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ghostly tribe to mingle with mankind more freely, frisking and capering and gamboling with additional dexterity. In other words, it is nearly twelve o'clock. Hark! even now the college clock is pealing forth its slow and dismal notes. What mournful yet pleasing thoughts come over our minds, as we hear proclaimed thus slowly that the witching hour of night is come-that now, if ever, legions of shadowy forms are hovering round our heads, and engaged in their wanton sports. One's heart will beat yet faster at such a time, in spite of all his boasted philosophy, his stoical indifference, or his vaunted calmness.

The last note was struck, and the sound was fast dying away in that strange, waving melody, now for a moment seeming to gather strength, but then as quickly losing it, and soon melting entirely away into the vieing melody of the air without. I was deeply musing on the strange nature of the sound still lingering around, and, in the deep recesses of my mind, had devised some, doubtless, wonderful theory as regards its nature, which is now unfortunately lost to the world, when my meditations were disturbed by feeling several light taps upon my left shoulder.

Had I been in a posture somewhat more favorable, I should, without doubt, have jumped some dozen feet perpendicular in the air, or at least, as high as I could, without materially damaging the ceiling; but my readers will doubtless recollect in how unfavorable a position I was placed for performing any such feat-in fact, I could not possibly have done it, without causing great derangement to the furniture around, and articles incumbent thereupon, consisting of several chairs, stove, table, coffee-pot, etc. So this was out of the question.

My next thought was to give a most deadly yell. To tell the truth, I was just making up my mouth into the shape necessary to go through the operation genteelly, when my cigar fell down into my lap, and the lighted end coming in contact with my hand, burnt it so confoundedly, that I forgot, for nearly half a minute, to go through the after part of the maneuver. It was now decidedly too late to go through any of the fashionable methods of acknowledging surprise. I therefore calmly picked up my cigar, brushed the ashes from my lap, and then, for want of more heroic language in which to express myself, coolly said, "come in!"

Great was my surprise, you may be assured, when I beheld, edging around into a more full view, a venerable old man, apparently between seventy and eighty years of age. From beneath a heavy pair of rather dark eyebrows, twinkled a pair of piercing gray eyes, which seemed to scan most minutely every object within his ken. His features were small-a sharp aquiline nose, rather sunken cheek bones, and a protruding chin. His forehead was unusually broad and high, bespeaking at once the man of mind and thought, and from beneath a broad-brimmed hat strayed a few locks of almost

silvery whiteness. A waistcoat, with pockets of immeasurable dimensions, was surmounted with the antiquely-cut coat of the oldfashioned homespun blue, while breeches of black, tightly fitting, and succeeded at the knees by gaiters of superlative whiteness, together with the once fashionable low shoes, surmounted by huge silver buckles, completed the 'outward man.' With one hand thrust deeply into his rearmost coat-pocket and grasping in the other a substantial oaken staff, which he ever and anon pressed firmly against the floor, he advanced, stooping a little, it is true, but still with a firm and heavy step.

My first impulse was to demand an explanation of the cause of this rude intrusion, but when I saw his venerable countenance and heard the short dry cough with which he was afflicted, my resentment was changed at once to respect and pity. Instead therefore of loading him with invectives for his ill manners, as was my first intention, I politely motioned to a seat by my side, and then patiently, though it is true with much surprise, waited the announcement of his mission.

He quietly took the seat, then leaning his cane against the wall, placed his elbows on his knees, and bending down his head until bis chin rested upon his hands, turned those piercing, twinkling eyes full on my face. Still he spoke not a word, and I, imagining that he cast a wistful glance at my cigar, reached to the table for the box, and holding it out to him, thus invited him to partake.

With a look, as I fancied, of the most sovereign contempt, he turned away-probably the reason was that they were not paid for―leaving me to return the rejected offerings to their wonted station. Then drawing from his waistcoat pocket a short two inch pipe, blackened and hardened with smoke until it fairly shone, together with a moderate sized piece of the fragrant weed, and a huge jack-knife of most formidable appearance, he proceeded to fill his pipe.

Out of courtesy to him, I took from my mouth my cigar until he had finished the task, when having reached him a burning paper, I replaced it, and watched him as he went through the operation of lighting his pipe. The kindly herb soon takes the flame, and now dense columns of smoke gallantly issue from his mouth, and apparently to his entire satisfaction, for he leans back in his chair, places one leg gently over the other, and then quietly folds his hands over the head of his cane, which he now takes from the wall.

"A bad habit," said he, after having sat thus for some minutes, until the mouth-issuing smoke had completely enveloped him in its multitudinous folds, "a bad habit-this smoking-you youngsters have fallen into of late."

"Pardon me!" said I, "your business with me this evening, if you please?"

"It was once," continued he, apparently without heeding the interruption, and between every three words puffing out most glorious

volumes of smoke, "it was once customary for the young men not to be too aspiring in their deeds—there was a time when they were content to wait the 'year of discretion,' before they soared so high as to indulge in this practice, which should be the old man's exclusive prerogative. But now a centennarian like myself feels ashamed to be seen with a pipe in his mouth, while so many of these forward, upstart, little puppies are to be seen swaggering through the streets, puffing away like one of these new-fangled steam engines. It's a burning shame-that's all;" and he applied himself with renewed vigor to his pipe.

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Any thing in particular with me this evening?" I again inquired. He went on." I like, to be sure, to see our young men imitate the example of their fathers, as far as is consistent with their tender age, but to be outdone by them is a little too bad-that's all."

I saw that it would be of no use to endeavor to directly turn the conversation, unless my efforts were seconded. I therefore pursued another course.

