THE HESPERIAN
3
It is Btiid thnt it novor ruins on OhiBH Uny. About half tho students P00m in m.ivjlto
There have boon showers, but tlmt does not blocks or houses outside of the college
count, mul foggy days of dump drizzle, but grounds, and the college rooms arc assigned
that is another matter. No one will admit by lot to those who apply for thorn. But
that it can rain, though each one watches on this day every sonior must have a room
the sky anxiously. Think of the disaster of in the yard, and if ho docs not occupy
rain, with all those beautiful dresses ! ono himself, ho simply borrows one, by
Tho Gymnasium is crowded, for thoro is right of eminent domain, from any friend
held the groat spread of all tho noon spreads, among tho men of the lower classes,
and whoever is invited to that may count By four tho yard is crowded, and tho band
himself happy. In tho dark alcoves at tho is playing on tho stand just built in the
sides stand fir-trees, and behind them are centre. Such a crowd ! There are
ranged tho long tables, loaded with cold three hundred seniors, with an averago,
moats, salads, cakes, ices, and all good perhaps, of somo fifteen friends apiece, and
tilings to oat and to drink. Around them then there aro tho friends of all tho other
presses tho crowd, each trying to got somo
dainty, perhaps for himself, perhaps for tho
girl who sits waiting in a quiet corner under
the evergreens.
Tho center of tho wide floor is vacant, ox-
students.
Already tho pcoplo aro beginning to
crowd into the little ampitheatre, with seats'
arranged like those of a circus, between
Hollis and Stoughton. Every seat is sold,
cept for tho wandering crowd, and the band not for tho sake of exclusivencss, but bo
plays in tho gallery, whero tho runnors have cause tho space cannot accommodate more
been toiling through tho winter. Perhaps a than a certain number of people,
few dance, but it is not hour for dancing Then tho class yells begin, "Ninety-five
yet. It is tho time for food and for talk, this WAY I" or the long drawn 'Ninety -and
it is hot, too, as tho wilting of tho five," mingled with tho regular Harvard
broad shirt-bosoms shows only too woll. cheer, the deep, slow, steady, "Ra ra-ra:
This is but tho Droludo, the preparation, ra-ra-ra; ra-ra-ra; HARVARD !" Each
for the festivities that aro to follow. The
crowd grows larger every minute till about
twu o'clock, and thon it gradually diminishes,
as all drift apart to prepare for tho after
noon and evening.
In the yard meanwhile, all has been ac
tivity. Groups of men under tho direction
of old Jones tho Boll-ringor, are hanging
class gathers by itself, each trying to out
choer. each other. The Seniors como run
ning up last of last of all, in rough foot-ball
and gymnasium suits, in oid clothes, bare
headed, with ruffled hair, ready for trou
ble. First comes the march around the yard,
the formal leave-taking of all the buildings,
loner atrin nf Wrns between the trunks each now with so many associations. In
of tho great elms. Others aro busy filling front of each tho seniors halt, and give the
with double fences the spaces between tho college cheer, the name of the building tak
buildings that enclose the long rectangle of ing tho place of the "Harvard" at the end.
the yard, and between these fences they set They begin at Holworthy, the favorite dor
dark fir-trees, to shut out the gay sights from mitory, and then march on to Hoi is and
unprivileged eyes. Stoughton, to Harvard and to Massachusetts
In every room there is activity and anx- the old buildings with ancient brick and
ioty. Mothers and sisters and cousins from dense ivy as evidence of their age, for they
i , , , , .,. -vir- l.nvn noon the army of Washington drawn np
nli parts of tho world aro nssomblod, piop.u luno soon im. " , .
ing for tho spreads and receptions that aro on the green common behmd them, and the
to como later. Now is the triumph of the mnskets of tho continentals have been stacked
senior who rooms in tho college yard. i their hallways. Matthews' comes next,
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