but he was a
fairly good scholar, and he made a fine soldier. He was promoted fast;
but you know he resigned long before the rest of us were mustered out.
Had a fever, didn't he?"

"I believe so," said the judge, as his friends always called my
cousin. "The snow will reach my ears by this time. I must go home.
What a storm it is! No, I can't stay later. All night! no, indeed.
I'll come round late to-morrow evening if I can; but it will not be
likely. Now, if you had only been sensible and studied law, Jack, you
wouldn't have missed the festivities: it's too bad. To tell the truth,
I wish I could make some excuse, and come here instead. I'm very much
excited about Whiston." And with a "good-night" to us, and a fresh
cigar which he was sure the snow-storm would put out, he went
away,--my lucky, easy-going cousin George Sheffield, whose cigars
never did go out at inopportune times, and who never was excited about
any thing. It always seemed refreshing to find in this age of hurry
and dash and anxiety so calm and comfortable and satisfied a soul.

I was in doubt whether we should see any more of our sorrowful guest:
but he appeared late the next afternoon; and, when I came in from my
walk, I saw a much-used portmanteau being taken upstairs by Patrick,
who told me that there were some flowers in the parlor that
Mr. Whiston had brought. So I went in to see them, and my heart went
out to the giver at once; for had he not chosen the most exquisite
roses,--my favorite roses,--and more like Italy than any thing I had
seen in a long day? Patrick had crammed them into exactly the wrong
vase; but I thanked him for that, since it gave me a chance of
handling all the beautiful heavy flowers, and making them comfortable
myself, which was certainly a pleasure.

I found Mr. Whiston evidently in better spirits than he had been the
night before, and I was not sorry when I found we were to be by
ourselves at dinner. I had not asked any one myself, you may be sure.
My brother and I have a fashion of lingering long at the table, unless
I am going out for the evening; and that night he and his friend lit
their cigars, and went on with their talk of old times, while I
listened and read the Transcript by turns. Presently there were a few
minutes of silence, and then Jack said,--

"There was a strange case brought into the city hospital to-day,--a
poor young fellow who had been literally almost frightened to death.
One of his fellow-clerks,