THE BATTALION, College Station,Texas.
Austin Society.
College, October 21.
This being the night set apart for our special public meet
ing according to our constitution, the society held its meeting
in the Assembly Hall, as our society hall was not large enough
to accommodate the audience. At 8 o’clock the hall was near
ly tilled—this being the hour to commence. President Pittuck
called the house to order, and in a few well chosen words bid
the | audience a hearty welcome. Roll call found all of the
meiiibars present. The president then requested that the sec
retary read the program, which was as follows:
Music College Musical Club
Essayist • Pittuck
MUSIC.
Maimer Cook
MUSIC.
bate-—Resolved, “That Religious Instructions should be
.mght in Public- Schools.” Affirmative—Lewis; negative—
Ferguson.
, The first man on the program, Mr. Pittuck read an essay
entitled “Lynch Law.” Mr. Pittuck discussed this subject
thoroughly from beginning to end. He showed how men in a
sudden impulse of their frenzied feeling would disobey the
laws of their God and their country and take the life in the
most savage way, of a person who perhaps if the law could
have taken its due course, would have been pronounced as in-
noeen t.
The next man Mr. Matthews read an interesting piece en
titled “The Death of Garfield.” Mr. Mathews read in a clear
and distinct tone, plainly showing that he was master of his
undertaking.
_n£ndp'h-e de€iaift/enMr. Cook then made his appearance in his
usual graceful waynund “by his expression plainly showing
that to make some fun he •was going.” The subject of his dec
lamation was “Christmas Night in Quarters” Mr. Cook de
serves much credit for this piece as he had only a short time to
learn it; but by the general applause of the audience* plainly
showed how well it was delivered and appreciated.
The debate was then brought on and after the president ap
pointed Professors Nagle, Puryear and Tilson to act as Tribu
nal; the first man Mr. Lewis opened in debate and presented
his arguments 7eiy clear and distinct. He showed by his ar
gument that he had studied the question thoroughly. Mr.
Ferguson then addressed the audience in behalf of his side of
the question and brought forth many strong points, but was
defeated by his opponent; for the Tribunal decided two in fa
vor of the affirmative.
After the debate there being no further business before the
House the motion for adjournment was in order and after a se
lection by the Musical Club the society adjourned until its
next regular meeting.
\
The Young Men’s Christian Association held their first
public exercises on the 24th of last month. The meeting was
well attended, about half the corps being out. A great many
of the professors were out also with their families. The fol
lowing programme was rendered:
Doxology By the Choir
Prayer.... Dr. Red.
Song. Quartette of Ladies and Professors.
Music. . . College Orchestra.
Address Dr. Bittle.
Music College Orchestra.
Vocal Solo Mrs. Giescke.
Song Double Quartette.
Closing Song........ /. Choir,
The Association feels greatly pleased at the large number
out and intends arranging for another entertainment in the
near future which willl be something on the style of the Fri
day night exercises formerly held at the college.
Miscellany Department.
A. M. TODD and VV. DAZEY, ----- Editors.
Shoulder-Straps.
“Pray tell me, mamma, what the shoulder-straps mean
That on the blue coats of our officers gleam;
You know they’re so different, now why should it be,
That not even the uniform buttons agree?”
“I’ve noticed, for instance, a blank and a bar,
Two bars, leaves of silver, of gold, and a star,
Two star*, and an eagle—now what may it mean,
On scarlet, or orange, light blue, or dark green?”
“Now listen, my daughter, and pray take heed,
For the income and straps of a beau are agreed;
You may dance with a leaf, and flirt with a bar,
But reserve your best smile for the eagle and star.”
“And remember the fence with nothing within
Is the field of the stripling, whose spurs are to win;
A poor Second Lieutenant, perchance siill in debt,
For the clothes he wore out as a West Point Cadet.”
“And if on the field a bar should appear,
Your prudence, my darling, should lead you to fear;
For if left a widow, the pension’s so small
Your gloves and first mourning would swallow it all.
“And e’en evict your Captain, who flourishes two,
Don’t prefer the gay hue to the staff’s sober blue;
For the difference per month, in the matter of pay,
Not to mention the forage, quite wiles one away.”
“Next in order the leaves, but here you reverse
Each value metalic in prose and in verse;
For though gold be a Major, the silvery hue
Works the Lieutenant-Colonel, or scarlet or blue.”
“Then, over the Forest, beneath the bright stars,
Soars the eagle, the lord of the leaves and the bars;
Besides, ’tis suggestive of eagles that fly
When the wife of the Colonel her bonnets would buy.”
“Above all, my. darling, still honor the star,
Though it shines ’neath a silver-head, better by far
To catch some old General then make him afraid,
And you won’t be the first to command a brigade.”
“—I’ve heard you dear mother, and thought it all o’er,
My heart’s with the lover who went to the war;
You know the poor boy has not even a bar,
But I’d rather be his than the bride of a star.”
—Anon.
The l^ose in Poetry.
Publi bed by request.
The rose is the most widely known and the most univer
sally admired of all the vari-hued, sweet-scented, poetry-in
spiring, God-given emblems of love that adorn our earth.
“I saw the swee!est flower wi!d nature yields,
A fresh blown musk rose.”
Sappho sweetly sings:
“Would Love appoint some flower to reign
In matchless beauty on the plain,
The rose (mankind will all agree),
The rose the queen of flowers should be;
The pride of plants, the grace of bowers
The blush of meads, the eye of flowers;
It’s beauties charm the gods above,
It’s fragrance Is the breath of Love;
/ It’s foliage wantons in the air
■i . . y ' / .- ■ , w