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Jan. 1905] Concerning Rules and Regulations.

127

are bad except in the case of great evils having grown up, and this is not the case in football. Any game is interesting, aside from novelty, only when it has emerged from the experimental stage. Football has passed through this stage and has long been a game in the full sense of the word, but constant and radical changes would tend to throw it back into such a condition, and by doing so would hurt it.

So much for the game. Football is one of the very best games which has ever existed, and it is the earnest desire of the overwhelming majority to keep it in its present good condition. There have in the present discussion been many writers who have advocated sane changes in a sane manner. It is not with such men that this leader disagrees, but with those others who in their ill-considered articles have advocated sweeping changes without apparent regard to their effect on the future of the game, and who by their violence have tended to make the public-general and collegiate-suspicious of the game and disgust them with it. It is against such performances and performers as these that this leader is a protest.

E. Vine Stoddard, Jr.

THE GLINT OF GOLD.

I.

When the light of the sun has sunk in the west
And the dying day is done;

When the birds in the sky have gone to their rest
And the shadow land is nigh;

Between the setting and the night,

Before the ending of their flight,

There's a glint of the gold in the gray,
There's a gleam of the wings on their way.

II.

When the thought of the brain has cooled in its heat And a life has set again;

When the works of the day have found their retreat And the dusk has come this way;

Between the passing and the gloom,

Before the fading of the bloom,

There's a glint of the gold in the land,

There's a gleam of the mind that had planned.

Howard F. Bishop.

Jan. 1905]

A Matter of Principle.

129

A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE.

AND so, cousin," continued the ghost, "you really

must help me out."

I considered a moment before replying. To tell the truth I hardly knew what to say. My cousin had died but a few days before, and had left me heir to his ancestral home. Of course when I took possession, I was prepared by a multitude of idle rumors to find it haunted by any number of ghosts. Yet I felt no concern on their account. After all, thought I, they are innocent creatures, and quite incapable of harm. But the uproar that had assailed my ears the night before the first I had passed under my new roof-the tramplings, crashings, and shriekings that had kept me awake, had put me out of humor with ghosts. And now this this shady cousin of mine admitted that he was the cause of it all, yet had the audacity to ask me to help him. I was somewhat provoked. Still, he was-or had beenmy cousin, and I was indebted to him for the house, so I answered politely enough, but guardedly:

“Of course, I shall be glad to do anything that will prevent a repetition of such a disturbance as occurred last night. But please explain more fully; why should these other ghosts have taken such a dislike to you as to try to drive you out of your old home? I don't quite "

"It's all because I won't join their damned union,” he cried. "As long as I lived, I was in constant trouble because I would not submit to the impositions of the labor unions; I did think that when I died, I should be freed at last from such annoyances. But the very first time I tried to materialize in my old house, I was met by another ghost, the ghost of a great-uncle of mine it was, too, who demanded that I should show my card. I had none, of course, and refused to get one. Then my troubles began. Every time I attempt to materialize, they-well, you probably heard last night what they do. They-they fairly haunt me! I am

able to appear to you now only because I have come before their hours commence. The eight-hour night, you know, no matter when the sun rises or sets, is the first principle of their Union."

“But what can I do about it?" I inquired.

"Well," he answered, "my idea is merely this. At midnight I shall reappear in the great hall. The other ghosts will probably make you aware of my presence, and you must come and reason with them. Argue, remonstrate, entreat, threaten,-in a word, use all your authority as present master of the house."

Again I considered before replying. The proposition seemed at least harmless, and it might put an end to the noises which were making the house uninhabitable.

"Very well,” I said, "I will do as you—'

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The tall clock which stood in the hall had begun to strike eight, and at the first stroke my visitor suddenly disappeared. "Ah," I thought, "it must be at eight that the ghosts begin their night's work."

Promptly at twelve I was awakened. Never before have I heard such a gruesome din. There were clashings and bangings, thunderings, rumblings, clatterings, yells, groans, and shrieks, demoniacal and hideous, yet all muffled and unearthly. I rose quickly and lighted a candle. Holding this above my head, I boldly entered the hall and cried with a loud voice:

"Silence!"

The uproar suddenly ceased. Peering about, I could see dimly a number of pale shadows gathered in the corners.

“Look here now," I said, "this thing has got to stop. You are carrying it altogether too far. Now understand, please, that I am not trying to interfere with your Union,”. this was to propitiate them-"and I don't care what rules and regulations you try to enforce, but I do insist that you enforce them more quietly. I cannot stand any more such outrages as have occurred the last two nights."

"What are you going to do about it?" muttered one of my listeners in a sepulchral voice.

Jan. 1905]

A Matter of Principle.

131

"I'll tell you what I am going to do," I said with a sudden inspiration, "unless the racket ceases at once, I shall have this house cleaned from attic to cellar; not a cobweb shall be left; I shall have fresh paint put upon the wood-work, fresh, glaring paint; I shall put in new furniture, sticky with half-dried varnish; I shall have extra windows cut, and let in floods of sunlight, unhealthy, deadly."

For a moment my eloquence seemed to stagger them, but at last one of them recovered himself and said grimly: "It's all the same to us, and since the scab will have to leave also, we don't care what you do. do. The Union will see to it that we get another job."

For nearly an hour I reasoned with them, but it was all in vain. They were as adamant. So I gave it up and returned to bed, although not to sleep; for no sooner had I left the hall than the tumult began anew.

Towards early morning it died away. The clock struck four, and no Union ghost would work over time. The shade of my cousin came to my room shortly after. He appeared somewhat battered and disheartened. Not waiting for him to speak, I said at once:

"Now see here, I've done what I could for you. They are beyond reason. So you are the one that must give in. Join the Union at once. Tf you do not, I shall carry out the threat I made to the others, and there will be no one to find you a new place. No, don't say another word; I refuse to discuss the matter further."

Slowly, reluctantly he began to fade away. Great misty tears were rolling down his pallid cheeks. I could not but pity him.

I have never seen him since. I do not know whether he has finally been forced to submit to the tyranny of the Union, or has gone away in search of some ghostly Utopia where such things are unknown.

But I have remained in profound peace and quiet, unmolested.

14

Donald Bruce.

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