Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1845-06-11
NUMBER 20.
Old Sch"Ol Books.

There is charm 10 us in old school books: a
melancholy pleasure in picking up one of those
boyisa, remembrances. with its covers torn of. its
leaves dog. cared, and lis pictorial embellishments;
lift rej"iceh in such helps to read, nova days in.
separable from Northumberland with gam.
boge and vermillion, ard TO philnsophze over il
Hamlet over The skull of Yorick. How many
memories rush crowdingly upon the brain; reused
from their lehargy fyears by the sight of the old
book; how many visions of specialized pedag ogues,
OF wild companions, of dinpled-cheeked maidens,
of casgations with birch rods, ard A gelations
with fiat rules. of halfmunched apples, and steal
thy devoured nuts of Iruancies and trout fishings
in the long summer afternoons; how many iho,l-
sands of these spring up wildly into being until one
thinks ones self ag lin a school ooy and sees the
companions of thet eysian age crowding once
more about him, and hears their merry shouts, and
sees their laughing faces. ...-.-..e
1t was but yesterday, thar, CHANGING upon an old
trunk, which had long lain perdue in The garrett,
we took from it spelling book, on the half fy-
leaf of which was scratched, in school boy hand.
Dan. Fl. We dropped tear upon the page, for
we saw at once IN 1t, as In magic mirror. long
vista OF events standing boldly forth in bright per-
spective, and though we had not thought Of them
for half life time, there they were. as vivid as the
DAY tney were enacted. I0OT Dan! lhere are
hundred of thy old companions will remember
thee Till memory all that's left of them, and there
shall be more than damp eye vet at he recur-
| renee of thy name in social circles or hilarious
merry meetings. Dan was slight, consdmptive
bow and dreamy; he walked about. among us like
a vision, aud we stood in awe Of his cold, calm
look. He would wander off by night, and sit for
J hours beside The fburied homes a, Sandy Town,
and seemed 10 take delight in looking upon the
blue waters at mis- feet. and hearing their measured
FLASHING upon The shingy beach. We followed
him, one night. through curiosity. and found him
upon his knees, before heap OF bones, weeping
| like child. He sacrificed his dog to Statue of
Napoleon. and burned his offering upon the school.
room stove, and would. verify believe, have i'm
molaed himself, could he have seen the effect!
! Poor fellow! | say again. He went to sea, and
never returnrd. Two years ago 1 saw his wild
owed mother, and she told me that she had yet
hanging OF the very peg where he had placed II,
his Jacket, emheli he'd with The buttons that he had
gathered from among the collins on the beach.
| There was another name written the same
leaf and rude drawing of Two hands joined.
The other was that of Bob BIS laugh.
ing, handsome boy, with curly locks, who had an
open palm, or doubled fist, equally ready, on
emergency. He was Dams champion, and many
Time nave MS eyes oeeH iIdue UldCker, anu MS
aqIlline nose been knocked into pug in his eff.
forts for his friends defence. He is in South A
merca, driving extensive business. He mar
ried little Clara So, who loved him from
The time he protested against the teachers whip
ping her for something laid to her by ugly Char
foue." and got most numerically cobbed himself
for interfering. But always after that there was
sweetness between them. and Bob knew whose
basket would be left 70: him, when ne was kept
after school, and who would walk mile home
for her own dinner, rather than he should 60 with
out; and then Clara had always such nice apples
and popped corn in her desk, which must have
come from Bob. They are happy. now and often
talk Of the whipping that quickened into life their
early love. s-'H '-'si
These are the recoleciions brought up by old
school books. They may read US homiies whor-
thy the sacred pulpit; for in their verv faces are
written, innocence, purity, truih.-Ndtiondt PIT
lot. h4'F s