constitutions of both societies, the effect of
which would hereafter debar fraternity men
and women from membership. He coolly
added that opposition was useless, since a
majority in each society had already been
pledged to vote with the barbarians. The
amendment would of course be tabled for
a week, and to give the frats a chance at
the unpledged minority a mass meeting
would be called for Saturday evening pro-
vided the faculty, which met that afternoon,
would grant permission to use the chapel.
The dumbfounded president was further
pledged to secrecy until the question as to
the use of the chapel was decided. On
Friday morning the scheme became public
and the most intense excitement prevailed.
At five o'clock the fraternities met at the
home of Miss Ellen Smith to give voice to
their woe, and decide on a course of action.
We were practically in the position of a
victim forced to throw up his hands and
then politely invited to discuss the ad-
visability of so doing. After much hesita-
tion it was decided that we had nothing to
gain and much good temper might be lost
by accepting the challenge, and on the
following night when the barbs, big and
little, assembled to hear our response to
their summons, we appeared only in the
person of a stenographer. This was unex-
pected, and no doubt was the cause of
some of the rancour that prevaded the
speeches of the barbarians. At this meet-
ing and during the week following, various
of the intrigues of the barbs came to light
which their chronicles will no doubt recount.
By means which the fraternities could not
accept as honorable, W. E. Johnson, the
least scrupulous of the barbs, had secured
possession of the constitution, oath and
ritual of the Sigma Chi fraternity, had un-
successfully attempted to procure the with-
drawl of the charter of this chapter, and
had made a statement under oath of what
he had learned of this fraternity. For-
tunately the whole ritual and constitution
had since been abrogated, and his efforts
were without result. Owing to the recent
fulfillment of certain predictions as to the
fate of this Mr. Johnson, John Mockett is
considered a prophet by his fellow Sigs.

The week was one of unsuppressed ex-
citement to every one from the Chancellor
to John Green. The faculty did its best to
remain neutral, but all attempt to hold us to
our usual work was fruitless; classes, and
examination which were finally resorted to,
were cut regardless of consequences.
Everyone felt relieved when the night of
October 31st brought this week to a close.
For once hallowe'en passed unnoticed by
university boys. The programs in both
societies were uncommonly good, and the
halls were crowded. In the Palladian the
music, as the critic remarked, was heavily
charged. The usual exodus failed to take
place at recess, and when the business
meeting was called there was little standing
room left. After some minor matters had
been disposed of, the amendment was made
the order of business. We knew we were
outwitted and outnumbered, but the temp-
tation to make one last struggle was so
great that it was midnight before the vote
was taken. The Union society passed the
amendment first. It had been agreed that
the debate should cease and the question be
called for, in one society as soon as a
signal was given that the amendment had
carried in the other. Ed Churchill's
somber countenance peering through the
door in the Palladian hall told us that all
was over in the Union. A fraternity man
was holding the floor and it was no doubt a
surprise to the barbs when the question was
called in the Palladian. In the Union the
vote stood 11 to 33, and in the Palladian
17 to 40. The defeated party at once with-
drew their membership, and fraternities
passed out of their literary societies.

The next day a meeting was held in
room 5 and a new society was formed, the
Philodicean. But its rise and decline lie
without the province of this chronicle.
The struggle was not ended, for guerilla war-
fare continued for years.