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     Princeton Stories

     By
     Jesse Lynch Williams

     _FOURTH EDITION_

     Charles Scribner's Sons
     New York 1895




     _Copyright, 1895, by
     Charles Scribner's Sons_

     TROW DIRECTORY
     PRINTING AND BOOKBINDING COMPANY
     NEW YORK




To '92




TABLE OF CONTENTS


                                         PAGE

     THE WINNING OF THE CANE,               1

     THE MADNESS OF POLER STACY,           37

     THE HAZING OF VALLIANT,               67

     HERO WORSHIP,                         89

     THE RESPONSIBILITY OF LAWRENCE,      105

     FIXING THAT FRESHMAN,                139

     THE SCRUB QUARTER-BACK,              177

     WHEN GIRLS COME TO PRINCETON,        193

     THE LITTLE TUTOR,                    209

     COLLEGE MEN,                         241

     THE MAN THAT LED THE CLASS,          277


_Acknowledgements are due Messrs. Harper & Brothers for permission
to republish "The Scrub Quarter-Back" and "When Girls Come to
Princeton."_




THE WINNING OF THE CANE


The modern Cane Spree is held in broad daylight on University Field.
It is a vastly different affair from the Spree we used to watch with
chattering teeth at midnight, kneeling on the wet grass in front of
Witherspoon, with a full moon watching over West College and Mat.
Goldie and two assistants waiting by the lamp-post to join in the
fierce rush which followed each bout.

Nowadays it is one of the regular events of the Annual Fall Handicap
Games, and is advertised in large special feature letters on the
posters hanging in the shop windows and on the bulletin elm. It is a
perfectly proper and legitimate proceeding, and is watched like any
other field event from the bleachers and Grand Stand, with girls there
to catch their breath and say "Oh!" The class that wins is glad. They
cheer awhile and then watch the final heat of the 2.20.

In our day you could seldom see much of anything, and there was
nothing proper about it. But it was one of the things a fellow lived
for, like Thanksgiving games and Spring Term. To win a cane for one's
class was an honor of a lifetime, like playing on the 'Varsity, or
winning the Lynde debate. Men are still pointed out when back at
Commencement as the light or middle weight spreers of their class, and
a member of the faculty is famous for having "described a parabola
with his opponent." This trick and a book called "Basal Concepts in
Philosophy" bear his name, though it is maintained by some that he is
more proud of the book.

This is to be a story of "How we used to do when we were in college."
It would not do to revive the ancient cane spree. Things have changed
since then. We are a university now. We mustn't behave like a college
any longer. Besides, it was bad for the football men and training
hours. But all the same, those old times were fun while they lasted.
Weren't they?

       *       *       *       *       *

High up over Clio Hall hung a moon, which a night or two before had
been full. Over there, on the balconies of Witherspoon, blue and red
and green lights were flaring. On the grass-plot in front was a huge
black circle. This was made up of the College of New Jersey.

Their hats were off, and the red and the green and the blue mingled
with the moonlight and glared upon the bare heads and the white of
the faces with an effect as ghastly as it sounds.

The elms over toward Reunion and West cast long ugly-looking shadows.
Beyond these everything seemed far away and dark and silent. Yet only
a few hours before this same spot had served the innocent purpose of
batting up flies and kicking footballs for points, with fellows
shouting in loud, careless voices, "Aw! Come off! That was over the
line!"

The circle was not yet perfectly formed. The crowd shivered and
fidgeted, and borrowed lights of one another. Those behind called
"Down in front!" And everyone wished it would begin. Some fellows kept
edging in and were shoved back again by those appointed for that
purpose. A few were moving about inside the circle displaying rolls of
bills with which they made bets, and a great impression on
under-classmen of a certain sort. The night was to be clear and
frosty, and the strain on the nerves tremendous. So all those who
believed in artificial warmth had it in their pockets, and some who
did not.

For a month it had been, next to football, the most discussed topic at
dinner-tables. Almost as soon as the rush was over--the annual cannon
