The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1853-06-18
THE FATAL TRICK.

lpon one evening, party OF collegans
and young bloods of the town had met to-
gethcr at my rooms to play and carousc In
tact, it was a regular meeting OF the hunters
who assembled twice in every week. We
kept it up .iolilv until midnight, having in
that time managed to get full of Bacchus,
when Somcrs proposed that We should sally
forth and astonish the town bv some we'll
planned and wcll-dircctcd piece of mischief.
Without any one of us having a very clear
conception OF our actions or intentions, we
hailed the proposition with drunken rapture,
and started forth. A travelling ncnaccric
had arrived in town the day before, and a.
mons the wonders was Young bear The
poor animal had been so beaten. that he be
came very humble, and acquired number
OF amusing tricks. OF this we were all aware.
having visited the mcnagecic the dav before.
Just as we passed the spot where the animals
were confined, it occurred to me what rare
sport 1t would be to capture voung Bruin and
place him in the chemical lccfurc-room to AS
tonSh on the next dav, the professors and
class.
No sooner had made proposition to this
effect, than it was adoptcd,and all volunteers
ell their assistance in carving it into cxecu-
ton. The tent or pavilion which covered
the beasts, was erected in the great yard of
the principal tavern. The cages. each con-
tanning one or more animals were iron grated
boxes, standing on whecl>.hy means Of which
they had been dragged into town. They were
ranged around the interior of the tent. form
INC a circular array of wood and iron. Not
imagining tha; any one would disturb th, an
mals, the >howmcn and keepers had retired
to rest along with the inmates of the tavern.
leaving the tents entirely unmatched. Thus
We Were afforded a clear field in which to cx-
crutr our scheme. After several OF our num-
per had been posted As >cntincl>. We crcpt
III under the canvas and entered the arena
Ii was some time. before we could. in the
deep darkness Of the place, identify the carc
in which our friend Bruin had been placed to
sleep. After stumbling over divers things
that lay scattered about and perring here
and there in the dark We found the object
of our search: there, in substantial care,
was the dim outline OF the animal his two
white eyes flashing drops of fire, at being a
reused from his >luml,r.
The next difficult, that occurred to us wa,
the mode OF conveying him INTO the COLLEGE.
which was several wards distant Some OF the
jewellers proposed that We should throw a
halter around his neck, and 50 lrag him a
long. We rejected this, not from any person
al fear. since We had arrived at that point
which makes one ohliyiou> of danger, but
lest we should lie seen hv some strauglcr
and have our fun spoiled, a better plan was
after much Schcmn., devised, and one that
met with universal acquicsccnce
In the tavern yard stood water hogshcad
with sliding hd fastened bv means of a
hasp and staple. We had only to roll tins in.
slide down the box from the wheels. omen the
door Immediately III front Of the hocshcad
and drive the animal in. We could then push
down the Ind Of the ca>k secure it bv means
of rope passed through the staples, and roll
our prisoner to the college
No sooner was this suggested than we has
tened to put it into execution The care.
with Our united efforts was slid quietly down
from the whcclS-Bruin rrowlnr all the
while with angcr-thc hogShrad was rolled
IN and placed open end in front of the care.
and the animal stirred up with our canes
With terrific yell he rushed in and we clos
ed the lid suddenly down upon him, faSten-
ing 1t at the same time in a secure manner
The yell of the bear had reused the other an
lmalS, and our ears were rcgalcd for the next
ten minutes with variety Of hidcouS sounds,
that wakcned fearullv the sleeping echoes
OF the night. The animal in the hogshral
growled,and his voice came like distant thun
dcr,so deadcncd was it bv the wood in which
he lay. His fellow, had no incumbrance to
their voices, and they howlcd as clearly as
though they had been in their native forests.
Fearful of being discovered, we remained
quiet for time, holding our brcaths in sus-
pense. But no one disturbed or thought of
disturbing us. The animals often started
chorus of strange noises during the highland
the keepers thinking nothing unusual to be
the matter, merely cursed the unrulv beasts
for destroying the Unity of their rest, and
turning back, went to sleep again
As soon as quiet was rcstoredwe slit hole
IN the canvass. for we were afraid to emerge
by the aperture which faced the tavern. roll
ed our hogshead through the yard to the
gate, which We unfastened, and then passing
into the road started at quick rate for our
destination. Over and over went the hogs
head,the animal within growing at the rough
treatment he experienced, and we, nearly
conyulsed with laughter at the noise which
he made.
AT length We reached the back part of the
college, when one of our party climbed over
the wall and untastened the gate. We roll
I I
atory,whch was the place where our profess