Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-08-06
WHIT BECAME OF HIlfP
a Thrilling Story.
CHAPTER I.

hours examination with the rest Of my COL
lege class at st. Johns college. knew by
the queer twist of the scroll that II came
from my crony Ralph Ives, and the sem
tence on IL had the same customary twist
of an idea which Ralph's thought seemed
10 take. 1t read, as near as 1 can remem-
Der its phrases:
"When does man begin 10 be a college
examiner and what are they made OFF
What blight comes upon juicy fellow by
which he is destined for that use in the
world? And can you look around you and
point out the man who Is predestned to sit
in one of these chairs and examine our
sons?"
Imust have made some jesting reply.
have forgotten, and should hardly have
remembered his words, had they not like
some invisible writing which a drop of
acid brings into distiuctness, come into
my memory, Ole day last summer, by a
circumstance which started all the old
juices in my dry frame. For, by dnt of
being before the public as clergyman a
generation or So was looked upon by the
authorities of my alma mater as a fit sub
ject TO be set in an examiners chair, and
made 10 strike either terror or curiosity in
to the breasts of the young rogues on the
benches.
We settled 10 our task. The president
sat in Lis box, rubbing his hands soilly
over his thinly thatched head the pro-
fessor first in charge, looking like some
disguised executioner behind his green
goggles, took up the catalogue and began
skipping among its names for victims /;
while we, furnished each with catalogue,
studied the objects Of curiosity before US
these sixty young fellows who all had
names and all answered to them. l was
reading the names of the class in the cata-
logue, when 1 came to the name of Ives.
Often before in forty years l had seen that
name and had heard it without thought
of Ralph for it was a common one in my
section, and belonged, indeed, to several
in my own parish but here, on these seats,
l could not read it without my heart leap
ing and threatening TO break over all
bounds Of propriety, even to sending tears
out Of my eyes.
"Candido Ives, San Antonio, Tex; T..
C. H. was the catalogue entry, and l
watche for the young man with interest,
just because of that surname, that was
starting so many old memories, joyful,
mysterious and profoundly sad and dis
tressing. The name was called, finally,
and youth rose from his seat near me. l
had not seen his face before, as he half re-
cincd in an indolent way against pillar ;
but now he arose, aud was aware that
the class was slightly magnetzsd by his
| presehce, saw a handsome fellow with
olive complexion aud dark curly hair, and
a face that 1 could liken 10 nothing but
that of a sorcerer.
was fascinated with his face, and, look
ing at it with that other face of Ralph Ives
in my memory, was possessed with the
notion that the friend of my boyhood was
reappearing here, strained through some
mesh not known to me. l thrust aside the
fancy, for it was painfully interesting.
Nevertheless my eyes returned again and
again TO his face.
This friend, the light Of my eye, had gone
out in utter darkness, made moro wretch
ed to me by thick cloud which could be
felt even in the night, to reappear now for
the first time, thirty-seven years afler, in
the handsome yet enigmatical form Of this
young man. Had he, indeed, answered
the impassioned cry Of Shakespeare, and
"lived twice" making him "anOther SELF
so that
Ellis lender heir might bear his memory"
We had passed through college together,
growing into a firm affection, although l
was sober and quiet, while he was exuber-
| f,,g anI ..I - ,i
ty Of mind which seemed perpetually on
the hunt for some queer idea, and quick
spirit, which blazed with roaring sudden
ness into a devouring flame OF moral indig-
nation at any baseness.
We left college, l to travel for two years
before beginning my theological studies,
he TO enter on the study of his profession
medicine. One thing after another kept
us apart, until at length he wrote me that
he was TO have a masters oration at the
coming college commencement, and beg
ged that VIC might be together then. 1 be-
lieve masters orations are out Of date now
i am not sure-but in those days the class
that graduated came up to college three
years alter, to take, such as chose it and
could afford TO pay the fee for registration,
a degree of master of arts, and two of the
number were selected by the faculty TO
pronounce orations. Every one was glad
that Ralph was to be one Of them.
lie was poOr-poorer than 1 quite knew
then for he had not merely a pride that
buttoned over his poverty, but true con-
tempt for poverty as for something that
should never stand between him and any
friendship he might form or any aim he
might set for himself He would not let so
base a thing as shame at the absence OF
riches mar his pleasure in all lasting and
worthy things and SO it was that he made
me forget his poverty, even when the evil
dence of it stared me in the face.
1 wrote him when l should be at st.
Johns aud he coming from another di-
rection, promised TO meet me when ar
rived. He was there, with the same hearty,
swinging grasp of the hand, with a tribe
more seriousness in his face, 1 thought,
but with the old sunny smile breaking
over ii and deepening into a strong, self
reliant, and resolute glow. OF course, we
knew many of the seniors, who had been
freshmen when we graduated, and we en-
joyed the easy superiority which they COR
daily allowed us. AS we were passing one
with word of recognition, Ralph sudden
ly stopped and said:
81 say, Treat, can you spare us a couple
of comlorlables2 Shrub" Chat was my
nickname) "and are going to sleep oul
tonight, and as 1 have to speak tomorrow
1 want muller"
"Certainly," said he ''eome round tC