Rear-Admiral’s pipe.  Immediately before the car walked the other two Marines, with guns on their shoulders.  The ’Digs’[58] came immediately before the Marines, preceded by the tallest of their number, carrying a white satin banner, bearing on it, in gold letters, the word ‘HARVARD,’ with a spade of gold paper fastened beneath.  The Digs were all dressed in black, with Oxford caps on their heads, and small iron spades over their shoulders.  They walked two and two, except in one instance, namely, that of the first three scholars, who walked together, the last of their brethren, immediately preceding the Marines.  The second and third scholars did not carry spades, but pointed shovels, much larger and heavier; while the first scholar, who walked between the other two, carried an enormously great square shovel,—­such as is often seen hung out at hardware-stores for a sign,—­with ’SPADES AND SHOVELS,’ or some such thing, painted on one side, and ‘ALL SIZES’ on the other.  This shovel was about two feet square.  The idea of carrying real, bona fide spades and shovels originated wholly in our class.  It has always been the custom before to wear a spade, cut out of white paper, on the lapel of the coat.  The Navy Privates were dressed in blue shirts, monkey-jackets, &c., and presented a very sailor-like appearance.  Two of them carried small kedges over their shoulders.  The Ensign bore an old and tattered flag, the same which was originally presented by Miss Mellen of Cambridge to the Harvard Washington Corps.  The Chaplain was dressed in a black gown, with an old-fashioned curly white wig on his head, which, with a powdered face, gave him a very sanctimonious look.  He carried a large French Bible, which by much use had lost its covers.  The Surgeon rode a beast which might well have been taken for the Rosinante of the world-renowned Don Quixote.  This worthy AEsculapius had an infinite number of brown-paper bags attached to his person.  He was enveloped in an old plaid cloak, with a huge sign for pills fastened upon his shoulders, and carried before him a skull on a staff.  His nag was very spirited, so much so as to leap over the chains, posts, &c., and put to flight the crowd assembled to see the fun.  The procession, after having cheered all the College buildings, and the houses of the Professors, separated about seven o’clock, P.M.”

  At first like a badger the Freshman dug,
  Fed on Latin and Greek, in his room kept snug;
  And he fondly hoped that on Navy Club day
  The highest spade he might bear away.
    MS. Poem, F.E.  Felton, Harv.  Coll.

NECK.  To run one’s neck, at Williams College, to trust to luck for the success of any undertaking.

NESCIO.  Latin; literally, I do not know.  At the University of Cambridge, England, to sport a nescio, to shake the head, a signal that one does not understand or is ignorant of the subject.  “After the Senate-House examination for degrees,” says Grose, in his Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, “the students proceed to the schools, to be questioned by the proctor.  According to custom immemorial, the answers must be Nescio.  The following is a translated specimen:—­