The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1880-10-15
The MYSTERIOUS CADET.
A College "Reminiscences.
BY CARL.

This evening, as I was seated on the
veranda. with my feet elevated upon
the railing and leaning back in an arm
chair, hstlessly Watching the passers-by
on the street, one of them attracted my
attention and caused my thoughts to
drift back down the long corridors of
time, and bring up wildly to mind
scenes and faces long buried in the past.
He was only boy, this individual
who had thus suddenly stirred up old
memories, and casual observer would
have noticed nothing peculiar about him
except that he was dressed in suit of
cadet gray, heavily bespangled with gilt
tering buttons, and wore upon his head
a cap of the same color-the uniform of
some military college. But as he turned
his head for moment toward me I saw
the letters GA. @. c." on his cap, sur
rounded by a glittering wreath. In an
instant knew that he was cadet of the
! University of -.
Some of my readers may remember
that in the catalogue of that university
for the year of 49, the name of Leslie
Barton appears as student, and oppo-
site the name there was a blank where
the residence of the cadet should have
been. AS I have the time at my disposal,
I will crafty the morbid curiosity that
any may have upon the subject.
1t was at the age of 18 that entered
the university, and it was upon the day
of my arrival that first met Leslie Bar
ton. was standing near the entrance
of the college, watching the groups of
cadets out upon the parade ground, and,
being unacquainted with any one, J. was
feeling decidedly homesick and lone
some.
/ had been standing there some time,
trying to devise some plan of getting
acquainted with the boys, when my at
tention was directed to youth who was
standing few yards from me, leaning
against the corner of the building. NY
attention was called to him by an excla-
nation which he had, seemingly, I'M
consciously let fall from his lips, and as
| turned toward him heard him mutter:
eyes, it is he. It is impossible for
me to be mistaken ID that face"
And as followed the direction of his
eyes saw that he was intentlv watching
q cadet who was approaching the college
from the direction of the entrance to the
grounds. As he came nearer I saw that,
though rather small of stature, he was
man of at least Is years of age. Had it
not been for his smoothly-shaven face
and the badge Of the Clantonian Society
which he wore upon his breast, should
have supposed him one of the professors.
AS he passed / looked into his face and
met pair of as wicked, devilish eyes as
it is possible to conceive of. It had al
ways been customary with me to read q
| persons character by the eyes, and had
found that during my brief experience I
had seldom been mistaken In my esti-
mate; and as this man passed into the
building [ decided that he was one cadet
whom l did not care to become intimately
acquainted with.
As / turned from watching him, 1
found that the boy had first noticed
had moved up quite close to me, and,
seeing that l was observing him, he
raised his cap from the cluster of crisp,
| black curls that covered his head. and
asked, In voice that struck me as being
uncommonly low and soft:
"Do you know the gentleman that has
just passed."
"No,"I replied, ST am stranger
here this is my first day, and am not
acquainted with any one"
Then we two should become ac-
quainted by all means, for we are in the
same fix. My name is Leslie Barton, :"
he said, holding out his hand, which, /
noticed, was white, soft and shapely.
"And mine is Carl -" said, as I
took the profered hand,
Just then the cadet 1 had before OBJ
served entering the college came out
and brushed against Leslie Barker in
passing. Such look of mingled hate
and disgust as came over his face I 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 I heard him mutter
between his clenched teeth: