THE HESPERIAN
. The professor who was to talk to us was Professor Hyslop,
and his subject, Psychical Research.
The typical Columbia professor comes up to the University,
delivers his lecture or two, and goes away again. What he
does in the meantime, nobody knows. It is supposed however,
that he does a vast amount of research. And a priori, one
would say that ho eats three good square meals a day, and
sleeps ten hours. Not so Professor Hyslop. Nature has be
stowed upon him flesh barely sufficient to keep his soul from
soaring away into space. His clothes look as if not a square
inch of them ever had a moment's peace. His black tie climbs
to the top of his collar, and perches on the edge with nervous
persoverance. A little black beard grows from his meagre
chin. His hair, stiff and dry, recedes from his restloss brow.
His eyes are dim with study, but .bright with enthusiasm.
Though his voice is thin and husky, his rhythm horsh, his sen
tences at times disjointed, one can listen Lo him hour after
hour, for the content of his speech is so very much worth
while. 1 think I have never yet heard a talk so interesting as
the one he gave last night.
No problem so fascinating as that of immorality. No mat-
fourth. Mr. Talbot was given first place by all three
on delivery but was marked low on manuscript. The crowd
which attended the contest was not a large one and was com
posed mainly of the adherents of the four contestants. Bellevue
had the largest delegation and occupied the entire right of the
auditorium. There were eighteen or twenty in the delegation
from the U. of N., while Doane and Grand Island each had a
few delegates.
Mr. Talbot's delivery has improved much since the local
contest. He speaks with much ease and carries a sense of
conviction with his words. Mr. Kirby of Grand Island, had
an excellent oration but his delivery was not first class. He
had a ministerial style that was not pleasant. His subject
was "The Anglo Saxon, the Highest Type of Civilization.''
Mr. Shollcross of Bellevue, spoke on "The Mission of War."
lie spoke vigorously and deserved a good mark on delivery.
Mr. Lindberg of Doane was unfortunate in that he forgot at
one place. 11 is oration was entitled "Unrest, a Sign of
Progress."
The party from the University of Nebraska which attended
inrlrrnc?""" 7
Him eonfosf un fntntinnnrl nf M iouoa Wllarm I"iarvif Willinmo
ter what one bcliovos, he cannot but hail with joy anything nilou ,, , ,, , , '. . ,. J '
- - ' vmio, i'miti, uim .i.njiiij uuw iiiuaaia. jJUimuiUl, oiuuvur,
Talbot, Maguire, W. H. Warner, E. I Warner, Roper,
,.,l:,.l. 11. i:i. ..;.! e c ,1 . ,. .1
wiuuii iuukb juvu a auieiiunc prooi or me persistence or tne in
dividual consciousness nfte,- death. Professor Hyslop looks
dispassionate and unimagirative. He approached the subject
with the determination no' to believe anything unless forced by
the facts to do so. Therefore nothing could be more interesting
than the narrative of the facts that have forced him to the con
clusion that of the two possible hypotheses, the existence of
discarnate spirits, or the existence of a faculty whereby one
person may read not only the thoughts that are in another's
mind, but also the thoughts that he has wholly forgotten, the
former is far the more rational.
Naturally, there was something almost uncanny in even
Professor Hyslop's calm discussion. Late in the evening
when the professor told of the alleged coterie of spirits,
"Phinuit," "Imperator," "Rector" that are trying to bring
the unseen into communication with the seen through the
Barr, Miller, Waterman, and Edgerton. The party spent the
day visiting Bellevue college, which is about eight miles from
Omaha. They were treated royally by Dr. Kerr and the en
tire corps of faculty and students. The business meeting of
the association was held at two o'clock and, as usual, was very
lively, at times.
Doane presented an amendment to the con- '
nut as contestants, members of law, medical
stitution shutting out
and technical schools. The University delegation fought this
amendment but all three of the other colleges were combined
in favor of it and it was finally forced through.
PetitiQiis from Cotner and Creighton were presented asking
for membership in the league and the convention was unani
mous in favor of their admittance.
The delegates and friends held a banquet in Omaha at 6
o'clock. G. A. Benedict acted as toastmaster and did the
medium of Mrs. Piper; of how Imperator mav be communi
cating through Mrs. Piper's hand while Phiuuit is talking honors in nn elo(l"ent ""inner. The following toasts were re
through her lips; how Imperator may become annoyed at the 8P"dod to: "13ellevuc,Our Host," F. E. Edgerton, U. of N.;
talking of the other spirit, and may point with Mrs. Piper's Response, Willis H. Kerr, Bellevue; "Nebraska in the Inter
limp hand at her unconscious head and then write down 8tJlto'" J' T' BttckB. Bellevue; "The Winner," Ralph W.
a remark of bitter irony as the professor's long finger pointed Amloi,80n- Donne; "The Co-ed," Arthur G. Abbott, Grand
in illustration at his gaunt temple you almost-felt that a spirit Islun(1'' "Tho Ool,(itr(i Lad," My W. Nickoll, Bellevue. r
out of tho smoke might at any moment twitch your oar, and
whisper in it a chilling message from tho unknown. The excitement which has provailled in tho Senior Law class
A. S. Johnson. or tue 'a8t fw weeks reached its climax in tho class oloction
' Tuesday afternoon. The two factions, "barbs" and "frats,"
met and the result was a sweeping victory for tho "barbs"
R. M. Thomson was pushed by tho "frats" for the preside'
but was defeated by the "barb" candidate, Hon. 0. W. Beal,
on a vote of 27 to 26. The full "barb" ticket was elected
which is as follows: president, Hon. C. W. Beal; vice-president,
,R. W. Moyer; secretary, II. Haldorson. The fight was led by
Moore, Bates and Rickets in behalf of tho fraternities; tho op
position by Hager, Perry, and Maguire.
State Oratorical Contest.
Talbot wins, with Kirby a close second. t
The state oratorical contest was held in tho Y. M. 0. A.
auditorium last Friday night. Mr. Talbot of thoU. of N. was
given first place, Mr. Kirby of Grand. Island, second, Mr.
Shollcross of Bellevue, third and Mr. Lindberg of Doane,
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