Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1846-10-02
For the Burlington Free Press.
THE COUNTRY SCHOOL HOUSE.

II stands nv the w'ysi1r beneath an old tree
Where frolick "a in chliool ligh-haarrd an free;
IT'S rude and tiine-worn, aud the weather stained
door,
Is carved with deep and marked DER AMI DER
With drawings and nam : by childish hands traced,
Here, part OF a man, with the head quit, eli1ced
But with shape and proportion neer intended by ma
ture,
The DO ly chi's, but giant in stature
TIE 1T open d,ot - my view Joil disclose.
The beaches any l'7h> st!l stan ling IN rows,
A duly uoche !, where some lille boy sat,
And worn smooth where his elbows rubbed this way,
and That.
The desk OF the master, his inksiand and rule,
Where he set all the copies while he eyed the whole
school.
As of yore, JUS, behind where the ferule is laid,
Contiscated apples, and tops, are displayed.
Unchanged do they seem, and still standing there,
Are the pail and tin cup. and the masters arm chair
And still III the centre, all eaten with rust.
The old stove and It's pipe thckIy covered with dust
On three legs is resting, the fourth broke and gone,
Is supplied by brick, for its weight to rest on.
The papers and ashes lie scattered about
The BIS oi old pens with III, feathers not"le1 out,
The marks the wals--the ink the moor,
Fen the smoke on the celia, is the same OF yore-
Hark the voice OF the chili tro the hall open door
Who cons in faint treble his dull lesson DER
And the other VINO yawns with his DER his head
And signs as he wishes his less sad
Still deeper and longer and more weary his signs,
When b. turns to the window his sleepy grey eyes,
And sees IN the h.lds the lambs skipping at play,
And envics their freedom this sweet summer day,
And believes in his heart that happy he'd be,
II he, like the lambs could only be free
To gambo and iroc, to stand or to run,
Or lie down on the bank and bask in the sun
But oh this hlgn bench where his li,e short legs,
Hang dangling benum5cd and eless as pegs
", w lille vdiny he tries to reach with his toes,
The too disl mt flnuT-0h thas. are tn. wo,s
Which many child in his sch ,ol hour kAJws.
but bark the stem voice ui the master Is heard
To call Tor the task o! which n. knows not a word
And his visions ami dreams are dlspeled all once,
The high seat Is exchange for the block OF the dunce
How his little breast swells, when he hears that " to-
day
For block-heads and ounces the, must be no pla :"
And when on the green, gay group is throngng,
loJoin IN their sports how that young heart long
ing;
Half blinded by tears, he bends DER his book
Not daring tencouner he masters stern look
Tho his eyes on the page, his thouI!lt away
Where the boys Oh tie g'een now roc Al play
lie can see from tae window, tn kite sun'InI ngh,
AS sideways he peeps rom n.' slyy rai- ID eye;
Ills ham seeks MS pocket, tIe marbles roll DER
a ld render his sorrows lar ~, tn IN before
dis knife and his ews-harp and countless tow strings,
All a boy precious store, ~ juvenile things
But add 10 ms troubles, while striving To aide
The tears, which will flow in spite OF his pride.
The dull bu2lug drOnr oi an Idle great uy,
Now strikes on his ear drsoatcy
lis III vain h" end avors his les III to learn,
Some OBJECT dis, act, nm Where 'cr he may turn.
Tho the master has ruled every writing book through
Every page OF th'm given thrrou "a review
Every copy has SIT. and piled them away,
Still his task is uneawel, no, n word can he say
A. mis- Int on his tie nd the master then places
The poor little iiler H. spirmnly faces
" And now sir, yoIr task !" Oh terrible sound
How wildly the tone, makes his young heart to bound
And now bursts the gri he so long had suppressed,
In torrent oi tears winch his pride had r'preS>nd
Twas bad enough quite, to be kept from h,s play,
And shut up alone IN the school house TO stay
But. Ounce to be called. and blockhcad beside
He his mothers darling. his ialhcrs own pride
The cup OF ms sorrows, was quite tall before,
The voice OF his master has made it rul DER.
These grieis not liglt tho they're eetng It's true
And longel to rush III, to entIcat his rescue;
But saddened turned me- and saultcred along,
Still hearing the shouts Of tn i!lt-h,arr-l thong
And sighed as thought OF tn poor little one
Who sat on the dlnce-5 loI -at IN ANA lone
And fervently prayed that the future might bring
No sorrow more grievous his young heart to wiring.
ORAC.
Burlington, 1916.