"You don't consider the march of intellect-the onward progress of free and liberal principles, which is now being made," I remarked. "It is universally allowed, you must recollect, that the present generation are as much in advance of their fathers, as regards wisdom, as one generation can be superior to another."

"Don't consider-don't consider!' I consider enough, if that is all that's necessary. I consider the present generation as on the high road to ruin; (and he here raised his hand in a most solemn manner.) I consider that this whole country lies exposed to most fearful destruction, from which nothing but the most speedy and thorough reformation can free them-that's all ;" and he renewed his devotions to his comforter.

"Why, really!" rejoined I, "that's enough, I should think-provided, however, you can prove such to be actually the fact; otherwise you must allow me to remain in the dubious state."

"Prove such to be the fact!" he replied, fiercely; "does the universal disregard, shown by the present generation to long established customs and usages, prove nothing? Does the utter destitution of correct feeling and sentiment on the part of the community, in regard to all subjects which most nearly concern them prove nothing? However," added he, with more moderation, "this is nothing at all to the point. I visit you this evening, young man, on the most important business. Therefore divest, I entreat thee, thy mouth of that cigar, and hear me attentively. In me you behold the presiding genius of Yale College!"

Scarce were the above words uttered, when an odd pair of dividers, together with a "Gunter's scale of equal parts," and divers other instruments appertaining to college science, which I had for some time perceived fidgeting uneasily upon the table, to my utter amazement now erected themselves, and bowed thrice most reve

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rentially towards my guest. At the same instant, the solutions to some half a dozen or more "problems for practice,"* appended to the remarks on the "specific gravity of bodies," and which I in some unaccountable way (which, in spite of all I can do, will sometimes occur) had "skinned," to meet the demands of our last recitation, slunk away with all imaginable dispatch to the farthest corner of the room, while, treading on their heels, a stray Murphy's Tacitus, which but a moment before was reposing in conscious worth and dignity, was now seen winging its flight in company with them, though one might clearly see that it was evidently ashamed of its company. The old gentleman appeared in no whit surprised or discomposed at these sudden movements-doubtless they are common, every-day occurrences with him.

The reader will here be pleased again to call to mind how sinister my position was for any sudden movements-the recollection of this fact will doubtless abate his surprise, when I inform him that I received the above announcement from the old gentleman without evincing any marks of surprise-in fact, took it quite coolly-too coolly, probably, according to his ideas of propriety, for he paused a moment, and then repeated, with increased emphasis, "In me you behold the presiding genius of Yale College!" I bowed as respectfully as the nature of the case and attendant circumstances would allow. He seemed satisfied, and proceeded with a most dignified air.

"Doubtless you are surprised at the reception of this visit from me, at such an hour. But you will soon learn, and therefore attend, I beseech you, auribus erectis.""

On hearing the old man's extensive quotation, I involuntarily smiled. It was unmannerly, I confess, yet the quotation was so formally introduced, that I consider myself almost pardonable. To conceal my ill manners, therefore, I reached to the table for another cigar.

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Nay! nay!" said he, pettishly, for he had observed the smile, "lay down thy cigar and attend, for this matter concerneth thee most nearly. I understand that you, in the plenitude of your wisdom, have had the audacity to contribute to a late number of the College Magazine."

"Really!" said I, after having performed the usual amount of fidgeting in my chair, consequent to all such disclosures, "really! I was not aware that the fact was so generally known."

* Vid. Olmsted's Phil. Vol. i. pp. 319-20.

For the edification of the uninitiated, we subjoin the following definition: "To skin-to pilfer, to filch, etc. A student is said to skin a problem, when he places the most implicit faith in the correctness of his neighbor's solution of it, or at least sufficient to warrant bestowing upon it the rites of adoption."-Coll. Lexicon, Vol. vi.

"Young man!" said he, sternly, "interrupt me not! It is true, as you say, that the fact is not generally known, for the evident reason that but few take sufficient interest in your productions to make any inquiries concerning their author. But I, of course, knew who he was, and am now present to give you a few practical hints, in case you ever make another attempt."

"Parce mihi!" I immediately exclaimed. The old gentleman now smiled in turn, then added,

"Fear not! I shall institute no very pointed criticisms, no comparisons with other communications-in fine, nothing tending very seriously to afflict your sensibilities, which I perceive are very tender."

Quite so!" I replied, and to prove it, made a most desperate effort to sneeze, which however being a decided failure, as my last resort, I blew my nose.

"Do not imagine," he continued, "that you are the only one that has been honored by a visit from me. Far from it! I have been occupied during the whole of the past week in visits to those lucky souls who, like you, have been honored with a seat in that high temple of fame, as also those who preside over its erection. But you are all emphatically a stiff-necked race. Not one can I convince that the Magazine is susceptible of almost infinite improvement, not only taken as a whole, but also in its component parts separately.'

"Do you find any thing deserving of censure in one piece in particular?" I inquired.

"Much!" he replied. "In the first place it is disgraceful that, as yet, scarcely an article has appeared in the present volume directly illustrative of the existing state of College society-the manners, feelings, prevailing sentiments, opinions, etc. of its members, and ten thousand other things that the world is dying with impatience to know. And now, what I want of you is, that you betake yourself. to the task of delineating some of the most marked features of College society, for the edification of mankind in general, and magazine-readers in particular."

On hearing these words, I heaved an inward groan, and as the old man paused, I ventured to observe, "that in my opinion the scenes and incidents of college life lacked sufficient interest, either to instruct or amuse, and that there was, in fine, little or no subject for remarks in the events of a college life."

"What!" ejaculated the old man, lifting his eyes in astonishment, "no subject for remarks! Why, my boy! don't you recollect the old saying that 'college is a world in miniature?" "

"It's not the better world,' I take it," was my reply.

* Dick vs. Dike.

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