THE TWENTY-FIRST OR SPECIAL COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION GRAND CHAPTER OF THE SIGMA CHI FRATERNITY.

The sun shone brightly on the White City that afternoon. It was Sweden's day. John Johnson had made a grand invasion, and Queen Mab could not have captured more. The gallant Swedes had marched and countermarched; bands blared at blond-headed lads and lassies. The Swedish flag-a cross on a dark-blue and gold field-shivered nobly. If Old Joe Bagstock had been there, and sober, he would have nudged his blue-eyed neighbor and remarked: "Lief Ericson! a fine fellow-sly dog-tough and devilish sly!"

A boat shaped like a Wheeling stogy looms up in the hazy horizon. It is the great whaleback Christopher Columbus. A sound of music and a refrain of heavenly voices float across the water. All Sweden smiles in pride and turns its mighty feet toward the dock. The boat approaches slowly but surely. Can that be Sweden's flag-that little pennant of pale-blue and gold—a background for St. George's cross? Could it be that the captain of that vessel would be bold enough to place the flag of Sweden on the pinnacle of the mainmast, where it fanned without temerity, "Old Glory" itself floating tranquilly at its feet? A clarion chorus bawls out in unison " Daddy wouldn't buy me the Bowery!" A demure man waves a cane-a cheer-nine 'rahs for Swedenand what is this: "Who! who! who am I? I am a loyal Sig-ma-Chi!" Alas! Sweden was fooled. "More of them there college fellows." Thus Sigma Chi entered the Fair-the Columbian Guards can tell the rest.

The Twenty-first Grand Chapter of the Sigma Chi Fraternity held its first session on the afternoon of July 20th at the University Hotel in Chicago. This hotel is indeed worthy of its name. If there is any place where a stranger in Chicago, a frat. man or a college man should feel at home and find the peace that passeth all understanding, it is at this house. I hope that the Sigs will bear this in mind and ever remember our good Sigma Chi host, C. A. Kiler, of Kappa Kappa.

I called at the headquarters on Thursday morning, and my ears were assailed by a chorus from a jovial crowd and a piano sounding in unison"In the days of Old Raineses that story had paresis," etc. The tribe of the unterrified was certainly gathering.

The boys collected rapidly, and when the first session was opened in the afternoon there was certainly a well-balanced assembly of choice college men. The strangers as they arrived were escorted to the Sigma Chi register, where their names were enrolled. This handsome book is a valuable instrument and

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aid to sociability. One can hardly see how former conventions "got together" without it, and it reflects much credit on the Indianapolis Alumni who first presented it at their convention, a year ago this August. I wish that I could decently present a fac simile of those grand signatures and those patrictic and epigrammatic sentences following many of the names, answering proudly the question at the top of each page: "What are we here for?" The common answer, given in many languages and in many artistic forms, was "Movere Tartara!"

The convention opened with Henry H. Vinton in the chair, Wirt Howe of Alpha Omicron as Grand Annotator, and J. R. A. Linke of Alpha Phi as Grand Custos. It lasted two days. There is no necessity of going into a detailed account of the proceedings-the Bulletin has given that. We can say this much: The convention was surely an earnest, conscientious body, and it would have surprised a stranger and a barbarian by its decorum, its enthusiasm, and the grand undercurrent of vim, vigor and victory for the Sigma Chi Fraternity.

It was unfortunate that the fraternity could not have been honored by the presence of our loyal Grand Consul, Honorable Reginald Fendall. There was a universal desire to meet him. The fraternity is grateful to him for his personal and constant interest in the organization. The fundamental principles of Sigma Chi can never fail as long as these old college men continue to work with a will for remembrance sake. Resolutions of respect and gratitude to Brother Fendall were adopted with enthusiasm and a rising vote.

Brothers McPherson and Wiggam, ex-Grand Prætors of the first and fourth provinces, were given votes of thanks for their meritorious work in the fraternity.

