THE IJ 13 S P E 11 r A N STUDENT
THE CItETE CONTEST.
Tlie Industrious Preparations of
Two Societies Come to
Nothing.
Tremendous Trains Hcuten ut Huso
Ilall-Iflurrlll Hull The Ilalmy
III lie Slow Supper,
Aiipreelative Audience Kurncftt KlVorts
Hcaiitirul Hornets Joyless
Judgment.
Tho visitors were allowed to rumble
over Domic College us they willed. The
museum was found to be bettor tliuti ours
in reptiles, shells mid curiosities, and in
tho I'uot that they were displayed under
glass and not packed away in drawers,
but the University has the better collec
tion of birds and minerals. The library
ins a fair collection of books but with
maiiv drv titles displayed. The recitation
ions productions have appeared in tho
dully papers; wo have space only to men.
tion each. Mr. Show, of Domic, in his
essuy on "The Ethics of Poetry," reveuled
u scholurly fumillarlty with the different
schools und singled out that of which
Mr. Wilde is a representative for a bitter
attack, claiming that the (esthetic faculty
must bo subordinate to the moral. His
opponent, Mr. Rich, chose Irom his favor-
If Friday the 12th of May wus chilly it
wus not stormy und with thankful hearts
fully one hundred und sevonty-llvo stu.
dents of Nebraska University and their
friends were taken down t) Crete in the
special curs provided by tho B. & M.R. R.
Yes, it was u merry, light-hearlod train
load with singing and joking and an
occasional stray pun. The Cadet Band
set all u roaring by coming on tho scene
in sober black suits, white ties and gloves
and the tallest of "stove-pipe" huts.
Drum major Chirk shone In u white top
per, Hitchcock wus out of sight in his,
Lichty wus just killing, und Dan Wheeler
might huve been taken for business man
of u mastodon minstrel tioupo.
Tickets had been issued by the hard
worked committee of arrangements
(which wo think should have u vote of
tliuiiks,) und these were punched by con
ductor Lichty as it ho had been on the
road for years. We mean to say that the
tickets were punched by him. "Now
why does ho put that hole in the tickets?"
asked an Innocent Union of her escort.
"Why," ho replied knowingly, "to lot us
go through, of course." Groans all
around. "Mary's Little Lamb" wus sung
about until all wore tired of her, but
other music seemed impossible. The locul
editor, who bus mudo tho crow of the
rooster his study for yours, piped his
clarion whenever there wus opportunity,
although warned not to crow too soon, otc.
Arrived til Crete we wore formed into a
procession, headed by tho Crete band and
ours. Thoso who wished stopped at the
Cosmipolltan, the majority went on to the
ball grounds, where the Rising Stars of
Lincoln played the Crete club. Our brave
little fellows were rush in challenging
such a lioavy nine, so much superior to
them in ago und muscle, us the score
showed, but thoy aid play well, exceed.
Ingly well. Palludiiins, Unions und Lin
colnitcs hud seats on one side of the din.
mond, Hesperians, Owls, und "Cretonnes"
(us our folks persisted in culling them,)
were ranged on tho other. Wo did not
huve mmiy opportunities to cheer but it
wus lusty when It cumo und our college
cry of "Neb-Neb-Neb ! " ring upon the
air. "If wo don't beat 'oni at bull, wo
may to-night at b-u-w-l," exclaimed an
ardent Palludimi.
rooms were many and well supplied with ito Held of history Napoleon, whom ho
characterized us the most colossal figure
of history; who became u despot for the
giory of Franco; who had nothing in
common with other men, and if they
suffered by reason of him, he suffered
more by reason of himself. Mr. Rich's
sentences were Macuuley like, strong utid
vigorous, but did not display the thought
of the first essay.
By far ihe best passage in Mr. Avery's
oration on "American Women" was the
graceful reference to Mrs. Garfield's forli.
tudo ul the death bed of tho President.
Also the passive heroism of the wife who
remains at home while her soldier hus
band goes to buttle wus well treated, but
there were too 11111113' commonplaces and
too much gesture. Miss Fairfield's sub
ject wus "The Women of Shakespeare,"
one she hud chosen for graduation, we
understand, and sacrificed for the contest.
Miss Fairfield cannot do better than to
repeat that upon Commencement day.
Passing from one phi' to another, she
commented upon the noble heroines and
witty women of Shaicespeare, making
admirable selections and arranging them
In clear and distinct groups. As u com
position this was refined and beautiful to
a degree seldom seen in schools; as an
oration it was most gracefully spoken,
and although protracted, received by tho
audience in earnest attention.
Thoro can be no comparison between
the recitations. Although Miss Andrews
had become perceptibly stronger since
her visit to Lincoln a year ago, she found
in Miss Parker a rivul who hud an innate
power of which she herself was probably
unconscious, for her lessons in declama
tion have been extremely few. Miss
Andrew's selection was the "Rhymes of
the Duchess May," much like tho "Jenuio
McNeil" which sho spoke last year, tiud
spoke with the same accuracy and ear
nestness, but it was not of a grade with
the selections from "Lady of the Lake,"
in tho choice of which Miss Parker
showed such admirable discrimination.
The song and tho death of the crazed
Blanche of Dovan were two pieces of
perfect acting, which must have required
tho severest study in .preparation.
' Tho debate was upon tho question that
the general government should own uud
operate tho railroads of the United States,
Mr. Edward Yates of tho Palladians upon
(ho affirmative, tho negative taken by Mr.
apparatus. The. view from the cupola
was superb and some climbed up there
and also out 011 that cunning little bal
cony under the bell. They weio happy,
laughing groups, free from study for one
day, seeking amusement and looking
eagerly for the night's entertainment.
It had been advertised that boats could
bo had for a ride on tho Blue. Two young
men and their ladies, determined to carry
out the lull to the fullest extent, made
desperate search lor the aforesaid crafts
and ul last succeeded in discovering a Hat
bottomed affair in which they had a
romantic voyage. The gentlemen took
turns ut rowing und bailing while the girls
rhapsodised on the placidity of the water
And sang nautical airs. Wo have since
learned that there were a number of boats
gathered at anothoi point and several took
advantage of them.
Supper was 11 struggle in which the
weaker, and the hungrier, hud longest to
wait. What one of that starving crowd
which stood clamorously outside the Cos
mopolitan dining room will over forget
those big brown doors through which not
even a glimpse of the laden tables could
bo had? Or who will forget how unan
imously bettor ho felt us ho walked out
after ho hud ut least been served, and as
ho emerged, how calmly lie bore the
taunts and threats of the poor wretches
who had had nothing yet V Some, not yet
satisfied, mudo raids on neighboring con-
feclionery stores, und one young gentle
hum of eminent respectability stole, out
and out, deliberately and with malice, a
bottle of strawberry pop. We regret to
add that the young ladies who aided and
abetted him in this pronounced it the host
8truwborry pop they hud over tasted. In
fact, tho Lincoln young ladles were quite
uncontrollable Six separate groups of
them marched up ul six different times
and demanded of a bashful young man
In 11 grocery store if ho had any gum.
Thoy knew perfectly well that ho hud not
a slick ot it. When the sixth squad
struck him ho fainted dead away.
Two hundred seats had been reserved
for tho Lincoln visitors in tho Crete opera
house, tho rest of tho room wus occupied
by Cretans. Tho judges of the contest
were Hon. W. II. Morris of Crete, Hon.
C. II. Gore of tho Lincoln Journal and
Hon. John D. Howe, State Senator from
Omaha. Excellent synopses of the var.