SONG OF THE WINDMILL.
BY HAROLD BARNIS.
I am old, I am old, and my thoughts are gray;
With glancing the past and the busy day;
My sides are ribbed with the dust of ase,
My usefulness o'er on Time's great stage—
I am old—I am old.
Like a dreary sentience, here I stand
And keep my watch o'er a peaceful land;
Over the valley my gaze prolong,
Or catch the din from the city's throng—
As I list—as I list.
A time there was when my canvassed arms
Swept the wild breeze and mocked at alarms;
Sped round and round in dizzy delight,
And I launched with joy at the merry sight—
But I'm old now—I'm old.
Sweet was the labor, short the pause
As I crushed the grain in my jaws; Swet was the sound of the miller's voice,
Humming a time of his simple choice
In tones of joy.
These sounds are stilled; and the days of yore
Are gone to return to me no more;
The voice of the miller's hushed tore'er—
Past the happiness, past the core.
And I sigh—and I sigh.
Ah, long have I stood in silent pride,
Mocking the winds that dared to chide;
Lights I have seen, and tales could tell
Twout blanche the check and the soul impel
With fear with fear.
Not far back in the niche of Time,
Gloom'd this valley with blood and crime;
Murder and rapine filled the land;
Murder and death at Quantrell's hand—
Alack the day.
T terrible then was the victim's cry,
Fruitless the prison't was raised on high;
Death and destruction deftened list;
The pistol shot and the saber thrust
Conquered the day—conquered the day.
On yonder hill where the rustiling leaves
Whisper the tale of death that grieves;
On yender hill,'neath the grateful shade,
Rest the victims of Quantrell's raid—
Asleep—asleep.
Such was the past; but now I stand
And dreamily gaze o'er a happy land;
No more the notes of the war resound,
But harmony, peace and thrift abound—
Force'er—force'er.
And I still shall lift my giant arms
Athwart the sky in sun and storms;
And I let it shall fight for the past that's gone
Shall sigh for the past and the faded dawn—
In vain—in vain.
Forno more the dalying zephyr play
About my form in their wonted way;
But the might wind soughs through my tat-
tered sides
And shirles a requiem as it glides—
On its way—on its way.
ONLY ENGAGED.
A Few Words Against a Prevalent College Custom.
Reading some of the popular jokes in a funny paper not long since, I came upon one purporting to be at the expense of the college student. As nearly as I can remember, it was as follows:
Jones—Hellow, Smith I hear you are going to get married.
Smith—(A Junior at College.
No I'm engaged, that's all.
This many sound very ridiculous to most people, but it is not as ridiculous as it may seem. Before I came to the University, I attended for a short time another Kansas college not a hundred miles from Lawrence, and I saw a phase of college life that I am happy to say is not as prevalent in K. S U. as it is at my former college, and I may say at most colleges. I refer to the inference in the joke given aboeu. In most colleges there are always a number of students of both sexes whose chief delight is found in escapades of love. They are miserable if they are not engaged to somebody and if they have two or more engagements so much the better. Of course they mean no harm by it; they only wish to have some innocent fun. Nevertheless they
harm their own dignity and honor if nothing else. Affairs of the affections are too holy matters to be treated so trivially. These matters should not be entered into so lightly.
There are several instance called to my mind now of students, who have been engaged and announced their engagement to the world, who if the truth were known, entertained no idea of ever becoming man and wife. That this is so is certainly to be deplored. That it is so cannot be denied. However, as I have said things of this nature are much less frequent at K. S. U. than at most colleges. However examples of this are not wanting here. A girl here of my acquaintance is engaged to a young gentleman, and by her own confession she is acting a lie. Being on intimate terms with her, I questioned her one day about the conditions of her affections towards her affiance. I was some what startled and shocked when I heard her say, "Well you see, I am getting tolerable old now and I don't want people think about it. If I am engaged to some one they will not notice my age so much, and then it improves my chances of getting engaged to some one in earnest. If some one would come along and ask me to marry him and I wanted to do it, I could break off from my other engagement all right. Will and I understand each other."
Was this not a confession to make a girl blush with shame? Yet there sat this girl telling it to me as if were something of which to boast instead of being ashamed. I admit I blushed for her to think that one of my sex had so for lost all sense of maidenly modesty. Girls before you make light of such a matter, think well. I address this especial to the girls because it is in their power to put an end to it an it will never be ended until they set themselves against it. An engagement that is made without any expectation that it will last longer than the Senior year at most, should never be made.
B E S S.
TWAS NO SIN.
A Protest.
"My daughter," and his voice was stern:
"You must set this matter right;
What time did that Sophomore leave the house
Who sent in his card last night?"
"His work was pressing, father dear,
And love for it is great.
He took his leave and went his way
Before a quarter of eight."
Then a twinkle came in her bright blue eye,
And her dimples deeper grew,
"Tis surely no sin to tell him that,
For a quarter of eight is two."
