The Argosy — page 42: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

32 OUR FIRST TERM AT OXFORD. T was Friday night at the Oxford terminus, and all the world l scrambling for cabs. I don’t think I ever saw such a scene. Knocked here, pushed there, thrust yonder! Sir John and the Squire, mearly lifted off their legs, and too much taken aback to fight for themselves, stood against the wall, thinking the community had gone suddenly mad. Bill Whitney and Tod, tall, strong young fellows, able to hold their own anywhere, secured a cab at length, and we and our Juggage got in and on it. ‘¢To the ‘ Mitre.’” “Tf this is a specimen of Oxford manners, the sooner the lads are at home the better,” growled the Squire. Sir John Whitney was settling his spectacles on his nose—nearly lost off it in the scuffle. “ Snepp told me it was a regular shindy at the terminus the first day of term, with all the students coming back,” said Bill Whitney. There had been no end of discussion as to our college career. Sir John Whitney said William must go to Oxford, as he had been at Oxford himself; whereas Brandon stood out against Oxford for me ; would not hear of it. He preferred Cambridge he said : and to Cam- bridge Johnny Ludlow should go: and he, as my guardian, had full power over me. The Squire cared not which university was chosen ; but Tod went in for Oxford with all his strong will: he said the boating was best there. The result was that Mr. Brandon gave way, and we were entered at Christchurch. Mr. Brandon had me at his house for two days beforehand, giving me counsel. He had one of his bad colds just then and kept his room, and his voice was never more squeaky. The last evening, I sat up there with him while he sipped his broth. The fire was large enough to roast us, and he had three flannel nightcaps on. It was that night that he talked to me most. He believed with all his heart, he said, that the temptations to young men were greater at Oxford than at Cambridge; that, of the two, the more reckless set of men were there : and that was one of the reasons why he had objected to Oxford forme. And then he proceeded to put the temptations pretty strongly before me, and did not mince things, warning me that it would require all the mental and moral strength I possessed to resist them, and steer clear of a course of sin and shame. He then suddenly opened the Bible, which was on the table at his elbow, and read ‘out a line or'two from COMIC OOOKS. EO in —_) the thirtieth chapter of Deuteronomy.