IFHE IiTIgT 



.. 8F THE flZTECg. 



• • • 



Dr. Edward J Tucker. 



Introduction. 



I am not committing a breach of con- 

 fidence in relating an incident that 

 occurred during the latter part of 

 the last year of my college life, as the 

 man chiefly interested has disappeared 

 from the theatre of civilized life, and is 

 now immured in the glades and moun- 

 tain fastnesses of Yucatan, from which 

 escape is hopeless. 



There are others, beside the exile, 

 interested in the tale, who, perhaps, will 

 not thank me for relating the story, 

 especially with proper names and places. 

 I am under no obligation to any one, 

 and justice demands that I should right 

 the wrongs against which the exile was 

 too proud to protest. 



The pent-up energies of the class of 

 '85, toward the last month of the year 

 culminated, during the five minutes in- 

 tervening between lectures, in passing 

 obnoxious students up and down the 

 amphitheatre, shying cushions from one 

 to another, and even in passing around 

 expensive tables, which seldom made 

 the circuit intact. 



At times, when confusion reigned 

 supreme and excitement was at its 

 highest, a terrific yell would be emitted, 



like the whoop of Indians on the war 

 path ; that would instantly silence the 

 excited revellers and restore quiet. On 

 previous occasions, when a professor 

 would grow tiresome, and I would 

 dream of green fields and running 

 brooks, I would be startled by a hiss, as 

 of a snake beneath me. 



I attributed these unearthly sounds 

 to a dark, sad-eyed student who sat 

 behind me ; one who was rarely seen to 

 smile, and who never associated with 

 other students. In fact, he was shunned, 

 and was regarded as uncanny. Yet 

 there was something infinitely tender 

 and mysterious in his manner that at- 

 tracted me to him, and though he never 

 repelled, he did not encourage me in 

 my offers of friendship, and ere long I 

 became convinced there had been a 

 passage in his life that had blighted his 

 existence. 



He was a tall, thick set man, about 

 40 years old, with a swarthy complexion, 

 such as is produced by exposure to the 

 weather. His deep sunken eyes, bushy 

 black beard, and melancholy counte- 

 nance, produced an impression that made 

 the students wonder what his life story 

 could be. 



I had mentally noted his character- 

 istics, and, as I was busily preparing 



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