The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-01-20
Oogitations Of a Teacher.

In the long Summer afternoon, when the
mopotony Of the schoolroom is felt more thar
at any other time in the year, my thought:
are apt to wander from the scene ,encloset
within these four white walls, to indulge in
day dreams;o but in the midst of the gay
castles whichmy mind may be rearing, sud.
denly my eye RECEIVERS consciousness, and
see the busy urchins before me, and the pleas.
ant room in which L sit. 'A
The sunbeams falling through the long
green blinds, form a shining ladder on the
whiteswali, and at its very foot sits the bonni-
est boy my eyes ever beheld. A. stupid
child, I have ever found him, impenetrable
and shy, but soul looks out from his large,
ustrous, grey eyes, and believe in that mute
sign, even as l believe in the hand that gave
it. There is beauty in every curve of his
round, German face, and his yellow hair,
,catching the sunlight in its tangled tresses,
looks like golden mist around his head
He is idle nowi the slate and pencil have
slipped from his ditnpled hands, and his earn
est ey es looking straight into some mysterious
realm, have caught wondrous glory. Such
asmlie night the babes of heaven wear.
CAN'T be that this is human child,-that
he must grow to bea coarse man, with, evil
passions, iignoraat, selfish, perhaps vicious
Far from such a stock did he come. / look in
wonder, and cannot if would, destroy the
beautiful picture.
Near him is stolid boy, with shock of
strong black harlan uncouth figure enough
withhis grim, expressionless face, and awk-
ward jacket pulled up to his chin, and further
embellished BY great blue wooden comforter;
aud though it's July, and the thermometer
at ninety six in the shade, this grim-yisaged
youth is digging into his slate with indefati-
gable energy, as though it were monument
erectedIor some famous genius, and he were
carving the epitaph with his pencil.
Near him is alittie Jew; boy viii not call
him; he is older than many man at eighty !;
ne seems to have caught the spirit of his FORE
fathers, and taken his place in the world filled
with the wisdom and foresight of dozen gen.
aerationsbof Abrahams and Isaacs. This scion
Of the house of Israel drives marvelously Gun
ming bargains in marbles. top-cord, jack
knives. and other boy property; and many a
little fellow has come to me with tears in his
eyes to. complain that Jacky Isaacs has de-
frauded him of new toy, or perhaps some
tempting tit-bit of confectionery. 1 always
q find in such cases, that there has been q bar
gain, and that the injured one has received
in return for bis precious plaything, hand
full OF rusty nails, crushed buttons or other
worthless things, which even boys consider
waste material. How this arrangement is
ever made. remains a mystery. There is no
settling these disputes, for Jacky is invulner
able to arguments of equity, and the law is
always on his side, for the bargain is sure to
be clinched before the exchange Is made.
Jaeky al,cays gains by his bargains. 91A
Hereis lean little Yankee, with black head,
eyes that sparkle and dance, and busy hands
that work like the hands of Yankee clock.
and tongue, as its pendulum whenever occa-
sion serves.
There is red checked rollickiug Irish boy,
with fun bursting out Of every pore, but " niv-
er a bit" when it comes to study.
= But young Hezakiah, frst in everything, is
sitting erect, as though his back bone were
the shaft Of poker, of which his little round
head were Che bal-like termination, with his
hands crossed on his slate after the approved
fashion, to show that his task is finished.
AND now must set to work to examine the
contents of about fifty states. tits amusing
10 see those little backs straightenup at the
gwen signai, and the little pug noses find the
same angle Of elevation; autonatons, broom
s''eNs' splkes--is there anything that viii ex
press the rigidity of 'pattern boy?"
such is the fashion and such is the reouisi-
ton; and any teacher who departs from the