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good typo at the start, but he turned out; to be a con
firmed drunkard and had to be discharged. Now
as the typo had gone to the bad, it was but natural
that the type-setting should go to the devil. Con
trary to the traditional description of the gentleman
from Hades, the devil proved to be decidedly green.
We had no regular proof-reader, most of the editorial
corps were inexperienced, and all of us were lazy
hencethc fearful and wonderful "proofography" of the
paper. For this issue and the one proceeding it we have
had a proof-reader and hereafter propose to keep one
in the family. Let our patrons forgive and forget.
The two literary societies appointed a joint com
mittee to confer together and see if something
could not be done to prevent discord in the halls
of the University on Friday evenings and also to se
cure greater punctuality on the part of the audiences
and performers. The recommendations of the com
mittee need not be enumerated, but the outcome of
the whole thing has been, that the Union Society
will hereafter lock its doors at 8:15, while the Palla
dians have contented themscves with charging an ad
mission fee to those of their own members who come
after eight o'clock. We hope that both of these pro
visions will be rigidly enforced, and that the one
which shall prove the most practicable, with or
without modifications, will be adopted by both
societies. To aid the societies in securing order
in frhe halls the janitor has been appointed a special
policeman; and it is hoped that he will be able to
instil some sense of fear, if not of decency, into the
minds of those who can find nothing better to do
than annoy other people.
One of the signs of the times that is mainly man-,
ifest in the newspapers is a disposition to speak lightly
of all things, especially of all things political. Many
seem to have come to the conclusion that "sincer
ity" is a synonyme for "greenness." They believe
that the newspapers shape the thought of the people
that the papers in turn are controlled either by dem.
agogues or by corporations, and that machine pol
itics strangle whatever independent thought may
chance to escape. This theory as to the source of
public sentiment is quite neat, and, what is still a
greater recommendation for some, is quite cynical.
When, however, the mass of the people are really
suffering injustice they are quite apt to find out what
they need and then they get it, the trimmers turn
ing gracefully when they have to, and pretending
that the new movement is just what they have been
trying to bring about. It would, possibly, be unfair
to say that the politicians and newspapers bear the
same relation to the mass of the people that the figure-head
of a ship does to the rest of the vessel, but
so long as the great under-current of popular senti
ment tends towards morality and justice, political
bosses and corrupt journalism can only harm them
selves. When, however, the tide shall set in the
other direction Freeman may clip his pen anew to
complete "The History of Federal Government
from the Rise of the Achaean League to the Disrup
tion of the United States."
Great men, like great buildings, are those that
rest on great foundations. As the architect plans
the building that is to prove for him his mastery
of the subject, the sole question is not, shall its
beauty or its usefulness be the only quality that com
mends it to the world, but will it stand, will it defy
time's efforts at destruction? Will the foundation
stand and lift the building up, or will it fall only to
bury in one grand ruin the building with its builders,
the workmen and their work? How will the founda
tion compare with what is to rest upon it? If we
mean to put up a structure that is solid and sub
stantial, should the base be put up in a rapid manner
and insecurely? Think you, it would be advisable to
build upon a few rocks hastily thrown together?
Though abundantly posessed of materials for the
building up of a noble life and strong character, they
may be of little or no avail when allowed to scatter
around indiscriminately. Rather let this material
be collected for some good and well defined purpose,
and let it be done thoroughly and systematically.
Man is an architect in more ways than one, he shapes
as he disposes and fashions as he wills. But as we
look around, it is sad to see how many are trying to
build the superstructure of their lives before they
have planned the base. How many who really have
to accomplish much in the future, spend the present
without making the slightest preparation for that
after-work. How many stop to think what an im
portant element the present is, while they make such
earnest and ambitious plans for the future. How
few consider the fact, that of all plans and bright
hopes of the past, but a limited number are realized
in the present.
Throughout all nature no law .is more fixed or
plainly shown than that which is to be solid and sub
stantial must be built upon a solid and substantial
base. The tree that grows the highest is also
found to extend its roots deepest in the earth.
The hills that are the loftiest are the broadest at the
base. All nature's works that are to stand are the
master efforts of a Master Hand. The greatest men
are those whose greatness shows itself in their ability
to conquer all that rises before them; not the man
who by one grand act has placed himself high, but
the man whose general average stands the highest;
not the man that does one thing grandly, but he
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