Davidson College - Quips and Cranks Yearbook (Davidson, NC)

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Juniors now, the roll is called and twenty-eight respond. A little older, a great deal wiser, and dignity multiplied. Fewer in number but more resolute we cannot allow our banner to trail in the dust. In foot-ball we played for the class championship and won the cup. Our reputation was not lowered when another cup was added on Athletic Day. Junior speaking — that quaking nightmare of a thousand dreams came, passed, and is almost forgotten. It is strange how like a dream some terrors become when they have passed away. Another Commencement, a darkened page, we mourn, and, — home once more. No more we dream for life is a fact and we «r living. We muster twenty-three. Our number is no longer so large and we think of those who have left us. Those two of the gentler nature. Those two who, though they can- not be of us, are nevertheless always with us in sympathy, whose interest in us is more than we deserve. Some of our boys have gone to other colleges, some have faced the duties of actual life, — and two have married. To all we wish success. More resolute than ever we take the duties of college life. Ours has not been an epoch-making class. Its life has been peaceful with no besetting storms. Noth- ing has been done, but in all that we find to do, we try to do our best. Across the field of view there flashes a glimpse of the future. In many homes, under sundry climes, we see the toilers working. A face whose lines are familiar meets us. It bears the stamp of our own grand motto — Vincet Qui Patitur. We hasten to clasp a class- mate ' s hand, and in that hearty grasp is renewed all that is good and grand in college life — the friendship of man with man. We love to linger over such a theme ; but the history of ' 99 is yet to be written, for surely such men were not born to die and be forgotten. 21

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eleven, we commenced our struggle with the Sophs. For a while the conflict was fierce. Force had met force. The little bush in the center of the campus is dear to man}- a boy, and the cry of ' 99 to the bush has been enough to inspire new courage in many a fainting heart. It was there that our unity was forever established. The storms of life may do fierce work, but the shape and situation of that lit- tle bush will ever fondly linger. The Sophomore year is eminently a time when Greek must meet Greek or post graduate work will have to be done. ' 99 had never failed before, it did not falter now. Starting in Freshman year with fifty-four even, we now numbered forty-two. Not all of these were old men, but soon the new members of the class felt the hand of com- mon sympathy encircle them and their lives come to run in the common channels. As rising Sophs., we had hoped to be able to teach the Fresh the ways of college life; but when the Faculty decided that Freshmen were worthy of protection and had made us sign the pledges not to haze, it is to the honor of ' 99 that her pledges were not broken. It was hard for cherished plans to be nipped in the bud, but when nipped we bowed our acquiescence. Every now and then we would show a spark of Sopho- moric life, and one dark night, with darker faces, we woke the echoes with a horrid din. Tin horns are not musical at best, much less so when purposely they have been put out of tune. AVe were reposing in our downy couches long before the rest of the college had finished their impre- cations. In athletics this year we were not very success- ful. On the diamond we bowed to 1900, on the gridiron we stood third. But these shadows are brightened by a flash of light. It is the memory of our first class banquet. Class ties grew strong that Februar} ' night, and bonds which defy the burnished steel, were then entwined around us. At commencement we parted and with some forever. 30

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In church and State, In all that ' s great, We see them, each one working; No one can mar, So fair a star, By the waj ' s of evil lurking. A SEA VOYAGE. On Saturday, July 2nd, 1898, the Steamship Lucania, ' bound for Europe, left Xew York at two o ' clock. She is the largest of the Cunard Line and in fact one of the lar- gest ships afloat, being 625 feet long and carrying 8,000 tons. In crossing the ocean speed is secondary to safety and comfort; and this is especially true of all the ships of the Cunard Line. This line has been in operation for forty years and has never lost a passenger. And this is something that no other line can boast of. The Lucania is a floating palace. The great size of the ship adds to the comfort of the passage. She is more steady, she does not pitch and roll in the least swell, like the lighter boats that we saw tossing around us, while she was moving majestically through the waves. The saloon, instead of being at the stern, according to the old style, is placed more amidship, and covers the whole width of the ship, w hich gives light on both sides. There are four bath- rooms, with marble baths, supplied with salt water, so that one may have the luxury of sea-bathing without going to Manhattan or Coney Island. In crossing the Gulf Stream the water is warm enough; but if elsewhere it is too chilly the turn of a cock lets steam into the bath, which quickly raises it to any degree of temperature. The ventilation is excellent, so that even when the port-holes are shut on account of the high sea, the air never becomes impure. The state-rooms are furnished with electric bells, a touch of which brings a steward in an instant. Thus provided for