back.
When we had gotten our breath we hur-
ried on to the house, and he hid in the
graveyard behind it, while | hid in the
stable. After about ten minutes wait
sneaked into the house and found him
there in a corner, nearly scared to
death. We both went up to the third
| floor and hid in the darkest front room
| in the house. II commanded view OF
the street, and after awhile the mob
came along and passed on. After all
had Quoted down again we went down
stairs and remained until some OF the
fellows came in. One of them brought
the news that the Sophs had taken
some Freshmen clear out to the Cheat
river-seven miles-and left them
there. They'll drag in for breakfast,
maybe.
But wasn't all that lot Of fun!