THE II ES PERI A N.
SKETCHES.
He was a smart student very smart. He went to the
postofiice with all his freshness. He elbowed his way up to
the delivery window without any consideration for olhcis.
Finally he reached the window. He pushed his head
through and looked at the delivery clerk with an impudent
.. expression. "Any mail for me?" he called out, with a com
manding voice. The clerk looked at him for an instant, then
. he blurted out "Who's me?" The crowd laughed in derision,
and the smart student crept away in silence. The delivery
clerk by tone of voice and expression had taught him a much
needed lesson.
One of the students came down into the ofticc the other
day, picked up an exchange and proceeded to examine it. He
- saw- this statement: "Great (waste) makes great want." He
thought that was very true. Hut as the sentence came in the
funny column he began to wonder where the humor was
hidden in it. He is wondering yet. It is too bad that he is
so dull. He must be a queer genius. Vet he claims to be a
student in this institution. It is surprising that (his student
cannot sec the point involved in that old pun. Perhaps he
can sec that a circle is involved in the mystery of the pun.
I knew a slate bearer once. He is dead now. He was
young and innocent. His heart was full of love for all the
. girls. He was bashful and diffident. I suposc he was
trustworthy. He looked with charity upon everyone and
held no jealous feelings. He had no enemies He was
once rather pious but only for a short time. He was not
good looking, but he did not care for that. This slate bearer
before he graduated, carried notes for everyone. He cut
class in order to carry invitations and answers. He wailed
in the halls and around the doorways trying to sec somclody.
He seemed to enjoy this kind of life and was undoubtedly
happy. I remember the day, some six months later, when I
saw him for the last lime. He was sour, sullen and surly.
He was suspicious of every one. He had ceased to attend
prayer meeting. He no longer went to chapel. He refused
. ,10 carry notes or cut class. A heart-freezing frown dwelt
constantly upon his face. He h:d become cheeky and
impudent. I suppose he was somewhat demoralized. Why?
From what he told me, I think he had reason to complain.
When he said "Good morning" to a fellow student, instead
of leceiving a civil answer, he received as a reply, "Have
you got the slate?" II he stopped to talk with a lady friend,
someone would be sure to come and ask for the slate. If he
bowed his bead during chapel some irreverent young man
Mould stab him in the back and ask for the slate. If lie sat
down in the reading room and became absoibcd in a maga
zine, someone would surely call him out in order to see the
slate. The boys grumbled because he could never be found,
notwithstanding the fact that he spent three hours everyday
roaming around the halls on purpose to be found. Some
claimed that they always got left w lieu they scratched
the slate. Of coarse the slate bearer received abue without
stint. The slate bearer finally believed that a majority of
his fellow students were either fools or cranks; that he was
the scape goat for everybody's failings in the vicinity of the
slate. On the other hand the slate bearer mads life uncn-
1 t r .. ...... . 1-1.. tM:t lm cl'.f. in !.' 1
uurauic lor many yuiwjj iut. . i"' - . ..
faces at all hours of the day and at all times and places. He
actually persuaded a few that it was right and proper to
make engagements six weeks ahead. The slate bearer
became a nuisance in the opinion of some, a blessing in the
opinion of others. Rut at last the slate bearer became
despondent. Discouragement and hopelessness took com
plete possession of his soul. His heart broke. The angels
came and carried him away, but the direction from which
they came and in which they started away is unknown. The
slate was left behind to become a delusion and a snare to
future generations of students. Others took up the task of
the slate bearer. Thcir's was a like fate. So it will be for
ever and ever unless student kind soon learn the lesson that
one lone slate bearer, unaided, cannot conduct a slate so that
sixty-five boys and as many girls shall rise up and call him
blessed in one short week.
Somehow an upper classman ha great love and affection
for the cane that he carried when he was a Freshman. Of
course this means the cane that was not broken by 'a Sopho
more. Even if the cane has been used as a poker for a year
or so, the student loves it still. Often he picks it up and
tries his weight upon it. His thoughts arc constantly dwell
ing upon scenes of three or four years ago. No matter what
a student may carry away from college, I believe his old
Freshman cane carries with it more pleasant memories than
anything else. In time you will sec that cane, adorned with
riblion, occupying a prominent position in the students'
! home. And that is all right. His own Freshman cane is an
object of pride in the eyes of every student, as it very prop
erly should be. Still it is an amusing though pleasant scene
to witness the antics and hear the expressions of an old
student when his eye accidentally falls upon his old cane.
In striking contrast with the bashful young man is the
one of natural excessive self assurance; the young man with
more boorishncss than politeness, more cheek than Brains
les coinon sense and more impudence than courtesy and
good breeding. This young man is quite numerous. He
is sometimes seen in the neighborhood of universities and
colleges. He is admired in public, sneered at in private.
He is flattered to his face, scorned when his back is tunied.
He partakes more of the nature of a puppy than a man. Ac
cording to his own views he is accorded the highest place by
those with whom he comes in contact. In reality he is too
dull to distinguish between contempt and respect. Such
qualities as these belong only to the "masher" on the street,
but they arc often borrowed by others. No one should be
deceived by the young men of assurance. On the oiher
hand give a bashful young man the credit he deserves.'- In
truth he is not bashful. He is one of a very few who know
that they lack a supply of impudence. Hut none of us have
ever met the ideal bashful young man. The young man of
excessive assurance is met with everywhere, and is. never
wanted anywhere. '
Go to Carder's for breakfast, when you get up late.
All the delicacies of the season at Carder's new European
Hotel. '
If you want to get solid with your girl take her some of
Manley's tafTy.
Largest line of boots, shoes and rubbers in the city ar
Webster & Briscoe's. '
Choice fruits, confectionery and lunch all the year round
at Chevrout & Co's, Eleventh street near O. '
V. W. Carder has opened out a new European Hotel on1
P. street, between 9th and 10th. Call on him.
Girls, if you want a cloak or a nice wrap, you wili find
one to suit you at Mrs, V. E. Gosper's, 1114 O street. ,
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