Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-08-22

papers, then" was the prisoners part
ing shot.
The Rev. Joshua Bamlett went
straight TO his lodgings and tried 10
compose his mind. He sat down in his
easy chair. lit a pipe, and fell into a
reverie. How we'll he remembered the
old Camford days when he and Charley
Micklereed had lodged in the same
house and belonged to the same set. 1t
was not in any way distinguished set,
and Micklereed was kind of honorary
member Of it. That eccentric young
man always seemed TO regard the uni
versity as q monk did the world-he
was in il, but not of it. He was an or
phan and had gone to Camford against
his own will, but in accordance with
that OF his father. His father had had
belief-founded, it IS needless to say,
on ignorance-iu the value of IA Cam
ford degree, which had induced him 10
make his sons inheritance of his little
property to depend upon the attain
ment of that academical distinction.
Charley fulfilled this condition as easily
as he could, and spent the money as
quickly as possible. Then he took a
situation, but, AS he could not bring
himself TO look upon the unwillingness
of John Bull, DR., to acquire useless
knowledge as a serious crime, he soon
lost it. From that time Mr.. Bamlett
had lost sight of his friend, though he
had often wondered what had become
OF him.
1t happened that the wife and family
OF Warder Smith were members Of Mr..
Bamletts congregation. The Warder
himself was, by the nature of his Off
cial duties, compelled to attend the
ministrations of the prison chaplain,
but rs private citizen in the bosom Of
his family he was well known to the
curate. Mr. Bamlett thought it could
do no harm to MiclSlereed to recon-
mend him to the favorable notice of his
guardian, so he sent message TO the
Warder asking him to step round and
see him as soon as he was off duty.
"Good evening, Smith," said he,
when that worthy put in an appear
ance; 81 want to speak to you about
No. 49,"
The set visage OF the Warder relaxed
into a kindly grin.
Rum customer, sir. amt hep" said
he. when took his work to his cell
this morning, says he, as cool as you
please, "Ah! my Warder, | suppose.
Well, you look "A decent sort of fellow
and | daresay we shall get along we'll
enough No. ll9, says /, don't you
know it's against the rules to talk un-
necessarily"
&" Oh, blow the rules, says he, I'm
only here for three weeks and ! mean
TO enjoy myself I'll report you says
|. No you won't says he, you're not
that sort BLESSED if did report him
either. Couldn't do it some how"
Il am afraid, Smith" said the clergy
man, "he does not realize his sad posi-
ton. will try and awake him to it.
I Meanwhile, be as lenient with him as
you can without neglecting your duty.
l knew him, that is, met him, years
ago, and feel an unusual interest in
| him"
just what he told me this afternoon
after you'd gone, sir; only he put it in
rather a queer way" replied the War
| der. =" 'Warder,' says he. you know
that good gentleman? Yes, says |.
| Well he's an old college friend Of
mine, and would be much distressed if
| he heard | was under punishment i
| know you wouldn't like to trouble him,
so pray let us hear no more about re-
porting Talk about cheek; u prize
pig amt in it with him. suppose he
was only a kidding of ne about the
college, sir?"
ALAS! no." replied the clergyman,
''his story is true; we were at college
together. What has brought him to
! this can not imagine. Does he seem
to you at all mad?"
mo, sir, not a Bit" said the Warder
| promptly, "as eggsentric as you are,
| but not mad. / was attendant in an
asylum before | came here, and know
| lunatic when | see him. Bless you,
sir, he feels it more than he pretends.
I'm glad to hear it, Smith; very
glad. But be as easy with him as you
can"
"All right, sir Trust me for that
He's not one of the sort to give me real
trouble. I've read his case and fancy
he really was precious hungry when he
broke them lamps. Starving men have
done worse things to get a meal before
now. Good night sir"
Charles Micklereed had always had a
peculiar knack of enlisting the afTec-
tons of those about him. AS sort of
human cork floating on the sea of chance
he never seemed to have any aims, and
consequently he had no interests to
clash with those OF others. Therefore
his acquaintance had always looked
kindly upon him and been ready TO do
him small favors.
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