The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1861-08-14
The Last DAYS Of School.

The Last Days oil SCn00l.
The following amusing paragraph from
the Kmckerbccker, will be readily apprecia.
ted by all those who have taken part IN the
"last exhibition" a; the close OF school
days: /
"Well, a few years pass, and school days
are coming 10 an end. The last perform
ance is TO be an exhibition, aud grand af-
fair is expected. Our parents, brothers and
sisters are TO be there, and we look forward
10 the day with joyful anticipation.
'What great preparations we make F! Ia
ing attitudes and making gTimaces before
the glass rehearsing our pieces, out be-
hind the wood-shed, and up on the hay-loit;
yainiy attempting 10 catch the intonalion
and superb gestures of the large boy who
had been 10 the city, and say that is The
way they do at The iheater putting on our
new uowsers, dislocaiing our yerlebrae in
trying 10 get rear view of them, and only
succeeding ia making out indistinct, bag
gy outline. AT last the long look ed-for
evening comes, and the little country church
| is brilliantly Illuminated with tallow cam
dies, and gorgeously decorated with sprigs
| of asparagus. The scholars, highly polish
| ed by much washing and redolent of du6i
| ously Favored soap, are seated OH the plat
form, and the performance begins. 1t con-
sistS of declamalons from Webster Burks,
| Spartacus, RenZi, and other eminent men !;
with essays on "The Seasons" Caken in
d:vidually and collectively on "Napoleon,"
on "Our County," etc, inersPerced with
moral dialogues and choral singing.
alt passes off pleasantly enough, although
some of the boys find themselves victims OF
of misplaced confidence in trusting 10 their
memories and in their embarrassment
make all sorts of irrelevant gestures, and
shuttle about in most dsconsolate man
ner.
"One, in speaking Of the Past and Future
forgets what gestures 10 make and keeps his
arm oscillating while he tries 10 recall it: in
studying this up, he forgets what tn say
next, and retires, blushing with mortifca-
ton. Don't laugh at him, boys; this very
incident may rouse his spirit, and you al
your rnsiic fire side may yet read his elo-
gueni speeches in Congress.
Between the parts, an officious gentle
man, in attempting TO snuff one OF the can
dies with his fingers, pulls il out Of the lin
scouce, and drops i, into the lap of an old
lady in bombazine whereat the old lady is
incensed, and the gentleman apologies
the scholars begin to litter; and the teacher
turns around aud frowns terribly, ;nconti
nenty squslching small bog who is rising
up to maintain a better view OF the pro
ceedings.
THE young ladies' essays embrace ev
cry topic, from ''Dress" up 10 "Pauio,ism >
and abound in cuphuisiic aphori.ms, gen
orally misquoted, and dimnutives in let
In describing sail upon the lake, 'genlly
gliding boatlet" is alluded to, whereupon ;
cruSty old cus-tomer, who is a deacoG
: in the church, and practical man, suggest
to his neighbors that skiflet would do jus
: as well.
: "The large boy from the city gives u
Mark Antony's Grafton over C9sar's bod,
in what we suppose is The most approvec
theatrical style He astonishes and capt.
yates the scholars, especially the weake
vessel 10 whom his aunointed locks, CITY
made clothes, and "miracuous tie," ar
: irresistible: but he by no means pleases tn
older portion of the audience. His sniic
are likeued 20 those OF a wet hen, >hou
:, tailed b--ovine III fly time and other lu
drlcns objects, familiar to rustic eyes Un
fortunately his vehement efforts disturb tn
slumbers of one or two infants, whose erie
do not al all enchant The tragic effect, bv
are much too violent for the occasion be
ing quite audible, though smoihered unde
j shaws and partially joIled down by vic
orous irntiing on maternal knees.
And now the last piece is spoken, th
+ dexology is sung, The weezy old sexto
coughs cut The candies and locks the doc
and school days are oyer'n