Constantine republican. [volume] (Constantine, Mich.) 1836-1838, 1838-05-30
From the Broome County Courier.
THE VENTRILOQUlST.

BY JOSEPH BoUGHToN, ESQ.
My friend and chum, Tim Jocelyn, pos.
sessed to an astonishing degree the singu.
lar power of Ueatriloquism. We had en-
tered college toguther--I was his room.
mate-and many were the times that my
friend, while we were sitting together of an
evening, after all had retired to rest. had
given me proof of this astonishing faculty
by filing the garnet with the SC cam OF
turkies, the squealing of pigs, and with diff.
ferent limitations Of the human voice,
which he would convey away to some re.
mote distance, and then gradually bring it
nearer and nearer, until it reached the place
where We were sitting. II was not
known to any of the students except myself
that Tim possessed this power, and he ex-
ercised it only on few occasions, while at
college, and in one instance, made it subser-
Went to the Accomplishment of at least his
own good, and thwarted the purposes of
viliany.
Tim was humorous, yet frank and no.
bic. minded felow-an excellent scholar,
and much beloved by his classmates
There was fellow in the Sophomore class,
of the name of David Benson, the son of a
wealthy landholder, who possessed in re.
atty, but little talent, but had that superb.
cal and insolent contemptuous bearing
towards all the students whose crcumstan-
ces were inferior in wealth to his, that rem.
dered him deservedly unpopular with the
! class--yet Notwithstanding, as he was the
son of Major Benson, who was an arisiocrat
| Of the old school, and who was DESTROYS that
his son should be placed in the highest rank
of academic honors, the tutors, Gas in duty,
or rather in interest, bound,) made much
of David, and did not scruple to exercise
leniency and forbearance towards him,
which they did not extend to others and
although dozens ofthe farmers sons, among
whom was my friend Tim, outstripped him
in study, and in the attainment of science
still there was evidently desire on the par
of the tutors to put him ahead, md to proph
ecy that he was destined to become the
greatest scholar of them all. This mis-
placed favoritism, added to the insoent ant
consequential demeanor Of Benson, pro
cured for him the unanimous dislike of al
the inmates the school, and many were
the pranks that were played off upon him
David affected sentimentality and 70
nance, which was in him perfectly u
dicrous-and would sometimes perpetratt
doggerel, which he submitted to the crli
cism Of the tutors, and sometimes to thu
students-defcien in meaning or measure
except where he had stolen entire snatche
from Bryon's "IIours of ldleness," whicl
never failed to gain him the sneers of tn
school in the same proportion as his verse
were commended by the teachers. Oh
one ccason, he appeared at the adjoining
village, with copy ofhis latest effort, tack
cd TO the skirt of his coat, which som
mschievous student had pinned there du
ring school hours, and before Benson's de
parture.
During q summer vacation, ball wa
given at the neighboring village, and Ben
son and Tim, among other students VIII
had remained during the vacation, were in
vted to attend. Among the young hdie
in attendance at the ball, was Eliza Ayres
beautiful girl of eighteen, whom rcpol
said was great heress. She was an oil
phan, and under the guardianship of her ur
, Gle, misery old fellow, whose tyrannic
; although often extended over his household
had as yet been withheld from his ward
. Benson was here introduced to Miss Ayre
D and exercised the whole of his powers,
render himself agreeable to her. Tim wa
: also introduced-and before the evenin
drew IN n closo ~ wns easv IN disroyt
t that the intelligent and beautiful girl ba
. drawn in her own mind the difference BE-
: tween the two young men. She SCENE
. annoyed at the vapid tom-fooerics OF Bel
!. son, while she listened with respectful a
I tention TO Tim. The amusemenis brok
d IN for the evening. Tim was standing b
!, Miss A., who, after some remarks as TO tn
' happy manner in which the evening ha
o passed away, concluded by inviting Tim
o call upon her at her uncle's. Before 81
! had finished this sentence, Benson came u
: and poltoness afforded her no aftermath,
f bu, to offer the same invitation TO him.
e He was about to offer to accompany he
Q home, but Tim had been too quick for hi
!, there. Tim accompanied the lady HON
and Benson returned mortified to his room
n He however formed the determination
e visiting Miss Ayres, feeling the full assn
= ancc that Tim would yet come OIL secor
, best, when il became known that Tim WI
v but the son ola farmer in moderate crcur
o stances, while he was the son OF Maj
:. Benson, with fortune al. his command
He accordingly often called on Miss A