The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-10-08

passing. Such look of mingled hate
and disgust as came over his face hope
never again to see on human counte-
nance. / saw his small white hands
clinch till the nails were buried in the
flesh. He stepped back as suddenly as
though some loathsome reptile had
touched him, and heard him mutter
between his clenched teeth:
course him, he does not recognize
me, and it is well for him that he does
not" But, remembering that was
standing near and must have heard his
remark, he turned toward me, and, see-
ing the look of surprised inquiry upon
my face, he said
"That fellow reminds me very much
of a person once knew"
"The remembrance is not q very
pleasant one, should Judge, from the
Look you gave him as he passed" re-
piled, laughing.
To this he made no reply, and In
few minutes babe me good evening and
walked into the building.
My curiosity was excited. felt as
sured that Leslie Barton knew this man,
and that he had some reason for hating
ture. / wondered why it was that he
had endeavored to lead me to believe
that he had only recognized resem-
blance to some one he had once known.
The more thought about it, the more
deeply interested became. What puz-
zled me most was that the stranger had
looked directly into Leslie Bartons face
as he passed him, and could detect no
sign of recognition on his part. There
was mystery about these two, L was
satisfied, and determined, if possible,
to discover what it was.
During the following day the different
classes were organized for the term, and
the cadets assigned to their rooms. Two
boys occupied each room, and, as every
boy had the privilege of selecting his
room mate, sought out Leslie Barton,
and, on the strength Of our slight ac-
quaintance, asked him if he would oc-
cupy the same room with me. He
seemed surprised at my proposition, and
informed me, rather haughtily, that he
had made arrangements with Col. W,
the commandant, to have a room entire
ly to himself.
every well" replied, turning away,
OBTAINING me for moment. as he said :
am sorry cannot room with you,
but 1 always prefer a room to myself.
Well be good friends, though, won't
we?"
Certainly" 1 replied, for had taken
a strange interest in this pale-faced boy.
l was assigned to a room with Edward
Walton, an overgrown, good-natured
sort Of a fellow from Mississippi, who
had attended the two previous sessions
at the University. He knew everyone
connected with the college, from the
head Professor down to the old negro
who attended to the building.
One day, about week after my arri-
val, / was standing in the hall, in COM
pany with Ed, when the cadet who had
so excited my curiosity on the day L
first met Leslie Barton passed.
" Do you know that fellow, Ed ?" l
inquired.
"Oh, yes that's Oscar Phelps"
Glow long has he been attending
school here ?"
"He came in at the beginning of the
last session. Why?"
" Nothing, only he seems pretty old
to be attending school. Do you know
much about him?"
every little. He's from New Or
leans, l believe, and from the way he
spent money when he was here last year
he must be pretty wealthy. That's
| about all l can tell you of him. Fact
is, he is a queer kind of cuss, who has
very little to do with the rest of us fell
lows"
And that was all could learn about
Oscar Phelps. L made inquiry of sew
eral other boys, but none of them
seemed to know more about him than
had already learned from Ed.
The more [ saw of Leslie Barton the
better liked him. He was of modest,
retiring disposition, and while he had
no intimate friends among the boys, yet
they were all ready to declare him "a
real good fellow-a little queer IN his
notions, but good one, nevertheless. "
There was one thing that struck me as
peculiar, and that was tina the never re-
ceived or wrote any letters, or ever
| spoke of his home or relatives. One
day l asked him which State he was
from. He replied that he had lived in
so many different States that he claimed
any and I'LL of them as his home. And,
as / saw that he was very reluctant
about conversing upon the subject, L
never referred to it again.
remember distinctly.the first time L
saw Leslie Barton and Oscar Phelps
speak. 1t was just after our class in
French had recited, one day about two
months after the beginning of the term.
We were leaving the recitation-room,
and were just without the door, when
Oscar Phelps walked up beside Leslie
Barton and addressed him in sneering
tones.
q say, young what's-your-name, you
always seem to know your French pretty
well think I'll give you a dollar a
week TO post me up in all the difficult
TRANSACTIONS.
Leslie Barton turned toward him with
an angry light in his bright, black eyes,
and, regarding him with naughty stare
for a moment, asked in a voice which he
in vain attempted to make sound natu-
raj
Did you speak to me, sir?"
OcooI cnilp1 in n most aarcoctic al