Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-01-12
or Rupert-and what do you think it

Tor hupert-auo "ltAo w yod
VASE
!" we all guessed. "A desk "a
copy of Milton;' q gold pen; "a
rhyming dictionary MOP what then!
"' A drum
asa what? asked everybody,
{" A drum, with Rupert's name on
it, too
:" Sure enough there it was, A good
sized, bright, new, brass-bound drum,
with q slip of paper on 1t, with the IN
scription For Rupert.
stOfcourse we all laughed, and thought
it o good joke. You see, you're to
make q noise in the world, Rupert Z.
said one. ''Here's parchment for the
poet said another. Rupert's last
work in sheepskin covers, said a third.
: Give us a classical tune, Rupert, SAID
q fourth. and so on. But Rupert seem
ed too mortified to speak he changed
color, bit his lips, and finally burst
into a passionate tit of CRYING, and LETT
the room. Then those who had loked
him, felt ashamed, and everybody began
TO ask who had put the drum there.
But no one knew, or if they did, the
unexpected sympathy, awakened for
the sensitive boy, kept them silent.
And what was still more singular every
body declared that up to the moment
it was produced, no one had seen it
hanging on the tree. What do | Think
Well, / have my opinion. But no
questions Enough for you to know
that Rupert did not come down stairs
again that night. and the party soon
after broke up.
& had almost forgotten those things
for the war of the Rebellion broke out
the next spring, and l was appointed
surgeon in one of the new regiments,
and on my way to the seat of war. But
| had to pass through the city where
the Professor lived, and there | met
him. My first question was about Ru-
pert. The Professor shook his head
sadly: He's not so well, he said; 'he
has been declining since last Christmas,
when you saw him. A very strange
case he added, giving 1T long Latin
name, "a very singular case. But go
and see him YOURSELF" he urged; it
may distract his mind and do him good.
al went accordingly to the Profes-
sorts honse, aud found Rupert lying on
sofa, propped up with pillows.
Around him were scattered his books,
and, what seemed in singular contrast,
that drum / told You about, was hang
lug on naIl, Just above his head. His
face was thin and wasted; there was q
red spot on either cheek, and his eyes
were very bright and widely opened.
He was glad to see me, and when |
told him where | was going, he asked
me a Thousand questions about the way.
/ thought l had thoroughly diverted his
mind from its sick and lan2uid fancies,
when he suddenly grasped my hand
and drew me toward him.
"'Doctor, said he, il low whisper,
: you won't laugh at me il | tell you
2
"No, certainly not said.
You remember that drum = he
said, poiutingto the gathering toy that
hung against the wall. You know, too,
how it came to me. A few weeks after
] was lying half asleep
here, and the drum was hanging on the
wall, when suddenly heard it beaten
at first, low and slowly, then faster and
louder, until it's rolling filed the house.
la the middle of the night | heard it
again. / did not dare tell anybody
about it, but / have heard it every night
ever since"
"He paused and looked anxiously in
my face. Sometimes, he continued,
1T is played softly, sometimes loudly,
but always quickening to n long-roll, SO
loud and alarming, that l have looked
to see people coming to my room to ask
what was the matter. But | think,
Doctor think, he repeated slowly,
looking up with painful interest into
my face, that no one hears it but my
self
81 thought sc, too, but l asked him
if he had heard 1t at any other time.
'Once on twice in the daytime"
he replied, when | have been reading |
or writing; then very loudly, as though
it were angry, and tried in that way to |
attract my attention away from my
books.
81 looked into his face and placed |
my hand upon his pulse. His eyes
were very bright, and his pulse little
Hurried and quick | then tried to eX
plain to him that he was very weak, and |
that his senses were very acute, as
most weak peoples are; and how that
when he read, or grew interested aud /,
excited, on when he was tired at night, !
the throbbing of a big artery made the
beating sound he heard. He listened
to me with q sad smile of uubehef, but
thanked me, and in little while l
went away. But as | was going down |
stairs, | met the Professor gave my
opinion Of the case-well, no matter
what 1t was.
"' He wants fresh air and exercise,
said the Professor, and some practical
of life sir The PrOfeSSor.i