Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1880-07-29
A FORGOTTEN CRIME.

In the MchaeimaS term OF the year TO-,
in the dull and cold November days which
heraded the advent of Winter, the young men
of Bedford College, in the great English Uni
versity of o., determined to vary the mo-
notony of their daily studies with display of
fireworks. OF course the authorities, consist
ing of the venerable President of the College
All old gentleman of about seventy years OF
age-and the tutorial staff, or Fellows, had
strictly forbidden any such display; and
equally as a matter of course, this prohibition
added strength to the undergraduates deter
minatiou. A large quantity of fireworks had
been ordered from London, and by the begin
ming of the month were safely deposited by
the London coach at the gate of the College,
and hence surreptitiously carried to dis
used cupboard in the room of one undergradu-
ate.
On the night of the 18th of that month, some
eight or ten young men were sitting in large
oak panellrd room Of the College. Tile room
was then occupied 10y an undergraduate named
Sydney. 1t was gathering of the ringlead-
ers in the ffrewo.k movement. aud this was
the night determined upon for carrying out
their undertaking. Every person in the room
was masked, for these young gentlemen were
much afraid Of being identified 10y the Eel
lows, in which case they would probably have
met with severe punishment, perhaps even The
pains and peris Of rustication itself. Sydney
himself, who, from subsequent descriptions Of
his appearance, must have been handsome,
elegant youth, was lollng against the mattel
piece and explaining to his comrades his plan
for making the night hideous. 1t was, briefly.
to gather together various old chairs, brushes,
boxes and pieces of wood into the middle of
the great quadrangle, as nOiselessly as posi-
bic to saturate them w it'll oil, to set fire to the
mass, and then, when the authorities descend
ed from their rooms to attempt to put an end
to the unexpected bonfire, to welcome their
appearance in the quadrangle with squibs,
crackers, and all the other Internal machines
which lay ready to their hands.
The night was exceedingly dark. A cold
mist had crept up from the river and lay like
thick pail over the old academic city. The
str. cts were nearly deserted; but in many a
college window glstened the rays of lamps or
candles, telling of studious toll or idle dissi-
patton carried into the late hours of the night.
But there were few lights to be seen in the
windows of Bedford College; for at this mo-
ment the great bell of the University Church
was striking the lf-hour, and most of the
undergraduates members of the College were
gathered in the open air near the centre OF the
grass-plot in the big quadrangle. ''Now's the
tmc," whispered Sydney, as the last notes OF
the clock were dispersed into the fog; and
suiting the action to the word, lie struck q
light from a finder box held ready in his
hand, and applied it to the base of the black
pile.
Suddenly bright flame shot aloft, startling
even the performers. In few minutes the
bonfire was blazing in way that lit up every
corner of the old buildings, and made those
who had not provided themselves with masks
pull their trenchers down over their foreheads.
10 k<~t oAa ~,
cases and passages. But the spirits of the
chief actors rose with the occasion; with a
wild shout of triumph they hailed the success
sion of their plan. and, joining hands, danced
round and round the blazing pile, shouting,
laughing, and singing at the top of their
voices. Then crackers and all kinds of fire.
works began to fly about the quadrangle
Authority in the shape of the porter, appear
ed, but was at once induced to be a retreat by
shower of fiery missiles The fun became
fast and furious; and it could hardly be
doubted that the Dean, whose windows over
looked this scene of turbulence, would soon
appear in person and try to quell the tumult
But the Dean like prudent man, was first
taking an observation from behind his closed
window, before issuing forth. Anger, how
ever, at this unseemly Insurance soon over
came his prudence, and it seems that about
ten minutes after the breaking out OF the bon
fire he appeared in the quadrangle, and shout
ed in loud tones of indignation to the perform
ers in the war-dance to put cut that fire and
go to their rooms.' But his eloquence was
cut short by renewed discharges of fireworks
directed to his easement, SO that he was fain
to draw back into the safety of his OWN apart
ment in condition of impotent rage But
soon the fire began to need replenishing the
store of fireworks was eXhausted several un-
dergraduates had retired, thinking that the
best of the fun was over; while others-and
among them Sydney-had gone off in search
of fresh fuel. Under the circumstances, the
Dean, backed up by two other Fellows of the
College made a determined rush into the mid
die of the quadrangle, dispersed the remnants
of the blaze, and had the pleasure of seeing
the conspirators now thought that pru-
dence was the better part of valor-retreat to
their various quarters
Augustus John Hamer, however, was not
satisfied with this empty triumph. He was
still boiling with fury. His dignity had been
insuted. His authority had been set at
naught. He had noticed that several of the
conspirators had worn blackened masks, and
he now proposed to his colleagues to make a
raid On the rooms of those whom they suspec-
ted to have been the ringleaders, and, if pos
sible, to surprise them before they had dotted
long suspected Sydney of being an unquiet
spirit, so he directed his attack to his room.
Entering the smaller quadrangle, he proceed
ed to.a staircase on the west side, assembled
one flight of stairs, knew by the printed name
on the door that he was at the right apart
ment, knocked once, and without waiting for
an answer, entered. But the room was near
ly dark. There was a small fire burning on
the hearth, throwing every now and then a
Pickering light over the room, but the room
was very dark, and it felt cold and chilly one
window being wide open, and the. night air
blowing in. In spite of the darkness, the oc-
cupier of the room might be playing trick !;
he might be concealed in a corner, or he might
be in the smaller inner room-the bed room
which opens out of the bigger chamber, and
the door of which was open. So the Dean
advanced nearly TO the fireplace. Then, as
the fire suddenly burst up for moment, he
had distinct vision of an armchair drawn
up in front, and human figure sitting in it
with legs stretched out in the LATEST possible
attitude toward the smonlderlng embers.
''Sir Mr.. Sydney Do You hear me? 1t
is I-Mr. Hamer-the Dean-it is sir Be
polite enough to rise and light a candle, if
you please" But the figure remained perfect
ly still.
A Dean of college is an important person
age-in his own eyes. No wonder be felt his
anger rising at this stold indifference to his
dignity! A Dean to pay visit to an under
graduate and the undergraduate to sham to be
asleep! 'Mr. Sydney-iti is useless to pretend
sir-If you dent answer me at once, 1 shall
report you to the President Rise up. sir, at
once" But the firgure remained ebstinately
still. Something began to make the Dean
feel uncomfortable. Was be sure this was
Sydney? Had he really seen him in the
chair? The FIRE had not blazed up again-he
was speaking to silence and darkness. 1t was
quite new experience for the Dean. He
thought of the warm, brightly lit rooms he
had just left, and began to wish that one of
the Fellows had come with him. q Just then
another fare from the fire. He again saw the
arm chair, the outstretched human form, and
this time caught momentary sight Of the
face. Yes, those were Sydneys features
there could be no mistake looking pale, 10
the freight or perhaps because he knew that
he was found out. Truly the wrath of Deans