Monmouth College - Ravelings Yearbook (Monmouth, IL)

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Glass of 1886. You ask foi ' a reminiscence. Well, of all the pleasant or ludicrous thing-s it is bard to select one. How- ever, as the bald-headed men usually get it, let us take a fat man. Diiring the years of SS- ' S.? there wei-e a number of boys in Colleg ' e over whom I had little control in the way of reformation: consequently some thing ' s occurred that older people would brand as ••mischief. This jolly lot of boys had no recitation during the third hour of each day, and thus were much tog ' ether. To quiet and amuse them I often had them go into Dr. McMichael ' s recitation room, which was unused at that hour. Still, the boys would have their joke, so that fun and boyish enjoyment held high carnival. On a certain day, late in the winter term, one of the boys found a large tack, whitened with age, of the carpet family. Placing the tack, head downward, on the Doctor ' s chair, this thoughtful boy soliloquized: My, wouldn ' t it raise him! Being- somewhat absent-minded and hav- ing his attention called to something else lie neglected to remove the tack. Soon the shaking of the building indicated that the Doctor was coming. In the rush for the back seats the Professors presence was scarcely noticed. Wreathed in smiles he called the class to order, and with a coat flap in either hand sat down. The expression of face we will not attempt to describe. Surprise and chagrin on his face — just plain grins on the faces of the boys. Some one has said that large bodies move slowly and with little noise. This certainly was an e.xception. This rear at-taek was too much for the patience of even a good-natured College President. He arose quickly, though his actions could scai ' cely be called g-raoeful. The sequel was a Faculty meeting, at which it was decided that each of these boys should report to some recitation room for roll-call during ' that vacant hour. I had a very pleasant time in the Greek room, where I wasn ' t afraid of being called on to recite. J. M. AcriESON.

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Glas3 of 1872. IN the hurry of our Commencement, my thoug ' hts go back to deaf okl Monmouth, long enoiTgh to gather up two reminiscences. We had a bright 3 ' oung fellow who was somewhat successful in declamation, and who was so universal a favorite that many College places came to him. He was somewhat dressy, and withal a little ambitious, and a little lazy. Contest elections were coming on. and one day he said confidentially to his friend,. I tell you what, .Tones, I would like to be debater from our society. Now, j ' ou know I have a good voice, and g ' ood g-estures, and my new coat fits me, and all I lack is the ideas. You could furnish them! He was not elected, perhaps on account of that fact. I have seen a good many people of the same sort since that time, but up to that date he was the g-reat original. A class in the seventies had a member who has since been heard by g-reat multitudes of people with de- light. He talks with the fluency of a full banked stream and sometimes storms like a tornado. But he had to learn how. He went at it from the beg-inning. One Friday afternoon he went out to the woods near which Dr. Wallace then lived, and dived into the depths to find a quiet spot for the cultivation of his speech to be delivered that evening. It so chanced that the Colleg ' e poet had goae to the same place to court his muse and was quietly aiid ro- mantically csconced behind a log when he heard in startling ' tones: ' ■ Jlr. president, ladies and g-cntlemeu: I am sorry to say that I am suddenly and unexi ectedly called upon to speak on this subject, and am not very well prepared this evening. Whispering to his muse to keep still, the paet peeked out from his lair and saw the tall orator holding his manuscript on which the extempore speech was carefully wi ' itten. Thus early he was leaim- ing the tricks of his trade. But the poet could not keep his delicious secret and as soon as the offhand debate was in shape, he sneaked out and had the story all over CoUeg-e by the time his victim arose that evening, sud- denly and unexpectedly and not very well prepared. and who was doubtless somewhat amazed at the volume of applause which greeted his opening period. J.vjiES A. Grier, Allegheny, Pa.

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Gla?2 o! 1889. YES, we were badly frightened that time. You see, it was one Hallowe ' en nig ' ht, and some of us, as guests of Mattie Reid and Mary 15. SIcMillan, were having funny times over the games and charms peculiar to that evening, when we were attracted } y strange noises outside. Looking out, we saw a curiously attired group, who looked very fantastic in their masks, and who, after serenading us, marched in solemn file toward Prof. Graham ' s. We thought we recognized the voices as belonging to Mrs. Hunter ' s Club, and it occurred to us to secrete ourselves under the hig-h bridge and scare them good on their return. This we did, putting ourselves in as small space as possible. The night was dark. We waited such a long time. It seemed a long time to keep so still. Finally we heard the measured ti-ead of feet. We waited till they were directly over us, and then some piercing- feminine shrieks of various keys and sizes rent the air. The effect was instantaneous. Not a sound above, nor a move. The suspense became intolerable. All at cnce Lucy ' s shawl was slowly dragged up, and then Rose had her hair pulled. A brief, whispered consultation — a sudden dash up the campus, our pursuers at our heels — a sharp bring- ing-up at Mr. Wallace ' s, where we held another council of war with Bess, after frightening her out of a year ' s growth, — and then how we scurried back to the friendly shelter of Prof. R. s, with those dark figures following at what hardly seemed a respectful distanc el Next day, in the halls we were relating the thrilling tale to one of the boys. A strange light stole over his face, and there was the glimmer of a faint smile. The truth flashed on us I It was only those horrid boys ! Bessie V. Reynolds,