The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1855-09-22


and drinking in the contents Of that damnins
page before me- read it and rc-read 1t, a
gain and again, and impulsive'y. mechan-
callv. scarcely knowing what did or why |
did il, copied the whole Of it on my note
book. | was still poring over it, in state ct !
utter forretfulneSS to all else. when was a
reused from my sad rcvericS. by the grut
'oicc of policeman. who wished 70 examine
the book. and who asked me in a Surlv tone.
if was going to keep 1t all day : made
some hiplant reply to him. and handed Elm
the book. His eve rested at once on the glar-
ING caption, Two hundred dollars reward "
and after reading it carefully, he turned to
ne anJ SAID
III amt very much mistaken. saw that
hap with YOU the Fourth of July.
1T was true we had been together all that
I lay, and on that very day had together en-
tered that same police office, and convcrscd
with that same disciple of Dogbcrry.
II simply replied, that i guessed not, and
As soon as could safely. and without Great
INC suspicion, left the office.
With a>pccd as rapid as was capable OF,
started for the office OF the Morning.
! \ friend, whom met on the WAY laughing
manner in which had jo>tled him aside,
when he .ra>pcd my hand ANA would have
spoken with me. But | remembered it not
The busy street was all blank space to me
that afternoon. The din of carts and carria
.r> and n"ws-hoys' GSts, fell not ON my ear.
But one Thought filled me--but one hope ami
mated me. and that was to see my poor friend
d in time to save him from the clutches
of the law. rushed madlv into the office,
and found G- quietly sitting at his desk,
en.:aec,l in writing seized him wildly an !
babe hin not to speak. NJ follow me to my
room Arm in arm, we went together
pulled him alon. with rapidity that must
, have alarmed him. Not word WAS sad till
NV attic chamber was reached and then,
when bade him be seated. pulled out my
uote-hoOk. and told him to read the tran
>cript hal madc-,hc record of lj> crime
lie read it through calmly and quietly, and
" hen he had reached the ,ndin,. the note
book dropped from ouf h;> hand and he. fol-
Iowiu. it. fell upon the floor. where tears and
! ,obs for a moment chokcd his uftcrancc. as
he tried to speak to me. hale him be calm.
and whispered words ,ot hop, into hi> ear
, and when the first g,l>h of >orrowiul despair
had passed away he seated himself upon my
hcd. and told me the sad secret of his life
n and for the first time fully learned why it
' was he had so long been hoping for the l.ethe
1 of forgetfulnc>S.
! Il He was the only son of somewhat cclc-
n bra.ed divine, in the State Of. and his
+ mother was a widow His father ere he died
e. had intended him to follow ir the footsteps
t tondncSs could offer was lay>hed on his clu
j. cation. When eighteen years o; are. n" en-
' intellect and the noble qualities of his heart
n Young as he was lrcw around him Grove
e of admirers He was loved, and he was Hat
tered Mineing with the gay and reckless
n youths. who in collcce-lie are usually mad,
it NJ Of the most intellectual, he Joined then
= in their rcvcl>. and. in an cvi, hour. became
10 an initiate at the gaming table which wa
= found at that time even in the Puritan cit'
ii of - From thot moment he became
IS victim His liberal allowance was suuandcr
" cd always a, the hell to which he had beer
to introduced. and after three constant wears OF
ii torture, such AS only the gambler knows, h
ID found himself di>rraccd with ,!eht, tror
at which he saw no hope of release. His faith
as or had in the meantime died. and he had We
nigh exhausted his poor mothers paticnc
le and her purse, by his frequent demands NJ
II; on the latter. Daring this time. his nervou
er intellect could rot be slumhercd even bv tn
IN deadnin- influence of gaming, and he hccam
III a ripe scholar but misery had marked hi'
rs for victim. and already he began TO lon
it. for the Le'h" Of torgetfulneSs- At last. whc
j. in stat" of utter desperation. tcmptatio
nd seized him, and one day after nights dc
n bauch at the gaming table, knowing that
n professor had sum OF money in the banl
'e he procured a check fliled 1t with the s"'
he OF $1,000 forged the professors signature. an