The regular esthetic question in regard to a fraternity flower bobbed up in its usual sweet-scented way, and after many beautiful speeches and flowery appeals was as usual laid on the table with much enthusiasm.

In despair let the inartistic Sigs blurt out, "When are we going to get a fraternity flag?" Art is a strange fancy. I have found that individuals of the most phlegmatic class will jump up and, in majestic tones, show their teeth and rip up the very firmament when there is an opportunity to express their ideas on a proper combination and arrangement of color. The convention had determined to adopt a flag. Designs innumerable were presented and discussed. The poet says,

"Art and nature are just the same

In the land where the porker,"

but don't you believe it!
this time swelled in awful chorus.

Voices that had been mute in the assembly up to The fun grew fast and furious, like Tam O'Shanter's dance, and finally, when some one started to discuss the influence of Pre-Raphaelism on modern art, we who by our coarse natures had been

unable to take part in the debate sought desperately and successfully—a committee. The subject was referred to some artists on the outside for investigation.

The delegates listened attentively to the very satisfactory report of our Grand Quæstor Nate. Brother Nate is a plucky man and has been of inestimable strength to the fraternity. His report was very encouraging, and though the convention gave him the stereotyped vote of thanks, it meagerly expressed the feeling of the members toward him.

It may seem, from this article, that the convention had formed itself into a meeting for praise and thanksgiving. This is partly true, and no apologies are necessary. The Sigma Chi Fraternity, I hope, will always be able to say, "Well done, good and faithful servant." Attention was called to the great success of our college publication, THE SIGMA CHI QUARTERLY. Brother Marion Miller, who is an authority on fraternity publications, declared that the QUARTERLY holds first rank. Considered from a literary standpoint, it is certainly worthy of admiration and is a good witness to the zeal and ability of Charles Alling, Jr. Let us all drink with old Rip, and say, "May he live long and prosper."

On the afternoon of the 20th the fun began. At the invitation of the Chicago Alumni Chapter a trip was taken on the new whaleback to the Fair Grounds. There was nothing but hilarity on board. The captain very judiciously surrendered the boat and personally hauled Brother Vinton's flag up on the mainmast. Music is intoxicating, and had its effect. On landing at the Fair Grounds we marched irresistibly behind that little flag anywhere and everywhere, like children after the Pied Piper of Hamelin.

The event of the evening was the grand banquet given to the visitors at that famous place-the White Horse Inn. If there is any place where a Sigma Chi is at home it is at the banquet board. The boys simply reveled in that English inn. Everybody was gay, and Democritus, the laughing philosopher, would have been satisfied. George P. Merrick, of Omega, '84, was the genial toastmaster. When he arose and tapped on the table for attention, he was received with all kinds of applause. He called on a few of the brothers present to make some informal remarks, and as a result we were treated to some magnificent speeches. An informal Sigma Chi banquet is always a brilliant success. Judge Ferris, of Cincinnati, answered to the first call. The boys followed up the remarks of the toastmaster in regard to the judge by springing to their feet and cheering in a manner so enthusiastic that would have embarassed anybody but our loyal friend Ferris. Sigma Chi will never confuse him. He spoke as he always does-in a forcible, earnest manner.

Professor Marion Miller received the next invitation. Like the judge, he is one of our strong pillars, and always makes it a point of duty to say

"Yis" when we cry in chorus "Are ye wid us ?" He made a very happy speech, and his recitation in poetry of a very appropriate arrangement from the Greek was received with close attention and brought the boys, who were able to stand, again to their feet. The idyl recited, "Heracles and Hylas," is the opening feature of this issue of the QUARTERLY.

The eloquent and handsome James Todd, one of the Assistant State's Attorneys of Cook County, was the next victim. O, Chicago criminals! you will get no mercy when you run up against Brother Todd, with his silvery sentences and graceful delivery!

