Volcano weekly ledger., 1856-12-20
THE FATAL TRICK.

Upon an evening party OF collegians and
young bloods of the town had met together
at my room to play and carouse In fact, it
/ was regular meeting of the hunters, who
assembled twice in every week We kept it
up JOLLY until midnight, having in thai time
managed to get full of Bacchus, when Somers
proposed that we should sally forth aud as
tonish the town by some well-planned and
well-directed piece Of mischief Without any
one of us having clear conception of our
actions or intentions, we hailed the PROPOSE
ton with drunken rapture, and at once started
forth.
A travelling managerie had arrived in town
the day before, and among the wonders it
contained was young bear. The poor ami
NAL had been so well beaten that he became
very humble, and acquired number Of anu
sing tricks. OF this we were all aware, hav-
ing visited the menagerie the day before
just as we passed the spot where the animals
were confined, it occurred to me what rare
sport it would be to capture poor Bruin and
place him in the chemical lecture room, to as
tonish, on the next day, the professors and
the class.
No sooner had | made proposition to
/
unteered their services in carrying it into ex-
ecution. 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 wheels, by means of which
they had been dragged into the town. They
were ranged around the interior of the tent,
forming a circular array of wood and iron.--
Not imagining that any one would disturb
the animals. the showmen and keepers had
retired to rest along with the inmates of the
tavern, leaving the tents entirely uawatched.
Thus we were afforded clear field in which
to execute our scheme. After several Of our
number had been posted as sentinels, the rest
crept in under the canvas and entered the
arena. 1t was some time before we could, in
the deep darkness Of the place, identify the
cage in which Brun had been placed to sleep.
After stumbling over divers things which
lay scattered about, and peering here and
there in the dark, we found the object Of our
search There, in substantial cage, was the
dim outlines of the animal, his two white eyes
flashing drops of fire at being aroused from
his quiet slumber.
The next difficulty that occurred to us was
the mode of conveying him to the college,
which was several hundred yards Distant
Some of the revelers proposed thatwe should
throw halter around his neck and so drag
him along, We rejected this, not from any
personal fear, since we had arrived at that
point which makes one obivious to danger,
but lest we should be seen by some late strag-
gler, and have our fun spoiled. A better
plan was, after much scheming, devised, and
one which met with The universal acquiescence
of the party.
In the tavern yard stood waterhogshead
with a sliding lid, fastened by means of a
hasp and staple We had only to roll this
in, slide down the box from the wheels, open
the door Immediately in front of the hogs
head, and drive the animal in. We could
then push down the lid of the case, secure it
by means of rope passed through the sta
pies, and roll our prisoner and prison-house
to the college.
No sooner was this suggested than we has
tened to put it in execution. The cage, with
our united efforts, was slid quietly down from
the wheels Bruin growing all the while
with anger-the hogshead was rolled in, and
placed with the open end in front of the cage,
and the animal stirred up with our canes
With terrific yell, he rushed in, and we
closed the lid suddenly down upon him, fas-
tening it at the same time in secure manner
The veil of the bear had reused the other
animals, and our ears were regaled for the
next ten minutes with variety Of hideous
sounds, that wakened fearfully the sleeping
echoes of the night The animal in the hogs.
head growled, and his voice came like dis