The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1857-01-29
From Ballou's Dollar Monthly Magazine.
THE STUDENTS TRIAL.

Il was week before commencement at Dart
mouth. Arsp at the door Of one of the stu
dents rooms, and its inmais hastily but quietly
folded a manuscript which he had been study
ing intentIy by the light Of his lamp. AID turn
ed the key of a trunk upon it, before answering
the summons. al know who's th-rr," was legi-
BILE on his finely chislrd lips. which first CTR ed
unpleasanty then settlel themselves almost as
rigidly as th1s.. of a statue.
"GJol evening Mr. + Rlym mi will YOU com,
in7"
d" G DOL evening, Llyle-,hans you
'Th, visitor, E isar Raymond, advanced to a
seat, while Wordsworth Lyle tlrned 10 the
oIe Ii. had quittsd The young m.n face 10 face
across writing table in The moment ol siIeuc
that ensurd, appeared in striking contrast
Lyle had tn 81 'nl.r fran. and thin. pale che, k,
which charlcterz. m2nIal smperanl'n greatly
pred Diminishing. His eyes, OF haz i bur. which
always from tn. dcc!lm ltiUu platform sent
flashes over the hall like the r,iaiuus OF double
koh-i-noor. were now droprcl partia l.. and
could gu have INST them fultyou could have rcad
in thtm no more Of his thoughts than Of the
concealed manuscript through tn. lock of ,h:
trunk a, his suspended l:ft hanl Rlym md )
figure was firm as youlg oak, his complex on
uark-;yes snl hair intensely black his express
sion. psrhnps. slightly sinister, yet emin-n II &C
tive ual al.compauiOnabl.. Fowler would n-v.r
have given him small self-esleem nor large be-
mGvolenc.; an stillhis chart would as a who'll:
have been one h, might b. prnul 10 exhibit.
"PriEs essay quite ready, OF course" in,et-
rosRted RIym1n leaning full toward the Other
AMI tapping with snail, wool!u rule h. had
picked up from tn: table.
Wha intorm al you. pray, th.t I was tn en-
ter for the prI.l' returned Lyle, little haush
tiIy.
20, pooh now Ha. la, la What will you
take for your right in tn. cntest? Nothing
short OF IN. one hundred dollars there's a chance
of winning, | bet my head. Afrai Of losing
at that. eh the fame, you know"
He looked hard at Lyle, who made no reply
nor in the least altered his position. Then
having accompanied himself in low whistl'
through the measures of "Uhcle Ned" Raymond
cast down the rule in its place, sat upright ant
folded his arms.
Lyle" he tessmed. taking serious ton
for the one OF banterng, III you want tn
amount Of the prize and stand aside, here's you
money"
He caught from q spock.t a couple of hft
dollar coins and tossed them. gittering yel
low, across the table, The other looked u
quickly.
81 do mean it. precisely" the planters So
seplied to that look. Engage yourself TO brin
in no essay, and that pair Of wheels is for you
Iocket Eve looked the whole matter in tn
face, and SO. doubtless have you. Withou
Wordsworth Lyle ia the lists, 4 lgar Raymond
chances are ten to one with him they are les
than one to one. The nlme of producing III
priI, essay would please ne well enough; so
you consider bird in the hand worth two
the bush, why here's an opportunity
1se child of the poor widow was tempted
Ills pulses doubled their strokes. sending an e,
cited flush 10 his cheeks he reasoned hUrried
with himself, while the milestones along tt
way he had lately come seemed to rush pas, hi
in review.
The prize Of one hundred dollars. offers
through the board for the best essay from Il
graduating class could hardly have been so CO
eted by any one else as by Wordsworth Lyle
In the last four years he had proved the value
a hundred dollars-nsy. dollars singly.
sscrifee and with struggling such as only
voted mother would BE- willing to make, and
true lover of learning persis, in, he had be-
sent to college and his course thus nearly a
complished. In spite of sacrifice and strgglin
now toward the last some bills were filling II
which caused burning anxiety to mother al
son. The winning of the prize. all knew, /
most lk ly between Raymond and Lyle; and o
eu during tho preparation Of his srticIs. the lat,
had stimulated hImssN With r-pes,iug;-''