Mr. Merrick then, in a very suspicious and quiet manner, called on Burr McIntosh. We knew something was going to drop, because the Chicago men commenced to quiver and wink the other eye. Brother McIntosh made a characteristic off-hand speech, told a story and sat down. Amid tremendous noise he arose again and again. I think it would be a good thing if the fraternity would bottle him up-put him on ice and uncork some of him on occasions of this kind. A villain will steal him some day, and he'll be missed. O Zeus! how we answered "Yis!" when he sang that tender question, "Will yees all be wid me when I tackle Paddy Flynn?"

Speeches were also made by Grand Prætors Fiske, Wiggam, Dixon, and others, and the toastmaster announced that the boys would have to adjourn to attend the reception given in the New York building to the visiting fraternity men. We all cried "No! No!" but it had to be done. The pennant was unfurled the line of march was taken up-we reached the New York building-marched up the grand stairway, forming a lock-step-marched into the hall, where haggard youths in dress suits were waltzing with fair damsels. We came in like a huge sea-serpent-our step was unbroken, and we more than encircled the large hall before the tail with its vibrating rattlers pulled itself on the inside. The flag waved-the Sigma Chi yell burst forth. The delegates then mingled with the terrified reception committee. Some of the boys. commenced to stutter with their feet. Suddenly there was the welcome signal -a mighty chorus-"Are you going to the Midway Plaisance? Come on, Sigs!" The lock-step was formed again, and we wriggled out. I am afraid the reception committee breathed sighs of relief, for we were an elephant on their hands.

I have a very bizarre remembrance of what occurred in the Plaisance. I believe that we could have ruffled the foundations of the City of the Seven Hills. We tried the "Hot! hot! hot!" and the "Bum, bum candy." We had a donkey race in Cairo, gazed in horror at oriental dancers, and wound up the festivities by being requested to withdraw from the Hungarian Concert Hall and divers and sundry Midway theatres. A Columbian Guard remarked to me shortly after, "We can handle the Dahomeyans when they get moon

eyed--we can manage the Turks—we know how to settle Mahommed, the long-haired Egyptian warrior, when he quaffs deep from the well of Zena Zern --but goll darn these college students!" Some of the crowd, not satisfied with the Plaisance, started in jaunting cars for Chicago itself. Where our little flag rested that night I would not venture to say. Brother Nate, weary and hollow-eyed, bore it in triumph back to our headquarters in the hotel the next morning.

The Chicago Alumni-may their halos never grow dim-escorted the visitors to a box party at the Auditorium on Friday evening. We made a violent impression, and "America" was ours. Even the chorus girls wore blue and gold ribbons, and many a Sig abused his vocal chords at the climax of the evening's performance, when the Schaffer family, that marvelous crowd of acrobats, formed their pyramid and the little girl waved the same old flag boldly from her perilous position on high.

We who

The total attendance at our The attendance at the World's

The Sigma Chi convention was certainly a remarkable success. were fortunate enough to be there will never, no, never, forget it. It was the largest and best-represented meeting ever held. successful convention at Indianapolis was 116. Fair convention was 135. Far-off chapters that hitherto had taken no part in council meetings had delegates present.

It would be very unjust indeed if this article were closed without mention of the zeal, the liberality and the hospitality of the Chicago Alumni. They treated us in a grand manner, and the visitors, one and all, are enthusiastic in their praise and in gratitude for the magnificent and untiring attentions of our friends in Chicago. They went to great personal expense and made us all feel at home-satisfied with the world and the Sigma Chi Fraternity. A stranger in Chicago has brilliant opportunities, and I cannot see how the Chicago poet, Eugene Field, could pine and mutter in his own unrivaled way: "Away out West I would build my nest,

On the top of a carmine hill,

Where I can paint, without restraint,

Creation-redder still."

Cincinnati, O., August, 1893.

GEORGE D. HARPER, Zeta Psi, '91.