r crew, however, and never gave the faculty reason
to complain of any failure on our part to keep up in our studies.
When examination time came we hired an impecunious coach and,
retiring from the world, acquired in five days knowledge that our
fellows had taken eight months to imbibe. It is true that the
college at large viewed us with some disgust, but we chose to regard
this as mere envy. That we were really objectionable must, however,
be admitted, for we smoked cigars in the Yard, wore sky-blue
pantaloons and green waistcoats, and cultivated little side whiskers
of the mutton-chop variety; while our gigs and trotters were
constantly to be seen standing in Harvard Square, waiting for the
owners to claim them and take the road.

On Sundays, when the decorous youths of Boston had retired to Beacon
Street for their midday family feast of roast beef and baked beans,
the members of the Cock and Spur might be observed in their white
beaver hats driving countryward in chaises from the local livery
stables, seated beside various fair ladies from the Boston stage
or the less distinguished purlieus of the Cambridge chop-houses.
At noon these parties would foregather at some country tavern and
spend long afternoons singing, drinking, and playing draw poker
and other games of chance; and occasionally we would fight a main
of cocks in some convenient pig-pen.

But this sort of life took money, and I soon found myself borrowing
freely from my associates, most of whom were young fellows from
other States who had already come into their inheritances and had
gone to Harvard to get rid of them under the most approved conditions.
For these I came to stand as a sort of sponsor, and was looked up
to by them as a devil of a fellow, for I swore picturesquely and
had a belligerently unpleasant manner that was regarded as something
quite out of the ordinary and distinguished. These youthful
spendthrifts I patronized and taught the mysteries of a sporting
life, and for a time it became quite smart for a fellow to have
gone on one of "Quib's" notes. These notes, however, increased
rapidly in number, and before long amounted to such a prodigious
sum that they gave me great uneasiness.

My habits had become extravagant and careless. Having no money at
all I took no heed of what I did with that of others, for I hardly
believed that I could ever repay any of it. But I continued on in
my luxurious ways, well knowing that any change in my