THE HESPERIAN
SKETCHES.
We thought the late Hesperian editors ware mistaken as
to the reason for inclosing the east end of the hall with an
ornamental fence. One of the faculty has, at last, volun.
teered an explanation. After keeping a close watch for some
weeks the faculty concluded that too many sacred associa
tions clung about the spot, for the vulgar horde to gather there
and profane it by talking of lessons or examinations. They
concluded to make it a sort of hallowed preserve to be used
by solid couples for especially affectionate talks. The fac
ulty are sorry that the matter has been missundcrstood and
thus nearly two weeks of valuable time wasted. Hereafter
they hope to sec their efforts to accomodate better appreci
ated. All that is necessary is for the male member of any
solid couple to hand in the names of said couple to Miss
Smith who will then furnish the key and cither one or two
chairs as preferred.
There was once a college yell. It was in the beginning
a peaceable, inoffensive yell. But the students who used
this yell abused it shamefully. They gave it no rest cither
by night or by day. The yell was sent forth in the cold,
night air. It was hurled point blank at the walls of the
armory, from which it rebounded bruised and sore. The
kindly disposition of the yell was changed. It became pev
ish and melancholy. It began to have revengful feelings
against the studens who abused it so constantly. At last the
yell became so weary and sick at heart that it grew desper
ate. It began to stir wrath in those whose ears it was forced
to assail. The number of those whom it thus affected grew
greater day by day. At last the great amount of accumu
lated wrath broke forth against the masters of that yell. And
they were wiped fiom the face of the earth. Then was the
yell happy, for it lay down among the Archives of history
and took a long needed rest. Moral: ,cGoslov, scientifs."
These are the days when the student, who is "acquainted
with Senator " gets in his work. He becomes possessed
with the idea that he ought to let the senator know that he
is alive and flourishing. He stalks majestically up to the
capitol, thinking every one he passes takes him 'for, at least,
a representative. He charms the doorkeeper of the senate
with a patronizing smile. The smile and a large expenditure
of cheek gets him inside the bar. Then he picks out the
senator whom he is to honor by a visit. The senator is a
little busy just then, and Mr. Student thinks he will be
polite enough to wait a few minutes. He gets as near his
intended victim as possible and leans against a radiator in a
graceful, pensive attitude as though he was pondering upon
some deep affair of state. The senator ceases to write for a
moment. The student takes a, step forward and then backs
up ac;ain as the senator settles down to business. At last he
'screws his courage to the sticking point," goes up to the
senator, lays his hand on his shoulder and says in his bland
est tones, "Why, how do you do, Senator. I'm very glad
to see you." The Senator stops his writing, leans back in
his chair and looking at the speaker with no very cordial ex
pressson merely remarks, "What's that?" The student's
beautiful smile merges into a ghastly grin. His extended
right hand is withdrawn. He begins to finger his plated
chain. He feels deadly cool in the region of his vertebrae
while his face is quite the reverse. At last he stammers out,
"I er I I'm James Jones, you know. I er that is you
met me in B , don't you know? I come from your county.
Student in the University, you know." By this time the
senator has concluded he can't help recognizing the fellow,
and holds out a couple of fingers which arc seized immedi
ately by the student, whose natural cheek is rapidly recover
ing. He sits down and begins to tell his views on tfie ques
tion of the day. The senator stands it as long as he can,
then excuses himself to "sec if there is any mail." Mr,
Student gazes around among the law makers, looks to sec if
there are any girl acquaintances looking at him from the
gallery and feels quite satisfied with himself generally. His
friend, the senator, docs not seem to be in a hurry to resume
his seat. At length our student remembers a pressing en
gagement down town and leaves the senate chamber, wond
ering if the senator will feci hurt because of his departure.
As he walks down town he thinks how nice it must seem to
the senator to meet folks from his own county.
PALLADIAN ORATORS.
The sixth annual Chase and Wheeler contest took place
in the Chapel, Saturday evening, January 26. The seats
were all full both on the floor and gallery.
The programme opened with an overture, "The Bur
lcsquers," by the University orchestra. This was a beauti
ful selection and was deserving of an encore, but the length
of the programme did not admit of that indulgence.
The first orator was W. N. Flctcher, He advanced upon
the stage with a firmness that gained the confidence and ex
pectation of his audience at once. He appeared a little stiff
and found at first, but this quickly disappeared in his delib
erate, earnest delivery. He had full control of his voice,
and his gestures, though few, were well timed. On the sub
ject, "Was He Sincere?" he compared the characters of Al
exander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson. The question
was as to the sin.-erity of Jeflcrson in his public utterances;
that Jefferson's steady opposition to Hamilton was not from
personal animosity; but from his inborn desire to see the
success of democratic ideas. He brought forward numerous
facts to prove the sincerity ol Jefferson's cause.
C. D. Schell followed with an oration on "Henry Clay."
Mr. Schell reviewed the unjust censure that Clay had re
ceived for his slavery compromise, and held that though his
course was not wholly right it was good, and saved the na
tion by a delay of open conflict. Clay was an orator and a
patriot, and his life study was the preservation of the union.
Mr. Schell was a little unsteady on coming on th stage,
and seemed to lack confidence in himself. He soon rallied
and in parts gave good emphasis, but lacked control of his
voice at times, to give a satisfactory rendering of his rather
difficult production.
A vocal solo, "Bright Star of Love," by Mrs. J. A. Kil
roy, with violin obligato by Mr. Menzendorf, followed.
F. C. Taylor's oration, "The Victory of Arminius," was
a well written production. In thought and style it undoubt
edly ranked high. Mr. Taylor was a little formal at first,
but soon became more earnest and free in his delivery, and
had he avoided a peculiar, slightly monotonous, falling in
flectiou at the end of his sentences, the decision of the
judges might have been different.
He began by showing the importance of some events in
their influence on what follows, and applied it to the victory
'of the German chief, Arminius, over the Roman forces about
9, A. D., showing that it was the salvation of the Teutonic
races in the preservatiou of Roman institutions; developing
and modifying them and preparing them for modern civiliza
tion, as being the ultimate results of the victory of Arminius,
at the critical point in the destiny of Teutons.