appendix-1-第7章

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know　who　had　done　the　mischief。　The　bloody　hanger　was　flung　into　one
of　the　Meadow　ditches；　and　solemn　secrecy　was　sworn　on　all　hands；　but
the　remorse　and　terror　of　the　actor　were　beyond　all　bounds；　and　his　apprehensions
of　the　most　dreadful　character。　The　wounded　hero　was　for　a
few　days　in　the　Infirmary；　the　case　being　only　a　trifling　one。　But　though
inquiry　was　strongly　pressed　on　him；　no　argument　could　make　him　indicate
the　person　from　whom　he　had　received　the　wound；　though　he　must
have　been　perfectly　well　known　to　him。　When　he　recovered；　and　was
dismissed；　the　Author　and　his　brothers　opened　a　communication　with　him；
through　the　medium　of　a　popular　ginger…bread　baker；　of　whom　both
parties　were　customers；　in　order　to　tender　a　subsidy　in　name　of　smart…money。
The　sum　would　excite　ridicule　were　I　to　name　it；　but　sure　I　am；
that　the　pockets　of　the　noted　Green…Breeks　never　held　as　much　money　of
his　own。　He　declined　the　remittance；　saying　that　he　would　not　sell　his
blood；　but　at　the　same　time　reprobated　the　idea　of　being　an　informer；　which
he　said　was　_clam；_　i。e。　base　or　mean。　With　much　urgency　he　accepted　a
pound　of　snuff　for　the　use　of　some　old　woman…aunt；　grandmother；　or　the
like…with　whom　he　lived。　We　did　not　become　friends；　for　the　_bickers_
were　more　agreeable　to　both　parties　than　any　more　pacific　amusement；
but　we　conducted　them　ever　after　under　mutual　assurances　of　the　highest
consideration　of　each　other。

　　Such　was　the　hero　whom　Mr。　Thomas　Scott　proposed　to　carry　to　Canada；
and　involve　in　adventures　with　the　natives　and　colonists　of　that　country。
Perhaps　the　youthful　generosity　of　the　lad　will　not　seem　so　great　in　the
eyes　of　others　as　to　those　whom　it　was　the　means　of　screening　from　severe
rebuke　and　punishment。　But　it　seemed；　to　those　concerned；　to　argue　a
nobleness　of　sentiment　far　beyond　the　pitch　of　most　minds；　and　however
obscurely　the　lad　who　showed　such　a　frame　of　noble　spirit　may　have
lived　or　died；　I　cannot　help　being　of　opinion；　that　if　fortune　had　placed
him　in　circumstances　calling　for　gallantry　or　generosity；　the　man　would
have　fulfilled　the　promises　of　the　boy。　Long　afterwards；　when　the　story
was　told　to　my　father；　he　censured　us　severely　for　not　telling　the　truth　at
the　time；　that　he　might　have　attempted　to　be　of　use　to　the　young　man　in
entering　on　life。　But　our　alarms　for　the　consequences　of　the　drawn　sword；
and　the　wound　inflicted　with　such　a　weapon；　were　far　too　predominant　at
the　time　for　such　a　pitch　of　generosity。

　　Perhaps　I　ought　not　to　have　inserted　this　school…boy　tale；　but　besides
the　strong　impression　made　by　the　incident　at　the　time；　the　whole　accompaniments
of　the　story　are　matters　to　me　of　solemn　and　sad　recollection。
Of　all　the　little　band　who　were　concerned　in　those　juvenile　sports　or　brawls；
I　can　scarce　recollect　a　single　survivor。　Some　left　the　ranks　of　mimic　war
to　die　in　the　active　service　of　their　country。　Many　sought　distant　lands　to
return　no　more。　Others；　dispersed　in　different　paths　of　life；　‘‘my　dim
eyes　now　seek　for　in　vain。''　Of　five　brothers；　all　healthy　and　promising；
in　a　degree　far　beyond　one　whose　infancy　was　visited　by　personal　infirmity；
and　whose　health　after　this　period　seemed　long　very　precarious；　I　am；
nevertheless；　the　only　survivor。　The　best　loved；　and　the　best　deserving　to
be　loved；　who　had　destined　this　incident　to　be　the　foundation　of　literary
composition；　died　‘‘before　his　day''　in　a　distant　and　foreign　land；　and
trifles　assume　an　importance　not　their　own　when　connected　with　those　who
have　been　loved　and　lost。