Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1848-11-10
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From the Southern Literary Messenger.
THE VENTRILOQUIST,
or TIE FORGED VIII.


My friend and chum, Tim Jocelyn, possessed to
astonishing degree the singular power of Ven
sriloquism. We had entered College together
~as his room mate-and many the times
that my friend while were sitting together OF
evening after all had retired to rest, had given
me proofs OF his astonishing faculty, by filling the
garnet with the screams of turkeys, the squeaiing
of pigs, and different limitations of the human
voice, which he would convey away to some re-
mote distance, and then gradually bring II
until II had reached the place where they were sit
ting. Il was not known to any of the students
except myself that Tim possessed this power,
and he exercised il only on a few occasions while
a. College, and III one instance, at least, made 1t
subservient TO the accomplishment of his own good
and thwartcd the purpose of villainy.
Tim was humorous. yet frank and noble mind
Cd feilow-an excellent scholar, and much beloved
by his classmates There fellow In the So
phoaore class of the name of Benson, the son of
uEaithy land holder, who possessed little talent
but had that superficial, insolent contemptuous
bearing towards all the students, whose circum-
stances inferior in wealth TO his, that render
y him deservedly unpopular among the class
Set, Notwithstanding, he was the son OF Col
Benson, who aristocrat of the old school,
and who was DESTROYS that his son should be plac-
cd In the high st class of acaGem.c honors, the
tutors, (as II duty, rather IN interest bound
ma !e much of David, and did not scruple to eN-
ercise leniencY and forbearance towards him,
which they did not extend to others; and although
dozens of the firmer's sons, among whom was
my friend Tim, outstripped him in study, and the
attainment Of science, still there was evidently a
desire the part of the tutors TO put aim ahead
and 10 prophecy that he was TO become the great
est scholar of them all. This misplaced favorit-
ism, added 10 the insoent and consequential de-
mcanor of Benson, produced for him the unani-
nous dislike of the whole school, and many were
4 the pranks that were played off upon him. David
aft cted sentimentality and romance which In
hun perfectly rdIculous-and would some
times pc pe,rate doggerel, which he submitted to
the criticism of the tutors and sometimes to the
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. III meaning and measure, ex-
opt where he had stolen entire snatches from
Byrons Hours of Idleness which never failed to
gam him the sneers of the school In the same
proportion as his verses were commended by the
teachers, On one occasion he appeared at the adj
Joining village with copy of his last effort tack
81 10 the skirt of his coat, which some mlschlev-
Gus student had pinned there during the school
hours and before Bensens departure.
During summer vacation, ball was given at
snaighboring village, and Benson and Tim, among
other students. who remained during the vacation
invited 70 attend Among the young ladies
IN attendance az the ball was Eliza Ayers, beau
tiiul girl of eighteen, whom report said was d
great heircss. She orphan and under the
guardianship of her uncle, misery old fellow
whose tyrTanv, though often extended over MS
own household had yet been withheld from his
ward Benson was there introduced to Miss Ayers
md exercised the whole of his powers to make
himself agTeeabe to her. Tim was also introduced
and before the evening drew 10 close, II was easy
10 discover that the intelligent and beautiful CIR
had drawn in her own mind the difference between
the two young men. She seemed to be annoyed
n the vapid tom fooeries of Benson. while She
listened with respec tfu attention and with smile
% the conversation of Tim. The amusement>
broke up for the evening. Tim was standing by
Miss Ayers, who after some remarks ar the happy
manner III which the evening had passed away
concluded by inviting Tim to call upon her at hel
uncle's Before she had finished this sentence
Benson came up, and politeness offered her no al
tentative but TO offer the same invitation to HIM
Tic was about 10 offer TO accompany her home
but Tim had been TO quick for him there Tin
accompanied the lady home, and Benson returned
10 his room. He however formed the determine
ton of visiting Miss Ayers, feeling the full assur
ance that Tim would come oil second best, wher
i. became known that Tim but the son Of
farmer IN moderate circumstances, while he wa:
the of Major Benson, with fortune at ms
command. He accordingly often called on Mis-:
Ayers; and her uncle, for reasons which vii
hereafter be explained encouraged his visits, aflC
exerted himself in his behalf suffer TO hI
niece. Benson was fairly in love, and as many
lovers do, he assumed virtue and amIabIlIty o
department, which but i'll feigned, and his re
81 character would often appear in spite OF HIM
ytation and often visited her A mutual attach
ment was the consequence which soon rlpened IN
10 affection between the two--an exchange o
vows and promise of her hand was won from
Eliza. Benson, under the encouragement of he
uncle, still continued his suit proposed, and wa
rejected. He now grew amazing melancholy, o
At least affected to be So and would wander in Thu
mood TO the banks of the river, and gaze upol
the stream, probably contemplating an acquaint
snce with suicide-and giving.his body TO the fish
IS for dissection But Benson was not such foo
as that either. His disappointment became know
at tAe College, and numerous were the gloes an
tsunts the poor fellow got from those over whor
he had so insoently domineered. 1hIs, o. cours
did not tend to add much to the amabillty OF n
temper-and on one occasion he showed ms mas
psnimity and courage by kr ,cking down orlgf
eyed lad some FIVE six years his junior, tor sal
ING, " that fellow who had been IN the haolt
taking airs on himself, had found flyers that cou
not be so easily taken" Tim. who stood by. sa
rhis exhibition OF Bensons courage, and IN retul
gave him blow under the left ear, which So