OVERHEARD.

I sat in the station the other evening waiting for my train. There was no one else in sight; from the ticket office came the sound of voices in that peculiar monotonous drone which means "grind." For some time I was only vaguely conscious of the sound; but gradually came a change, as of rising interest. The drone resolved into two voices, one of them of peculiar quality and persistence, and I soon awoke to a full consciousness of the conversation.

The ponderous voice continued in a didactic tone:

"If p square equals x square plus y square-no-if p-if the square root of p-." There was a pause. The other voice began tentatively:

"P equals zero-"

Dominant voice: "If the square root of p equals x square plus y square over 2 xy, and x square equals a plus b-" (Pause. The atmosphere is tense with cogitation.)

Subdominant voice: "The square root of—"

Dominant voice: "A plus b equals x square, and x square plus y square over- (Pause.)

Subdominant voice: "P equals-"

Dominant voice: "Over 2 xy equals-equals-no, that's wrong!" (Pause.)

Subdominant voice: "But the book says that p equals zero-" Dominant voice: "O keep still, won't you?-The square root of p equals x square over-no, x square plus y square over 2 xy, and y square equals a minus b, and a-no, x square equals a plus b, equals" (Long pause, broken by the tapping of a lead pencil.) "You can't do it that way. If x square equals-" Subdominant voice: "P equals zero-"

Dominant voice: "Equals a plus b, and p equals x square plus y square over—”

Subdominant voice (with mild persistence):

"But p equals ze "

(Slamming sound, as of a hurled book.)

Dominant voice: "O you get me so damned balled up!"
Here my train approached, and I withdrew, convulsed.

K. B. L., '02.

THE TUFTONIAN.

EDITORIAL BOARD.

ARTHUR MAYNARD BOUTELLE, Editor-in-Chief.

1902.

RAY BARTON MANBERT,

RUTH BURLEIGH DAME.

1903. CHANDLER MASON WOOD.

It is opportune, now the foot-ball season is over and the thoughts of college men and women turn in other directions, that a statement be made concerning the TUFTONIAN.

As doubtless every student in college-with the possible exception of those in the entering class-knows, elegibility to the board of editors is secured by the acceptance and publication of at least one article during the year previous to the election. This is confined to no class, and every student in college has an equal chance, regardless of department.

A great deal depends both on this competition and on an honest loyalty to the college magazine. The greater amount of material available to the editors, the better will be the quality of the publication. A college magazine is as representative of the college as an athletic team, and it is a finer register of the culture and intellectuality; of that indefinable atmosphere which prevails at each institution.

Contributions this year have come, almost without exception, from members of the upper classes. This is not as it should be, for the magazine is representative of the entire college, and we earnestly hope, now that flag-rush time with its attendant excitement is past, that the TUFTONIAN may receive the attention which is its due from all classes alike.

We are informed that the Tower Cross Society contemplates the publication, in the near future, of a new Tufts song book. This is a decided step in the right direction, and the undertaking deserves the hearty support and co-operation of the college. It is proposed to publish the best known of our old songs, together with such as seem best of the newer ones, in a book to be sold at a price low enough to permit every student to possess a copy. This book should remove, in great measure, the deplorable inability, so often remarked, of Tufts students to sing well at athletic games and on other occasions when the singing of Tufts songs is desirable. But there still remains a crying need for a song, distinctly original and at the same time well suited, by its arrangement, to such singing. "The Campus Song" very well conforms to the last named requirement, but that, it must be confessed, is but a song borrowed and adapted to our need. May we not have some attempts at such a song before the new book is published? Members of the Tower Cross will gladly consider suggestions.

The much talked of flag-rush is past and, notwithstanding much adverse criticism which may, and no doubt will, be made, its conduct reflects great credit upon the student committee in charge. Small mistakes are entirely excusable, since this is Tufts' first trial of the new form of rushing and the doing away with the old and unquestionably dangerous rush is a distinctly advantageous step.

A survey of athletics in college at this time is fitting and the outlook, both from past accomplishments and from assurances for the future, is most encouraging. Our overwhelming victory over Holy Cross on Thanksgiving Day was a fit conclusion to a foot-ball season, which, notwithstanding a few defeats and a great deal of "baby talk" on the part of the respected Bowdoin Orient,

has been far from unsuccessful. Financially, also, the season has ended well.

With the beginning of class work at the gymnasium an extraordinary interest in that department is being shown. A class in boxing under a competent instructor is a feature new this year.

Steps have been taken which insure us basket-ball teams this year to play during the months when ordinarily athletics are. nearest a standstill. We are informed, too, on good authority, that an entirely new departure in athletics is to be made this winter: the playing of basket-ball games between teams composed of young ladies from the different classes.

A. M. B., 'OI.

THE LINE OF BATTLE.

The reservoir was the scene of a fiery conflict today. Two armies of red flame were warring upon each other. The smoke of battle swept down the fort-like walls and almost hid the engagement, but through it I could see the two lines struggling on toward each other-now falling back-now breaking ranks-now whirling onward. Beyond-one detachment was fleeing around the corner, leaving behind the blackened battle-field and basely abandoning its side. But an untimely death befell the deserters. In their headlong rush they failed to observe a brick wall, lying directly in their path-and so striking this the whole column perished to a man, without smoke and without glory.

Meanwhile, as the others drew near one another, they seemed to rush faster and faster with excitement and rage. The smoke rose hotter and blacker. It poured down into my eyes. There was a mad charge and then the right column made one grand leap and met the enemy. With the flash of the meeting both columns perished, and when the smoke cleared away, I saw only a few stragglers creeping timidly down hill.

B. A., '03.