PRINCETON, N. J., Dec. 30, 1881. Princeton college has been greatly annoyed at different times since the college year began, by the senseless, and, in some cases, probably thoughtless pranks of her freshmen.

At one time two '85 men greased the railroad tracks, and, thinking it a good joke, boasted of it to their friends. When, however, they found out that it was a criminal offence, and that two detectives were on their track, they left town by the next train and have not since been heard from.

At the close of last term most of the students left Princeton for their homes, but a party of about thirty turbulent spirits, principally freshmen, remained in the town to "make night hideous." They marched through the streets, stoned the professor's house, broke off young growing trees, damaged fences, and demolished sixteen street lamps. If the newspapers may be believed, "this and previous depredations, consisting of greasing the railroad track and sawing off telegraph poles., etc., bear semblance to a speedy return of old time larks."

This last offence promises to be a very serious one. The cost of replacing the lamps, if they are replaced, will be at the rate of $16 per lamp, amounting in the aggregate to $272. It is said that the citizens of Princeton are naturally unwilling to bear this expense, and that every effort will be made to bring the offending parties to justice. It is generally very hard to detect students, and, in case these escape, it is a question whether the college will pay for the lamps; it seems to me that it would be eminently short-sighted in them to neglect doing so. Two, who were unfortunately in this bad company, have been detected. One was arrested on the warrant of the mayor, and has been held in bail of $300 to appear before the grand jury. The offence is a criminal one, and the guilty parties are liable to spend the next two years of their life in the State Prison, besides paying damages.

A minor offence committed by the students a few nights ago was the removal of the clapper of the college bell, a feat that is performed here annually. The students paid dearly for this piece of folly, for a proctor, coming upon them quietly, removed the scaling ladder, and kept them up in the cold until he thought they had a sufficient time for repentance, and then let them down, taking their names as they descended.

Taken as a whole the action of some of the students last term were worse than any we have had here for years. Though they are heartily condemned by a majority of the college, they cannot help doing great harm to the good name of Princeton. ***