Allabach correspondence

Our plans are to have our party on Saturday night. Mr. & Mrs. Johnson will be away and wish us to have it then as Mrs. J. is not very well. She is very willing for us to have it and says she will bake us a cake. Mrs. Fyffe and the Theta girls will come of course and Mrs. F. will do the chaperoning. We expect to have progressive Euchre and serve simple refreshments, but we want to have a good time and just what to do for selecting partners, and what kind of ordeals to put the winners through we don't know. We think it will make more fun to have the boobies and winners do something more than have prizes. We might make all kneel to the head ones and make the [losers?] bow to everyone else or go through some very [ridiculous?] feat. Well, we really can't do anything till after Thursday and examinations are over and then we will put our whole minds on it and decorate with pepper and holly, etc., and work out our salvation.

I took a pleasant little walk this afternoon. The reservoir of the stock yards is full of water and very pretty just now. So also is the Frenchman's lake. I do so wish you could be here so I could show you these places I talk so much about. Seems to me I would be wildly happy if I could only have one of you here, and too happy to live if all of you would just come. But it cannot was and I must sing, "Roses will bloom again, Sweet love will come again; It will be Summer-time bye and bye."

Well the great and eventful game came off yesterday. The [preparation?] for it was as much fun nearly as the game itself. We have been inveigling the Professors to go to practice games and going ourselves as much as possible. It is very interesting to watch the practice games and especially with Mr. Camp as coach. There we learned to understand the game by the practicing.

Mr. Camp gave a very nice little talk in the chapel last Tuesday. He gave some history of the game which comes from the Canadian English to us and was introduced, and became a college game with rules about 1876. It was at Harvard it was first played. The Old English game used to be played between two parishes, all the people taking part and the field being the whole parish territory, each trying to retain the ball I believe. He traced the evolution of some of the rules, told some funny stories and told us of the Harvard & Yale teams. McClurg, who came to coach Berkeley is Yales' captain. Then he told a story to explain his and McClurg's first impressions of the coast teams. He said we could stand it to hear it now as he had changed his opinion of our team. In fact he says he would not want any better men in the Yale team than Clemans and Walton. Well, the story is that two men were at the theatre. One nudged the next, saying, "Isn't this a rank show?" The other man said nothing. At the end of the next act the same man nudged his neighbour with, "Isn't this terrible?". The man who had said nothing till now broke out with, "Wall, to tell

you the truth, I'm here on a complimentary ticket, but if the next is like this I'll go out and buy a ticket, then I'll come in and raise cain."

He closed with a little [rhyme?] which said whatever they did, lose or gain, kick or play, "Be each, pray God, a gentleman."

We have been going over to the chapel too, to learn to sing some songs. One is our first Stanford song, written by Professor Albert Smith and the music by Mrs. Smith. Then the others were football songs to sing in case we beat.

Friday night was the last and as Mrs. Stanford had sent word that she had a message, there was a good crowd. We had a good deal of fun singing the songs and some small companies of boys who called out "Amen!" and "So be it" when things pleased them as well as other things which added to the joy. Professor Swain read a letter from Dr.Jordan which expressed the sentiment of Sen. Stanford to the effect that whether we were defeated or not, all would conduct themselves with due propriety, and not visit the saloons, etc. Then, presently Mr. Nash, Sen. Stanford's private secretary appeared and following him one of the Stanford aids-de-camp bearing a most beautiful banner. At sight of it the crowd flung up their hats and yelled and shouted, then they stood up and yelled and yelled. Then Mr. Nash made a neat presentation speech in the name of Mrs. Stanford; Carl Smith accepted for the students; then we gave three cheers for Mrs. Stanford, the Senator, Mr.Nash and I don't know if for anyone else or not.

The banner is large, of cardinal satin trimmed with gold fringe, and the staff is surmounted by an eagle. On one side is painted the arcade and in gold the inscription "Presented by Mrs. Stanford to the foot ball team". On the other side is the Palo Alto tree and the words "Leland Stanford Jr. University, 1892" It is very handsome. The young women also presented the team with a banner and last year they received some, so are quite rich already.

Well, I must tell you now about the game itself. We had twelve coaches and one baggage car in our special train. There was a San Jose special train also. Ours was gaily decorated and everyone wore red holly berries, not the eastern holly but a kind which grows here a great deal.

When we arrived at Valencia, street cars were waiting and the red being quickly transferred from the train to cars, we rode up town. Nellie and I did our little shopping and went to the Palace Hotel, which was Stanford Headquarters. It is like a palace with its large court, all marble-white, clear to the top story and its large rooms and elegant furnishings.

We had time but for a light lunch and then piled into our tally ho and went direct to the grounds. There were about fifteen-thousand people present; many fine carriages also, each decorated either in the cardinal or in blue and gold. Our tally ho was gorgeous and we were all on top to watch the game and could see it splendidly.

The playing was splendid and the yells went from Stanford to U.C. and back again but at the end of the first half it was all Stanford and we had 6 and U.C. 0.

The second half seemed to go more their way. They were heavier than our men and able to push but did not play so scientifically. Our men made four more and they made ten and the game closed a tie. I was so angry. It was better than being beaten but I wanted to beat. Well,we could not sing our songs, neither could Berkeley. Se we all yelled. Coming in I rode on top. When a Berkeley coach met us we saluted, they with U.C. yell and horns and we with Stanford.

We spent the evening in shopping and at the Cal. Hotel and did not get home till three this morning, as the train was late.

The Stanford people went to the Cal. Theatre, many of them. The actors sang our songs, gave our yell and wore our colors. At the last, our banners were on the stage also. The boys gave the yell too, once or twice during the performance.

I think I must draw this short epistle to a close, for even foot ball must have an end, though we have been completely absorbed in it lately.

I hope you may have a merry Christmas and send Papa and Mama lots of love.