The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1839-06-22
From the Boston Courier.
TEE vENTS. S.1TscSU1STo
CHAPTER /,
CHAPTER !.

NNAA 1NAF -
My friend and chum, Tim Jocely, pos
sessed in a astonishing degree the singular
power of VentriloquiSt. We had entered
college together--I was his room mate
and many were the times that my friend,
while we were sitting together of an even
ing, after all had retired 10 rest, had given
me proof of his astonishing faculty, by fill
ing the garret with the screams of turkeys,
the squealing Of pigs, and with different i'm
itatons of the human voice, which he could
convey to some remote distance and then
gradually bring it nearer and nearer, until
it reached the place where he was sitting.
1t was not known to any Of the students ex-
cept myself, that Tim possessed this power,
and he exercised it on SO few occasions
while at college, and, in one instance
made it subservient to the accomplishment
of at least his own good. aud thwarted the
purpose of villainy.
Tim was humorous, yet frank and no
BILE minded fellow, an exceS mt scholar, and
much beloved by his class mates. There
was fellow in the Sophmore class, of the
name OF David Benson, The son OF wealthy
landholder, who possessed in reality, but
little talent, but had that superficial and in
solent contemptuous bearing towards all
the students, whose circumstances were in
ferior in wealth to his, that rendered him
deservedly unpopular among the class--yet,
notwithstanding as he was the son of Major
Benson, who was an asnstocrat of the old
school, and who was desirous that his son
should be placed in the highest rank of aca-
demic honors, the tutors (as IN duty, or
rather, in interest bound made much OF
David, anu dld no; sea up.s - sHer.ise len
iency and folbearance towards him, which
they did not extend towards others and
although dozens Of the farmers sons, among
whom was my friend Tim, out stripped
him in study, and in the attainment Of sci
ence, still there was evidently desire on
the part of the tutors to put him ahead, and
to prophecy that he was destined to become
the greatest scholar of them al. This mis-
placed favoritism, added TO the insolent and
consequential demeanor of Benson, procur-
ed for him the unanimous dislike Of all the
school, and many were the pranks that
were played off upon him. David affected
sentimentality and a romance which was
in him perfectly ludicrous--and would some
times perpetrate doggeral, which he sub.
mitted to the criticism of the tutors, and
sometimes to the students, deficient in
meaning or measure, except where he had
stolen entire snaIches from Byron's "Hours
of IdIeness," which never failed to gain him
the sneers Of the school in the same proper.
ton as his verses were commended by the
teachers. On one occaion ne appeared at
the adjoining village, with a copy of his
last effort tackled to tle skirt of his coat,
which some mischievous student had pin.
ned there during sclool hours, and before
Benson's departure.
J During a sumnar vacation, a ball was
given at the neighbo 7g village, and Ben
son and Tim among other students who
had remained during tie vacation were in
vited to attend. Among the young ladies,
in attendance at the ball, was Eliza Ayers,
beautiful girl of eighteen, whom report
said was great heiress. She was an or
phan, and under the guardianship'of her un-
Gle, miserly old fellow, whose tyrannies,
although extended over his own household,
had as yet been withheld from his ward.-
Benson was here introduced to Miss Ayers,
and exercised the whole of his powers 10
make himself agreeable to her. Tim was
also intrOduced-and before the evening
drew 10 close, it was easy to discover that
the beautiful and intelligent girl had drawn
in her own mind the difference between the
two young men. She seemed annoyed at
the wiped fooleries Of Benson, while she
listened with respectful attention, and with