A feature of college life which becomes familiar with every student in the course of his four years of residence at Cambridge is the occasional visit of the man who wishes a little pecuniary aid to enable him to stem the current of his misfortunes. The placards displayed in the hallways of every dormitory are of no effect in repelling invasions of this kind, and it is not until a student gets well into his junior year that he acquires the art of speedily ridding his room of such unwelcome guests. The man who wishes you to add your name to his list of subscribers for a new work "which should be in every student's book-case"; the swarthy Spaniard with cigars, "smuggled, senor," and strong enough at that to knock down and annihilate any daring customs officer; these are familiar callers. The latest character to appear is the young man who has a fine set of surveying instruments in pawn, and wishes to borrow money enough to redeem them. As all his former friends have failed him he wishes to add you to the circle of his acquaintance and offers to reimburse any small loan you may feel inclined to make, out of the proceeds of his future surveys.
Several men have yielded to his eloquence. We should recommend that he be assisted no further.
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The Ninety-One Nine.