St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1869-10-15

''What shall we do with this box ?''
asked. "Shall we leave it?'
''Hum-I don't know. It's ratbe
heavy to carry off. 1t seems to me ther
is direction or inscription of some kin,
on the cover"
My curiosity was excited, and, re
gardlcss of Charley's cautions, struck
wax taper on my matchbox, and by it
light we read the following words, print
ed in large coarse letters:
''This little Freshman is respectful,
presented to Augustus Carlton, Esq.
with our compliments" And there fol
lowed, by way of signature, u rude de
linetion Of a skull and cross-bone=.
This decided me on carrying the box
away from Mr.. Cartoons premises Even
when empty it was rather heavy, and Of
clumsy shape but we managed, with.
out much difficulty, to get. it out at the
gate and across the street, and so up a
little way TO some vacant lots, where we
left it. The cover we carried along still
further, and after | had scratched two OF
three words with my knife, SO as to
make the inscription unintelligible, we
tossed 1t over a fence into a gentleman's
garden. 1t went into a tlower-bed, and
| suspect it may have caused the owner
of the premises some dissatisfaction the
next morning.
Tired as We were, we mad to walk
home hat night. We reused up host
Ter IN one livery stable, but he would not
let us have team at that time in the
morning ; and moreover he looked at
our diSordered dress with 50 much suspi-
cion, that we deemed it prudent not try
at any other place. On reaching my
room, | threw myself down on my sofa
without undressing, quite exhausted, on
10 TO turn out a few minutes afierward,
so il seemed, at the sound of the bell tor
morning prayers. | managed to make
myself look tolerably fresh although |
was rather pale, and | had the luck to
meet Dick Brashtord just at the door OF
the chapel. From his startled look
when lie saw me, lelt confident that he
WAS one of the men who had put Inc in a
box the night before.
Dick BrashtorI graduated and disap-
peared from that part of the country.
What became of him, did not know
tor long time; but | saw HIM again.
and my story would hardly be complete
II | made no mention of that inters lew.
1t was the lay after the battle OF An
tietam. y message was brought to me,
i'll the afternoon, that Lieutcnant-Colo-
mel Bra~hfurd, of the 18th --, was In
the hospital, badly hurt, and that he
would be clad to see Major McTrevor for
Il few minutes, ii he could spare the
time. 1t was long since | had thought
Of my old enemy and | did not even
know lie was in the army nnr ragi-
ment had moved up into position we
thea held, during the night, and do not
know how he discovered was near him
although suppose it could be accounted
for in some very simple way.
o. course, | went to see him at the
earliest moment possible. There is no
need for me to describe the scene i'll the
midst OF which | found him. 1t was
unhappily familiar enough to me, but
am glad to say never grew 50 callous Is
to care 10 talk much about it. Brash-
ford was lying i'll bed. He had one arm
uncovered, but he did not extend me his
hand 1T first When l offered him mine
and told him | was sorry TO see him
there, he looked in my face moment.
as il TO see whether | meant what | said,
and then he shook hands with me, al
though his grasp showed but very faint
reflection OF his old strength.
Major McTrevor is it! l should
have known you, sir, think"
| knew him ON the instant. although
he was thinner and the expression OF his
face showed him to he suffering pain.
He spoke very slowly, but quite distinct
ly, and had no difficulty in understand
ing him.
Il was hit yesterday, Major, and the
doctors tell me that they can't help me-
gave him what few words of sym
pathy | could command at the moment.
Il am sorry" he continued. "Not
that | care for myself, but my mother is
now well along in years, and suppose
she will take it rather hard, at first
| said | hoped the doctors would be
proved at fault for once, but he shook
his head, with sad smile.
"Iou may think it strange, Major
my sending for yOu,' he said. sit was
a whim OF mine, but perhaps under the
circumstances-'
hastened to assure him that l was
ready to do anything for him in my pow
er.
"l-I don't find it quite SO easy to say
what | wanted as | supposed it would
be. DO you remember that trick of put
ting you in box, your first year in col
lege !''
told him, with little smile, that |
had long ago forgotten and forgiven that
old affair, although fear, by-the-way,
that whal said was not literally true
"Then you know who was the leader
that night p
81 know that you were," | said.
"Then | want TO thank you for keep
ing dark about it, and to tell you l am
sorry for the part l took in it. | had
been thinking over some of the points in
my life, as lay here, and it seemed to
me, somehow when | heard you were 50
near, that it would be little comfort
if / should have one less enemy in the
world to leave behind me-
| told him that | had indeed been
put to some bodily discomfort, but as
the CARTONS had not discovered me, my
pride had not suffered. 1t had not
been SO very bad, after all.
"What." :" he exclaimed, his eyes
opening wide
Then l OWNED for the first time that
bo al NOT LDo,,. &C nav, o,.o.,o H. I