A TRAMP ABROAD By Mark Twain

in single file, each carrying a bright Chinese parasol

and leading a prodigious dog by a string. It was a very

imposing spectacle. Sometimes there would be as many

dogs around the pavilion as students; and of all breeds

and of all degrees of beauty and ugliness. These dogs

had a rather dry time of it; for they were tied to the

benches and had no amusement for an hour or two at a time

except what they could get out of pawing at the gnats,

or trying to sleep and not succeeding. However, they got

a lump of sugar occasionally–they were fond of that.

It seemed right and proper that students should indulge in dogs;

but everybody else had them, too–old men and young ones,

old women and nice young ladies. If there is one spectacle

that is unpleasanter than another, it is that of an

elegantly dressed young lady towing a dog by a string.

It is said to be the sign and symbol of blighted love.

It seems to me that some other way of advertising it might

be devised, which would be just as conspicuous and yet

not so trying to the proprieties.

It would be a mistake to suppose that the easy-going

pleasure-seeking student carries an empty head.

Just the contrary. He has spent nine years in the gymnasium,

under a system which allowed him no freedom, but vigorously

compelled him to work like a slave. Consequently, he has

left the gymnasium with an education which is so extensive

and complete, that the most a university can do for it

is to perfect some of its profounder specialties.

It is said that when a pupil leaves the gymnasium, he not

only has a comprehensive education, but he KNOWS what he

knows–it is not befogged with uncertainty, it is burnt

into him so that it will stay. For instance, he does not

merely read and write Greek, but speaks it; the same with

the Latin. Foreign youth steer clear of the gymnasium;

its rules are too severe. They go to the university

to put a mansard roof on their whole general education;

but the German student already has his mansard roof, so he

goes there to add a steeple in the nature of some specialty,

such as a particular branch of law, or diseases of the eye,

or special study of the ancient Gothic tongues.

So this German attends only the lectures which belong

to the chosen branch, and drinks his beer and tows his dog

around and has a general good time the rest of the day.

He has been in rigid bondage so long that the large liberty

of the university life is just what he needs and likes

and thoroughly appreciates; and as it cannot last forever,

he makes the most of it while it does last, and so lays

up a good rest against the day that must see him put on

the chains once more and enter the slavery of official

or professional life.

CHAPTER V

At the Students’ Dueling-Ground

[Dueling by Wholesale]

One day in the interest of science my agent obtained

permission to bring me to the students’ dueling-place. We

crossed the river and drove up the bank a few hundred yards,

then turned to the left, entered a narrow alley, followed it

a hundred yards and arrived at a two-story public house;

we were acquainted with its outside aspect, for it was

visible from the hotel. We went upstairs and passed into

a large whitewashed apartment which was perhaps fifty feet

long by thirty feet wide and twenty or twenty-five high.

It was a well-lighted place. There was no carpet.

Across one end and down both sides of the room extended a row

of tables, and at these tables some fifty or seventy-five

students [1. See Appendix C] were sitting.

Some of them were sipping wine, others were playing cards,

others chess, other groups were chatting together,

and many were smoking cigarettes while they waited for

the coming duels. Nearly all of them wore colored caps;

there were white caps, green caps, blue caps, red caps,

and bright-yellow ones; so, all the five corps were

present in strong force. In the windows at the vacant