Princeton University - Nassau Herald Yearbook (Princeton, NJ)

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Hz'St01gf qf the Class gf '96, II opposition, while William Strong McGuire polled a heavy Lawrenceville vote and was declared secretary-treasurer. Then an athletic committee, devised for nobody knew what, not even themselves, was chosen after a desperate contest. They were: On football, Barnett and Parsons, on baseball, Anderson, on track athletics, Alford. This last important business over, the Junior president in- formed us that '95 would tender us a reception outside 5 we must keep together and not try to avoid the kind offices of the recep- tion committee, but charge Sffdlghl ahead Our newly-made president put himself at our front and with the rest just chucked in anyhow, we burst forth from the Old Chapel and pell-mell into the Waiting Sophomores. It was lively work for a couple of minutes, and I can see the astonished Sophomores yet as they reeled before our thronging hosts. We burst their ranks asunder and marching down in front of Dickinson gave a lusty cheer for our own prowess. We then separated to repair the ravages of war, and to wonder if ,QS would dare to dally with us. Well, they did. O, yes, they did! That very night the fun began. T About eight P.M., Sally Bostwick and Monk Godfrey were seized while buying some fruit at Zazzali's, and led quietly but firmly out Vandeventer Street. There they were relieved of their purchase,with remarks of ff how appropriate, and made to kneel down together. Then one of the Sophs produced a small can of green paint and-but why describe so painftjful a scene? When the two horror-stricken Freshmen were released, Bos's face resembled the campus on a spring day, while Godfrey be- came known as the Princeton Zebra. Fred Mudge has always lived here in Princeton and been mixed up in college affairs, nevertheless, when three men called at his house that evening, representing themselves as collectors for the Philaclelphian, Fred, being a minister's son, took the careworn bluff in good faith, Indeed, he invited them right up to his room and begged them

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IO Hzkiarjy of Zke Class Q' '96, gave chase with loud shouts and a pair of mastiffs. Brownie and Fred being hard pressed down Mercer, dodged into Mar- quand's, thus throwing their human enemies off the track, but not so with their four-footed pursuers. These ferocious beasts ran them up through the Rookery, and there Brownie, who owns a clean pair of heels, escaped altogether. Fred Howell, however, must have fallen by the wayside, for he did not show up at Vanderbilt's until nearly three A.M., and then his clothes would have been a disgrace to Fred Parker, and his face was torn and wan. I tell you what, fellows, he said, with that peculiar waving motion of his hands, I don't mind dog, nor I don't mind barbed wire, but barbed wire ami dog is too much. The next day, which was Thursday, we all attended recita- tions and were there notified of a 'meeting of our class to be held at twelve o'clock in the old chapel. We were also again warned, by Sammy Winans, I think it was, not to participate in any row either then or subsequently. ,We began to think this must be a very warlike sort of college if even the Freshmen had to be begged not to iight. We felt proud of ourselves and, of course, went to the class-meeting en masse. The object of the meeting was disclosed by prominent upper-classmen and we were told just what was right and what was wrong for Freshmen to do. We had small regard for the prohibitive clause-s at the time, but they were impressed upon us forcibly at a later date. When nominations for class-presi- dent were called for, no less than seven, all honorable men, were named, but as the stalwart form and handsome features of Langdon Lea ascended the platform we knew there was no need to seek' further. For, you know, a Freshman president rnust be a fighting man, not ex-Wjcio but gbso facfof besides, Freshmen always like a good-looker to represent them in order that the upper-classmen may perceive what a fine lot they are. Hence Biff was elected temporary president without much

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I2 Hisfafy Q' like Class Qf '96. to make themselves at home. They required no urging, but it wasn't money for the college Y. M. C. A. that they were after- what they wanted was a real live Freshman. Mudge did all kinds of stunts that night Qby requestj, and when assistance came he was discovered balanced on his stomach along the top of the door, swimming for dear life. Friday, the third day of our college experience, dawned not bright and clear, but all in a death-dumb, autumn-dripping gloom, in plain words, rainy, as Princeton days are very apt to be. The day passed uneventfully for us, except for such trilies as being shoved off the sidewalk at every opportunity, removing our caps whenever the imperative two fingers were raised, and undergoing brief but animated colloquies with bands of Sopho- mores gathered about the entrances of Dickinson. As evening drew on, the suppressed tone of excitement among us showed that something was afoot, and, indeed, the word had been passed that the rush was to take place that night. . About eight o'clock we assembled on University Place in front of Goldie's and marched up to Nassau Street, gathering our men as we went. Down Nassau Street to 'Washington we marched, and up Washington to the east entrance of the campus. We were by this time a formidable body, in column of fours and packed solidly rank on rank. Keep together, boys, keep close together, was the cry as we tramped up between East College and the Old Chapel. At this moment the dark masses of '9 5 were seen advancing toward us and with an exultant yell at seeing our hated foes delivered into our hands, we rushed them with thunderous speed. They were not backward and fell upon us with spirit. ' F We met them good and large, The Sophomores at the double and the Freshmen at the charge. The two columns collided with an awful shock, the iirst three