taken outside, put in one of the strongest blankets, and given a little tossing, though not enough to hurt him.
This and the Dyke are the only approaches to hazing that I have ever heard of here; and this mock initiation occurs only at rare intervals, when an unusually "green" boy falls into our hands. As a rule, the old students are kind and considerate towards the new men, and do what they can to help them over the first two weeks of homesickness and loneliness. There is none of that class-feeling which plays such a prominent part in the life of most other colleges and universities, and after the first month or two the newly-entered student has just as good a standing in college as one who has been here one or two years; though, of course, the longer he stays the more friends he will have, and the better known he will be.
As I walk with my friend one afternoon, he asks, with what he intends to be an undemonstrative face, what I think of the "Eli Bananas," and requests me to tell him something about them. In reply, I inform him that it is a club of college students founded in 1878 at the White Sulphur Springs, at one time having several chapters, but now merely local. It was founded for the purpose of promoting sociability and good-fellowship among the members; and from its original object it has hardly swerved a jot up to the present time. The club has two initiations during each session, one in the fall and the other at Easter. Up to a year ago a large wine supper was given on each of these occasions, at which there were few who did not get quite "happy" before the night was over. But last year they adopted the plan of giving a german at Easter instead of a supper, which change seems to meet the approval of all. This club embraces the most popular and influential men of each fraternity, and, as the fraternities themselves have already picked them over very carefully, there is no excuse for the "Elis" ever having anything but the flower of the university. The "Elis" do much towards breaking up any fraternity feeling that may exist, since frequently the leading members of rival fraternities are thrown together intimately here and form firm friendships. It is considered a very high honor, I believe, to be asked to join this "upper ten," and there are never more than eight or ten admitted during the year. They boast that no one has ever refused to join them when asked. But, if that is so, I will venture to assert it is because they take very good care to be certain of their man before asking him.
My friend then asks if I think it possible for a man to join them and still be free from dissipation. I tell him yes, but that there is much more temptation for a member of a club like this than for an outsider. He informs me that he has been asked to join the "Elis,"
