Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-07-15
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three pushing behind
Who would have thought the old trap SO
heavy?
But they rolled it it out of the shed and
down the road beyond the university pre-
cincts in excellent style. Then they
breathed more freely, and Zach, the shaft
horse, sung out encouragingly:
$50 far, so good. Now we've got plain
sailing right out to the graveyard. All to-
gether now
They took new start and hurried off
the professors coach at pace too brisk to
last long.
The road was gloomy and deserted one
leading in a westerly direction out of
Charlottesville. On each side tall pines,
sycamores and gum trees, their trunks
draped with dense masses of Virginia
creeper, and the snakelike wild grapevine,
| guarded the route.
At every opening, far ahead. were re-
vealed in inky silhouette against the sky
| the bold, fantastic outlines Of the Ragged
mountains-those wild and mysterious
| hills that inspired Edgar Poe's boyish i'm
| agination with awe and were recalled by
| him in after years as the scene Of one Of
/ his most thrilling tales.
The enthusiasm Of the frolicsome stu
dents gradually evaporated as they drag
ged the heavy coach along the dusty and
| grewsome road.
Finally Tom Ryer the humorist of the
party called out from behind:
| Say, fellows, some one of us ought to be
\ riding up there on the drivers seat, or else
| inside. Lets take turns, I'll be the first"
general howl of protest greeted this
proposition.
| No, sir; you can't shirk in that way.
There are only six of us, and it's all we can
| do to propel the old hearse now"
| Look ahead yonder," cried Zach
| Blakey; we're almost there"
1t was not precisely a cheering object
! toward which he pointed-the white shaft
| Of a monument cleaning among the fun
| ereal cedars-but it indicated that their
l goal was at hand.
| We've got no time to waste, either"
| grumbled the perspiring lad on Zach's left
| at the shafts. It's coming on a big
thunder storm or something else"
| The something else sounded remarka-
| bly, Ominous for some reason or another.
| The sky was indeed threa tening. Fitful
| flashes Of lightning began to play in the
| overcast heavens, and the rising wind
| soughed dolefully among the pines. AS
! the boys ratified their purloined vehicle
along with renewed energy they could al
| most fancy that Ichabod Cranes headless
horseman or Tam O'Shanter's spectres
were frantically pursuing. Guilty con-
| sciences had SO sharpened every sense
| that they thought they heard above the
rafting of the rickety coach a weird,
cracked voice chuckling and urging them
| on.
| They passed through the yawning gate
| way into the cemetery. 1t was as dark as
| Egypt. Tha intruders paused with their
coach short distance within the walls
| close by the receiving vault as they now
| observed, with anything but an agreeable
| sensation. They stood about in silence.
| The fun had all oozed out of their adven-
| ture.
1t is possible that the boys, or at any
rate their leader, had some definite plan
| for the disposal of the vehicle that they
| had rolled all the way out there from the
| university, but whatever their intentions
| may have been they were never carried
| out.
| AS they stood huddled together in front
| of the receiving vault, more than one of
them secretly quaking with fear, the query
| was ventured:
"Well, what had we be better do?"
| Turn around and go backY'
This was the response that electrified
them, yet none of the six boys had uttered
it.
The muff1ed voice had proceeded either
| from the interior of the coach or from the
| granite vault-they couldn't tell which.
| 81 say, you had better turn the carriage
| around and take it back to the university"
| repeated the voice in harsh, dry accents,
which now the young scrapegraces could
| not fail to recognize.
| 1t was Professor W, and none other.
| that spoke.
| Could it be possible that
| For answer to this muttered question
| the glass window panel Of the coach door
| slid aside with vicious slam and out pop
| ped head. A vivid flash Of lightning re-
| vealed for an instant the features OF the
| professor of Mathematics countenance
| not benign at best and now looking posi-
/ hall Il {Yo% a4IN o%1-i1
| The thought came to Zach Blakey, and
| and doubtless to his comrades, to make
| bolt and escape in the darkness; but there
| was the coach blocking the way between
| them and the gate. Then the professor
| turned dark lantern upon them, and
| their hopes of avoiding recognition were
| abruptly ended.
| Professor" stammered Zach desper-
| ately, Eve had no intention Of"
| "Oh, of course not. You had not the
| least intention Of bringing me out here,
| and still less Of carrying me back. But
it's poor rule that won't work both ways.
A storm is about breaking, SO it will be
| back to the university. Gomez insist"
| The weary, crestfallen lads doggedly
picked up the shafts, backed the lumber
| ing coach out Of the cemetery gate and
! started on their homeward march.
! The road was slightly down hill now or
| they could scarcely have borne the IA
| tigue. The thunder storm got ahead Of
them despite their best efforts, and burst
| ing with terrific fury drenched them to
| the skin as they came down the home
| stretch.
| When they had finally got the coach
| safely housed back of the row the profess
sor stepped out quite gayly and said:
| young gentlemen, thank you all for
| the trouble you have taken on my account.
You had better hurry to your rooms and
| get into dry clothing as soon as possible.
| Good night
The next day the six we're in mortal ter
\ ror of being called before the faculty, but
| the summons never came. Things went
| on quite as usual and Professor W
never said anything about his night ride,
though certain problems that he gave out
| to his classes in algebra and geometry
| contained SusniciouS illusions to "reYolu-