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One of the best practical jokes ever played by one college class upon another was perpetrated last Friday evening by the Cornell sophomores upon the freshmen of that college. It has always been a custom at Cornell for the sophs to prevent the freshmen from holding their annual banquet. Force has been tried hitherto, and as a result men have been suspended. A week ago the freshmen had caused a slight interruption to the '86 feast, and the latter class determined on revenge. A class meeting was held and a committee given full powers to outwith the freshmen. '86 determined to be sharp and use their wits.
A Rochester caterer, Teal by name, had been engaged by '87 to prepare their banquet in Ithaca itself. A sophomore went to him in person, and persuaded Teal that he was a freshman. Teal was ordered to change the place of banqueting to a village named Tremansburg, because, as the '86 men said, there was danger in Ithaca from sophomores. More, other sophomores hired the Opera house at Tremeansburg and a minstrel troupe and brass band to act as waiters. When Friday morning came, Teal, acting on instructions, telegraphed to the real freshmen that he had missed the train and would not go to Ithaca till 9 P. M. This gave the '86 men time to get to Tremeansburg and lulled the '87's into an unsuspecting confidence that their supper would come at last in proper condition.
Meanwhile the supper was laid at Tremeansburg and an extra force of citizens sworn in as police to protect the solaced freshmen. These inoffensive looking young men arrived by the correct train and sat down to a very handsome supper, safely guarded from its real owners. For several hours the fun was kept up aided by music from the minstrels and band, and stolen toasts prepared by the unlucky freshmen. In particular, one which said that: "The class of '87 is the largest class that has entered the university for five years, and if every succeeding class is morally, mentally, intellectually, and physically superior to its predecessors as we are to our brethren of '86, Cornell will, in a few years, lead the world," was received with terrific applause." The town authorities were completely deceived and made speeches in honor of '87; street parades and general rejoicings follows, and the whole party finally returned home at 2.30 A. M., by a special chartered train, having, at the end, paid squarely for their spree. But while this bright and clever set of fellows were enjoying the fun, the hapless freshmen were in disappear. When the train at 9 did not bring them any signs of their long-expected supper they saw clearly that all was not right. A few went to Tremansburg, but could do nothing, so they had all their pains for nothing. Most of them took the joke for what it was worth and made the best of their unhappy situation.
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