unconsciously changed from the third to the first person; but I had guessed the truth long before this), but it must have been a long time; for Jim and I could drink with the best of them and we felt the need of it then. Reiter thought we were clear daft, and small wonder, for we laughed and slapped each other on the back and shouted to our friend out in the sleigh to "come in and have something or he'd perish with the cold." But at last we had had our fill, and perhaps a bit more, and went out carrying a glass of hot whiskey for the stableman. He was not there, nor did he come when we called.

"Frost-bitten and gone off to die," said Jim, and with a bow tossed off the whisky to the solitary figure in the sleigh; and we both laughed. "And I wish to God he had died," the doctor broke off with sudden energy and looking full at me for the first time; "I wish to God he had died before he did his devil's work that night. But 'twas the will of God no doubt, or of the devil, we had dared. We got in with some difficulty and started off, Jim driving, and I with my arm about the thing's neck to steady it against the jolts, for it was hard riding in the deep snow. But little enough we cared; we had our prize, which would be welcome enough at the school, and we should be heroes with the fellows for the rest of our days. So we laughed and shouted and sang our devil's chorus, and then Jim turns to the thing and slaps it on the knee: "Well, old fellow, and how'd you like a drink?"

"And then laddie," and the doctor turned toward me again, "such a thing happened as I hope will come to no man again, for I felt the neck turning slowly under my arm; and the face turned full upon Jim, and spoke, and the word came cold and grating from between its locked teeth:

"They've stole the Thing that was given to me

To keep forever and aye,

And twist my tail, but I'll pay them back,

If it takes till the Judgment Day."

I sprang from the sleigh with all my strength and rolled over and over into the ditch. And as I struggled in the snow I felt the lash of the whip across my back a dozen times. I looked up and saw the corpse standing up in the bounding sleigh urging on the horse with whip and voice back over the road we had come. And ahead ran Jim, and with every yell that came from behind he staggered on faster through the snow screaming all the while in an awful voice. And then I knew no more."

The doctor was silent so long that I feared he was not going to begin again. He was looking fixedly into the fire and had forgotten me. I stirred in my chair and he scowled quickly as one does who has been interrupted in a train of thought.

"They found me the next day where I had fallen. It was a full week before I was able to be about again: and I bear the marks of that night in the snow to this day," and he pointed to the ruined side of his face. I was seized with a kind of loathing I could not repress. The devil had indeed taken an awful reprisal, for it must have been a handsome face before that night.

"And Jim?" I ventured, after a long while. "They found Jim, too," he went on, his voice sunk so low I could hardly hear it. "They followed his tracks back to the tavern, and on past the tavern to the wood, and found the grave-yard gate smashed open. And the tracks went through the gate and on, zig-zagging through the pine trees to the open grave, and they found him in the bottom of the grave-face downward and stone dead."

For a long time neither of us spoke; then the doctor dropped his head wearily on his hand, his elbow resting on the arm of the chair.

"It was the stableman's doing, of course," he went on; "they found him next day hiding in the hay-loft. The body we took from the grave was lying behind an out-house, where the stableman said he had dragged it after taking off the coat and hat for his disguise. What inspired him to get into the sleigh and do what he did afterward, I don't know. When they asked him he

said that Jim had cut him with the whip when we first passed the tavern, and it was his revenge. It was an awful thing laddie, an awful thing. I make no doubt the Lord has mercy on poor halfwitted things that can't know what they're doing. But it was an awful thing to do.

The college is most fortunate this year in being able to listen to a series of readings from Shakespeare, by one who is, perhaps, the greatest Shakespearian reader in America, Mr. George Riddle. The value of such readings, especially to college students of English, can hardly be overestimated. The readings already given have been most enjoyable and instructive, and the college eagerly looks forward to those which are to come.

The published list of those who are to be admitted to athletic games brings to light the surprising fact that scarcely one-third of the undergraduates have purchased tickets. It is inexplicable that so few have availed themselves of the very generous offer of athletic managers. Student interest in athletics is not wanting this year, as was evinced by the demonstration which followed our first foot-ball victory, but there seems to be an idea among at least part of our undergraduates that some way, by magic perhaps, Tufts teams can continue to exist and prosper without financial backing. A similar wierd notion once came to a worthy Irish huntsman, who, having brought down a hawk from a great height, said: "Sure, an Oi nadn't 'av shot 'im at all. The fall 'ud 'av killed 'im annyway." In order to have a successful athletic year, a great many more of these tickets must be sold, and it is the duty of every Tufts student to procure one at his very earliest convenience.

Where was Tufts in the big college men's parade just before election? This is not the first time the question has been asked, and it is not a pleasant one for the average Tufts man to answer. Nor does the fact that our college was well represented in a like demonstration four years ago speak volumes for our enterprise, in the light of our great growth in numbers since that time. The non-appearance of Tufts men this year can be accounted for in part by the inability of those in charge to get the several departments interested in the short time allowed, and so to get a creditable number of men in line.

It is a deplorable fact that we on the Hill are not nearly well enough acquainted with our brothers in town. We are now an institution great in numbers, but what are numbers without unity when things are to be done? To be sure, a considerable distance separates us and with one of our sister schools we are but newly met, but our relations should be none the less intimate on those accounts. Let's "get together."

A. M. B., 'OI.