The latter of these objects is undoubtedly secured by the pledge. The former is not. Any one that has been in the halls of the University knows that the spirit if not the letter of the pledge has been violated. It is true that the girls have not been asked to join any of the fraternities before the pledge expired, but that they have been rushed in every sense of the word cannot be denied.
However it is not, because the pledge, is not observed in good faith that I am opposing it, for there can be no doubt that even as it is; it is attended by some good. It is for the evil attending it that I oppose it. This evil I suppose has never suggested itself to the girls themselves. It would not have been suggested to me, had an example of it not been brought to my notice, and which I shall relate.
For several years past I have had an intimate knowledge of affairs in the University and having had a daught r enrolled among the students, I have taken especial interest in the girls. Every one that knows the girls are proud of them, for on the whole, they are as interesting and lovable class, as is to be found anywhere, and generally they are to be found on the right side of all questions that arise. However of late I have found a cause of complaint. The object of my disapproval is the "Pledge" in existence between the members of the girl's fraternities. The girls adopted this pledge in the hope that it would do away with the rushing that has alwas been so prevalent and in order to prevent a too hasty selection of members. Both of these are laudable objects, and if that were secured without any attendant evils it would certainly be a great benefit.
Pulling pa's leg or a student asking for money.
There is attending the University this year is a girl with whom I have long been acquainted. When she came here she scarcely knew the meaning of the word fraternity, and all would have gone well with her. But her acquaintance was cultivated by the fraternity members and every favor and attention was shown her. Until a few days before the expiration of the pledge, she had every reason to believe she would be invited to become a member of one of the fraternities. The attention that had been shown her had brought her into especial prominence and every one that knew her expected her to be asked. The 12th of December arrived; the invitations were issued; she failed to receive one. It is now that the evil of this whole matter appears. When there is a specific time at which the invitations to all the girls are to be issued, any girl that is at all eligible to a fraternity is made especially conspicuous and it is very harassing to her feelings. Under the old plan, if a girl were not asked by one of the fraternities, her feelings did not suffer so from it. There was no set time at which she would receive an invitation, but she might receive it at any time, and it
A UNIVERSITY MAN'S LOVE.
THE PREP
is content in a mother's love
THE SOPHOMORE
learns to dance and loves to music.
casts his love from him and prepares to meet the world.
it never came no attention was called to the fact. How much a girl may suffer as is may be seen from the following letter which the girl I mentioned wrote to her mother but which I persuaded her not to send:
LAWRENCE, Kas., Dec. 12, 1880.
MY DEAR MUTTOM:
MY DEAD MOTHER
When I wrote out Sunday I little thought I could be as unhappy before the close of a week as I have been today. In my letter then, I told you about the girls' tritenances here and of my expectations. Then, you remember, I told you that I expected to receive an invitation to become a member of one of them. However, the invitations were sent out this morning, and I failed to receive one. You cannot understand how I feel about it, but it effected me so that I did not go to school this morning. All of the girls that received invitations will be the subject of congratulations, while those that did not will be objects of pity. And I can not bear to be pitied. If I could go and attract little or no attention, I would not care so much. But I will be noticed in a manner that will be very disagreeable to me. This morning all the girls that have received any attention from the various fraternities will be expected to receive invitations and if they were not received to-day it will be known that they will not receive one to-morrow. This is what makes it so hard for me to bear. If there were no appointed time at which the invitations are to be received there would be nothing thought of it when day after day passed without me receiving an invitation. Oh, how I wish I were home to have your sympathy.
- * * * * * Your affectionate daughter,
Girls don't you think you had better discard your pledge and trust to your own womanly dignity to avoid rushing Mrs. A. R.
THE FRESHMAN
sighs for the love of some fair maiden.
is best of all. No music needed now.
AN ANOMALY.
When earth assms a sombre shade
And autumn brown makes people blue,
And winter dreary, long blockade
Is in the near perspeciive's view,
Then, then, all season's change defying,
The fresh his greenness keeps undying.
Smiling fondly up she gazed,
Resting o o his many arm,
Then her ruby lips were moving,
They were lips would charm
Anchoirte or Benedictine,
Even Saint Anne would,
And he bent his nobile head down,
Listenst e, her sweet voice to hear.
But her word w o o "Love, your necktie
Hissled round beneath your ear."
Yale Record
The above is a picture taken by instantaneous photography on the same plate before and after the expiration of the pledge.
The railroads don't give special rates to the students of Kansas this year. A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the KANSAN to its subscribers. Ask Springer about Major J. K. Wooglin.
The cork will be removed to-night which has so long stopped up the bottle of the literary societies. Come up, dear public, and see whether the bottle pops or fizzles when opened.
M
The
W agai
Ea
Mon
Ell to th
The in
Th some
The meet!
Pre chap P. the L.
W
wa
Pro
lectu
Ad estin
Pay the b
Mis visite
Mr. the s 44 $ \frac{1}{2}。 $