These loving couples considerably colored our social life and often made the University picnics problems. When the first touch of spring pervaded the gassy atmosphere and, at least, suggested the scent of coming flowers and grassy banks, notice was given out by Brock one Saturday morning that the usual spring trip to the river would be undertaken and that each one who went should go to the kitchen and prepare a lunch from materials that would be furnished by the cooks. After the breakfast a meeting of the excursionists was held in the reception room, presided over by Brock, who announced, “Now, friends, this year--mind you, this year, we are going to keep together. In the past, on our excursions, there has been altogether too much coupling up and going off alone. That has spoiled more than one excursion and it is not the fair thing. Is it?” A chorus of “Noes” gave emphasis to his protest and appeal. “This time, though,” he went on to explain, “we are to keep together. No matter if you are in love with the sweetest girl on earth and can’t be alone much under the University rules, you are not to wander off when we get out of bounds and not come around to the main party again until lunch time and then go off and not return till it is time to come home. What have you to say about it, Brother Borden?” “Pa” Borden, thus appealed to, raised his pompous head, cleared his throat after the best mode of the orator, and said, “I’m married myself and maybe shouldn’t have much to say on the matter. I agree with everything’s been said: agree with it hard!” and to give oratorical force to his last word, he brought his plump fist down on the centre table, thereby spilling half the water out of the glass which held in it a sprig of geranium. A representative of the Benedicts having been heard, Thropper, as representing the unmarried was asked for his opinion. He replied, “Of course we ought to keep together. I’m certain of it, Mr. Chairman. That’s all I need to say!”