The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1846-10-13
MISCELLANEOUS.
COLLEGE LIFE.
A TALE OF TRIAL AND TRIUMPH.
BroNE WHO WAS THERE.
cHAPT. l.-INTRoDUcTIoN.

THOUGH the green turf has for years
hid thee from my sight, Thomas Numbers
and Timothy Dandy, boon companions of my
college days, would fain brush the dust
from your tombs, and lay the inscription Of
your ralor and virtue naked before the pub
Liz eve, that all may look thereon. and that
tho youth of the present day may learn Wis
dom thereby.
Tom was good hearted fellow, of fair tai
ents, considerable learning negligent Of dress,
and. on ordinary occasions, dull and sluggish
in his appearance, and never very entertain
ing in conversation. But when engaged in
any enterprise of difficulty and danger, he
was altogether new man, meeting every
exigency as promptly and efficiently as
though he had contrived The crisis IN his re
tirement foi the purpose Of exhibiting his
dsxterity in avoiding the catastrOphy. In
fact, he possessed a sert of nathema tical head
and all his plans and calculations were exc
cuted with the precision of clock work.
These talents made him invaluable in the
plotting and execution of college scrapes
Like all of the human family, he had his
fraiIiies. Although he would steal, THAT is in
a quasi sense.) he would not lie, this was his
weak point. II suspicion rested on him and
he was called on 10 clear it up, he was sure
10 confirm it. Did he 90 into the presence
of the faculty, charged with an offence. he
came out convicted.
To be perfectly secure in The preparation
OF scrapes, he needed a cOmpaniGn-a help
meet for his weaknesses-0ne who abOunded
where he was lacking-Onc valiant in words,
and such an one WAS had in Timothy Dan
dy.-Tom's antipode in every thing-Tim
WAS scrupulously neat in his personal APP
pearance. and alike fearful Of selling his
clothes aud injurins his bsdy. Ia scenes of
danger useless. except by timely fight, TO
warn his companions Of its approach; hut,
like Demoslhenes Of old, whose example he
loved to quote, (Gor he even was somewhat
familiar with classics-lhrough trGnSidtiOnS, J
bo was valiant in words; there he made ur
nj deficiency in physical courage. Unabash-
ed in the presence Of the faculty, he WAS ex-
rremely cunning in inventing means of es-
cape from all imputations inst or in ust, ma
king whatever statements tended most 10 Sc
cure his object He seemed in his inter
course with the faculty to act on that high
moral principle laid down by DIR. Paley, in
his Moral Philosophy that there is no OBJ
legation TO speak the truth TO those who have
no right to know it.
Tim had ono popularity, not indeed sc
yer, peculiar. with him among his com
paniens, ] was tho first person, plural mum
her. His part aud what he had done he
loved to tell, and occasionally. for The sake
of the glory Of having done the deeds, HI
would suffer the punishment deserved b,
others. Some engaged in scrapos for Tho
pleasure and excitement, Tim sought thu
glory. Such were the rival sophs Of Is
Neither in himself perfect, each wanting tn
other TO make a complete whole. Such
whole they did make. Battling the skill Of al
experienced and inquisrtive faculty. the.
we're not aGnonished. warned, rustcatcd o
expelled during an eventual sophomore year
Like two stakes. whose tops leaned together
united they stood-divided, both would hav
fallen.