THE HESPEKIAN
amendment to the constitution was secretly One thing I can never quite understand
proposed admitting the girls to membership, and that is why the country girl when
(I was about to say ladies but for the sake transplanted to the city adapts herself to her
of historic accuracy am compelled to con- new surroundings so much more easily than
tout myself with the )co3 ambitious torm.) I her brother. Hitherto he has been her
think it was at the last meeting of the fall guide and protector and she has been
term of that year that this amendment pleased to loan upon his strong arm, but
was adopted and a score of young ladies in this now life ho instinctively turns to her
elected members of the Adelphian. This for instruction. Thanks, however, to the
number now seems insignificent but when noble impulses and tender sympathies of
wo recall that the total enrollment of the young ladies of. the early societies, the
students of both sexes was only about metamorphosis was made as little painful
seventy-five at that time wo can understand and humiliating as possible. And some of
the importance of our victory. "When at us are still enjoying the civilizing influences
the beginning of the next term the Palla- so charitably begun in these literary
dians were aroused from their lethargy and societies many years ago.
attempted to retrieve their fortunes by In the fall of 1876, for the purpose of
adopting a like amendment, they captured forming a society composed exclusively of
but a few stragglers and campfollowers, the the college classes, the present Union
main army having already surrendered to us. society was formed, drawing most of its
Now that we had the girls, dear things, members from tho Adelphian but embrac-
what wore wo to do with them! We had ing also nearly all of tho eligible members
among our number just three young gentle- of tho Palladian. This now candidate for
men, dandies as wo spitefully called them, honors, without leave or licence appro-
that had boon somewhat licked into shape priatod to its own use the hajl, fixtures and
and having grown up in tho city had had furniture of tho old Adelphian, but cast
some of tho rough corners knocked off. its constitution and records into tho waste
They oven wore tailor made suits and basket. Some of us who, (whether wisely
actually seemed to have some other use for or not I have never quite settled) considered
their hands than twisting their coat frocks, a trip to tho Centennial at Philadelphia
should they chance to speak to one of our more valuable than tho half term at the
newly acquired members. How we envied, university, returned in the early part of
hated, execrated, these city favorites! As 1877 to find ourselves orphans. The
for the rest of us wo have at least one thing Adelphian had ceased to exist, nearly all of
to bo thankful for. there are but few of its members being eligible had become
j
our photographs cf that period extant, it I
wore gifted with descriptive powers I would
give you a pen picture of some who aro
now congressmen, judges, lawyers, doctors,
ministers, and other more or less useful
members of tho new Union. Tho Union
however failed to fulfil its promise of a
society composed exclusively of college
classes.
Could oil and water bo mixed 1 Could
members of societv, as they appeared fresh tho. former Palladians and Adolphians oyer
from tho all engrossing pursuits of the tarm.
Suffice it to say that our hemod-me-down
pantaloons strove in vain to reach the tops
of our cowhide shoes and wo wore "long"
'on nothing ro much as superfluous hands,
hitherto so useful, but now so embarrassing the attempt to establish a strictly college
and in the way. 30cioty-
fraternize! Not so. The Palladians with
ono or two exceptions soon returned to
their first love and tho constitution of the
Union was amended so as to admit sub
freshmen to membership. And thus failed
