However to keep up an apperance, one vain youth broke
out—“ Bet's go to the theatre somewhere !” A violent clamor
broke forth—“l have a date!”—“Same old ‘Josh’ as last
year!”—“Can’t get my check cashed !”—“Break a ten?”—
and one unsuspected brother informed them he had lost his
money. The deep silence that followed seemed verily to
give consent. So they wandered on.
“Well, the Faculty had another meeting - today and ”
“Oh! you ham, shut up and give the Ancient and Honorable
a rest,” a voice drowned the speaker ere he finished. Silence
followed, broken here and there by a peanut shell. “I fin
ished my thesis on ‘The Anthropo— ’” This reckless young
man was suddenly crowded up ag-ainst a brown-stone front
and that thesis was never finished.
“Hello, Macaroni ! Give us some peanuts !” said a
While Sweater, and the “Dago” quickly sold out in ex
change for “demon. ”
“What next?” asked a voice. “Suppose we go up and
see Jack” said the leader, and the little band advanced toward
the dormitory across the avenue “in solid phalanx.” Up
the stairs, down the halls to the above gentleman's room,
and into the unlocked, darkened den. The occupant was ev
idently out “doing” society by the amount of dressing ap
parel lying about the floor—silent evidence of a long and
fierce struggle with a dress-suit.
Fertile minds were soon at work. A form grew as if by
magic—so did the peanut shells all over the floor—and it
was placed in a prostrated position crosswise on the bed.
Several questionable black bottles were placed in prominent
positions on the study-table and a smashed hat hung from
the brass bed-post. Across the door at a suitable height, a
cord was run. The toilers finished none too soon as the
well known footsteps of the owner sounded down the hall.
The “Knocker” Club disappeared as a unit—in the clothes
press, window seats, under the bed, behind curtains and one