The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-06-07


middle-aged grads. graduates rich,
graduates poor, graduates famous,
graduates obscure, graduates diverse
and differing in every characteristic
save that one which, alike after five
and fifty years, still brought them back
and bound them Ogether-HarVard'
graduates held the old yard. To Tri-
ennials, SeXtenniaIs and Decennials. to
Vigesimals and Quadrigesimals. TO all
sorts and manners of reunions and TO
no especial reunions at ALL the busy and
idle, the far and near. all had come
back to that spot for their holiday.
Even the German bandmaster felt the
thrill and exuberance of their spirit.
Hail, hail! Harvard's here-Harvard'
here," he struck up without prompt
ing. And as the full acquiescence of
the chorus died away, from the an
cient buildings all about shone out
brighter the numeral standards of the
classes: SO Reunion" and "'92 This
Way" ''The Glass of So "'73 Here"
and ''Heref67." and so on down to the
last but dearest of all, plain 81" show
ing in large figures on dark cardboard.
So the seniors, and all the rest, but es-
pecially the seniors, whose own fresh
numerals would stand so soon upon
one of those same buildings. cheered
the old classes again and again. Then
the old classes cheered back, cheering
the seniors first and then each other.
again and again, because they were old
grads back at the college and their
privilege and impulse were one.
Up in Hollis Is, which looked down
over the best of the old ward. young
Stafford and Burton had kept one OF
the graduates-the oldest. With a score
of others who had lived between its
in he laF old
had mustered him back 10 it: and the
juniors. then in possession, had kept
him there in his old place.
1t was not just that there were no
classmates TO claim him away or be
cause TO him alone no numerals beck
Oned from across the yard. 1t was not
the pride and distinction that to their
room-and manifestly. therefore, 10
them-belOnged the very oldest grad.
the only one whose class lowered the
half-centuFy mark, who was graduated
and gone even before Prexy was a
freshman. 1t was something quite apart
from his age-and beyond that they
did not try to analyZe it-sOmething
quite separate which made the young
juniors claim him and hold him with
them through the afternoon in joint
possession of the old room TO which
he had come back after more than fifty
years They had drawn very close to
him on either side as they sat in the
window and looked down into the sun
flecked yard below. II was part of
that instructive understanding that
when the first small talk was said, no
one spoke for some time. And then
il was Burton, who had not been look
ing down overwhelmingly at the crowds
below
"You-you didn't find the name you
were looking for this afternoon" he
ventured at length.
No" the old alumnus answered alb
sently. NO. 1 didn't" He turned
quickly to the boy. How did you know
l was thinking about that?" he de-
handed DO they teach you now"
Mind reading?" laughed Burton.
that. you see, to be able TO make out
a vet-a Confederate veteran. I should
say-especiaily when we can get him
in the transept of Memorial with all
our flags and lists and war things
around him. OF course I didn't know
you then. but / was watching you go
over those names. You didn't seem
TO find the one you were looking for
and went at them again. And then
just now as l was watching you"
The old man sat back smiling. "AIl
] was thinking about that just then, "
he admitted. He pushed the white hair
away from his forehead and leaned
further back a little cOnfusedly. I'm
old, you see" he apOlOgized. "and al
ways thinking about that sort of thing
when I shouldn't But l won't herep'
lie Strengthened quickly and smiled
again as though. with that conscious
effort. he could shake off the mem
DRY. He felt their touch on either
side.
'Wen?" he challenged briskly.
''Wel?"
why shouldn't you think about it
here. The juniors demanded adroitly,
"and with us?"
He was your classmate-the one you
we're looking for?" Burton urged on
suggestively as they put him tri-
umphantly back between them.
No" the old graduate corrected
slowly.
"Oh But you knew him here?"
No" the old alumnus said again. Il
didn't know him here. I only-I only
-"she stammered. He leaned far for
ward away from them. but at once
settled back again with his decision
made Il shot him." he said. He felt
the hands tighten impulsively.
"Oh-in battle" they cOmprehended
aloud.
No" The old graduate shook him
self gently away from the Judgment
of their fingers touching his arm. Not
in battle" he said.
Something obhterated the yard, the
colors and streamers, the great elms
and the sunlight.
"You-you mean" Burton STAN
mered.
The old graduate inclined his head
slightly in recognition and settled more
comfortably. For him, too, the yard
and ali was obliterated.
You reckoned rightly a moment ago
that l was a Confederate" he began
indirectly. I'm from near Baton
Rouge There were mighty few Others
from whereabouts in Harvard when ]
came up in '45 and. of course. when ]
went back for the last time in 49, Har-
ward men were correspondingly scarce
down there. 1t was twelve years be-
fore-before they came. They marched
out Of the yard. you remember, when
lincoln first called for volunteers;
Graduates. seniors. Juniors. sophomores
even freshmen came. And we from tbs
south marched to meet them.
..r. noe in 4 prfI 80 the old ora d1iata