With a rumble of luggage and a rattle of loose mud-guards, the Jitney Players, a peripatetic troupe composed largely of Harvard and Yale men, have descended upon New England. Bearing the masks of drama, echoing the gallantries of Provence, the college performers have invaded and captured the summer colonies of the East.

Already famous after four seasons upon the broad highway, the organization conceived by Bushnell Cheney, Yale '21, and R. S. Andrich '25, a former president of the Harvard Dramatic Club, has won a permanent place in the theatrical world. Eight principals of the troupe have been Harvard men. Sixteen players in all tour with the Jitney company; seven of them are professional actresses.

Travel In Fords

The peregrinations of the theatrical tourists are accomplished by means of three Ford cars and two nondescript run-abouts. Generally these conveyances are in an advanced state of disrepair.

H. W. Bragdon '28, an undergraduate member of the organization, related some of the tribulations of the last season to a CRIMSON representative.

"We opened the season at Noroton, Connecticut, on June 22 with Jezebel' and 'Desdemona', two special Ford trucks 'Vivian', a Ford touring car, 'Nemo', a Dodge of questionable antecedents, and Mr. Cheney's Renault runabout, 'Pippett', as our means of transportation. We were kept busy attending to these cars throughout our 11 weeks' hour.

"'Jezebel', especially, as her name suggests, was constantly outting up; one could depend on her to furnish some excitement every day. 'Desdemona', on the other hand, had only one weakness--she had to be choked thoroughly before starting.

"The two phrases that will always remind me of last summer's tour are 'mediaeval troubadours' and 'chicken salad'. At every village we visited, we were hailed by the local literati as 'mediaeval troubadours'. Every country newspaper mentioned us as the 'troubadours returned' or a 'refreshing voice from the past'. Our mediaeval origin was dinned into us from Maine to New York.

As for 'chicken salad', I am certain that no actress of the company will ever offend etiquette by ordering it a second time. Almost without exception, every entertainment we were invited to during the summer, supplied chicken salad among the refreshments. One becomes somewhat of a connoisseur of this dish after consuming it for several months. A little too much seasoning in it after a certain time sufficed to make the whole company irascible.

Travel 3000 Miles

"We covered about 3000 miles during the tour and ended up with a lot of enthusiasm at Babylon, Long Island, September 11. When things were going rather discouragingly in the middle of the summer on account of the weather, J. L. Shuke, formerly of "47" Workshop, composed a ballad which we all added to and modified during the tour. It was sung during our wanderings on the highway and was really quite inspiring. Set to the tune of Columbia, Gem of the Ocean', it goes as follows:

The Jitney Anthem

"The Jitneys all set forth together,

Like medtaeval troubadours:

In fair or in stormiest weather.