Connecticut western news., 1888-08-08


 and opoa-hcarted man among us but of late he had not seemed himself. On he night of the election he was rather pale, and as he took his seat l noticed a peculiar expression i, his eyes such as I had never seen before.
 After the usual preliminaries, the ballotiag opened, tn, members of the crew being proposed and elected in the order of their positions in the boat. When number seven was proposed Har- vcy's face became positively black, and it flushed upon me what that peculiar expression had meant.
 H, did not hesitate as the box was passed to him, but cast his vote with cool and steady hand, though his count enanco betrayed the agitation under which he was laboring.
 Tho secretary started upon opening the ballot box, and then leaned over to H,rvcy and whispered in his car. Har- vey nodded gloomily, whereupon tho secretary arose and said in a voice full of emotion, 'I regret to say that MT. Jordan has not been elcctcd.''
 A dead silence followed. Every man in the room looked at tho speaker in utter amazemcnt. Such a thing as the rejection of member of the crew, and for no reason which any one would dare to avow, was enough to create in tense excitement in that little company.
 Number "cight" WIS proposed and elected hurriodly, and tho meeting ad- journed in confuuon. On my way to my room overlook Harvey, and step ping quickly up to him Islipped my arm through his, hoping might be able to talk with him about the matter; lut he wrenched his arm from mine and turned abruptly away without word. Some body had just let him and although I could not sec very well in the darkness l thought it was Joe Stanley.
 The next day it was rumore that Stanley had "cut Harvey dead" on tho campus. Jordan conducted himself, meanwhile, with great dignity, and commanded the respect of the entire class, while Harvey kept studiously out of sight.
 It leaked out, not long afterward, that "IIigh' Jordan was not only doing his work in college, and trying for honor and scholarship, but at the same time was teaching night school ia tho town. l don't know who it was discovered this, but remember very we'll that I was with Harvey when we heard tho news. Poor fellow! It was impossible not to pity him. Evidently he had long since repented of his action, and this piece of news was all that was needed to make him utterly miserable. He was absent from prayers next morn ing, and no one saw him al! day.
 But the next night special meeting of the ''H. K." Was called by order of the president, and when the mem bers were assembled, Harvey arose and said, briefly:
 Ihave called this meeting to repair as far as possible great wrong which was mean enough to do tho best man in cur class. desire to apologize to the crew, to tho society, and to MT. Jordan for tho insult; and I beg leave to propose Hiram Jordan for tho HI. K"
 That night I saw Joe Stanley and Harvey walk homcward arm in arm, in their old friendly way; and learned afterwards that they went straight to "High" Jordan's room.
 The day of the races came at last, and every man in the college, adorned with his class colors, went down to the river early to get good position from which to view sho great contest.
 It would be close race-the closest ever known in college; we all ac- knowled god that, and though every man in our class cherished kind of faith that our boat would win, yet no one dared assert his opinion without an '.if'' or an ''unless."
 The hour for the start was set at four o'clock, aud the crowd along the banks waited patiently under the broiiing sua until tho last minute; but when quar- ter of an hour, and thea huff an hour passed, and no boats appeared, tho 1 crowd began to grow restless. Charley Harvey in particular, was in fever of | excitement.
 "Why don't they starta' ho repeated adozcn times. ''The time and body work of our men are perfect, but the wind is frcshening and will tell against us moro than against any other boat for we have tho outside course. Why don't they start2"
 Hs was looking up the river throu ,h a field glass, watching the course and complaining by turns. Suddenly saw his face light up. ''They arc offr' he cried.
 Far up tho course WIG could sec the flash of the oar blades in the bright sun- light-that was all. Then four black streaks, each with two glittering line: of oar blades, drew into sight. The first excited murmur died away, ane the crowd was perfectly still. Soo the lines broadcned out into graceful arrows, and the next instant we coule descry thirty-two brawny backs rising and falling with the regularity of clock work, as they urged the beautiful, ta pering shells like knife-blades through