Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-10-31
WOULD NOT 10 1T AGAIN,


| "ouLD NOT DO 1T AGAIN,
From Once Week.l
! 90 not care to renembsr how many
years II 10 since the stage coach set me
uow NJ the door Of DIR. Bloxam's school
Win M Two boxes. know that | was q
POOR trembling little lad. cold and eranped
WIN my long journey, and miserable at
.eAvl ny home for the first time. / was thank
ful for being permitted 10 crawl up stairs,
and creep into bed in the large resembling
sleeping room, whittier several Of nv school
fellows presently followed me. Bull am
net going to dwell upon the early days Of
my school life. l pass on 10 tho time
some ak years la,sr-whsn | had come
to be one Of the older boys In the sixth
form.
Hilbrow Hall faced the high road in front;
but on the north side Of its sxtsnsive build
ing there was . prscipiteus descent toward
the Dark water, tidal river which fewsd
beneath. Several Of the dormitoriss were
bniIt almost upon the verge sf this steep
descent; bus only the boys in the higher
classes we're placed in these rooms, g 1t
vas not considered safe enough for the
younger ones. In TIE rear Of the school
mouse there vas narrow lane, which rose
rom the banks Of the Darkwatsr TO the
summit Of the bill at the back OF thu house
and then descended on the right toward the
lower parts OF the town. During the sum
sner months tho elder boys we're all0wsd to
20 70 down to the river before breakfast to
battle, provided they we're back in time for
morning school. Tony Brics, . boatmsp.
and an experienced swimmer, was slwaysi in
attendance ct that time, % q sseirity
against accidents. The proper way down
70 the watsr side vas across ths play,
ground, through the garden, and aisse the
!ans turning 20 the left. This, however. was
rather long way round and 20 the favVr-
No msthsd Of dsscsnt was . winding pa(h-
~sy, which led dsWn the nee Of the preci-
piee to the waters edge. There was no real
danger in this descent 10 bread daylight,
and With proper caution but il would have
been fsarfsl risk 70 attempt it in the
dark, o. even in the twilight The feat was
only once attempted, l believe, by . boy
whs got out Of one Of the windows after
hours, aud was very much injus1d assa re-
ward for his foolhardinsss. The doctor,
thsrsupsn, threatened to have bars alixsd
to the Window ealsss prstniss we're given
that no such think should ever b haxardsd
again.
1t spsaks veil for ~ feeling which pss,
vailed in the school under the doctors 3D.
ministration. that . simple premise on tho
part 81 the bsys should have been deemed
sufheient. But il Vas one Of the doctors
asculiaritiss to treat his bsys with eesf.
dsncs which never seemed TO admit the pos
sihiIity Of their abusing it. Apethar Of
his -pssuaiaritise in the es$sfnmetsS u The
school WAS the rigid determination with
which be sxaetsd the most ssrupuleus
nsatnsss and order throughout the wbols
sstsblishoent. He WAS lie captain on
beard Of . man-ofwar. He would have
everything 10 its place. Nothing annoyed
him - much - anything approaching to
slevenlinses or negligence. lie reminded
me ssmstimss Of the answer an old woman
! once made - . gentleman, who was com
plimsnting her upon the extreme nsatnsss
Of her little cottage. "You know the cid
| saying. Mrs Brown, that cleanliness 10 mex,
10 godlinssa" "Yes," was her reply, ''and
far afors il, as think" There was no
thing prying or idsety in the doctor >
manner, only nothing seemed TO escape his
10. 1t seemed to pam him to witness
confusion or want Of meth d. The conse-
|
&c putting every thing in its place. Bat.
AID stumps wore never pitched down any
where, when We came in from cricket
caps were lever tossed on the sch co room
,abIe, for any one whom /, might concern
to put away. TIL football was not left out
n the play ground when the game was
ever. The TIA min, We thus received was
admirable, although We sonc,lmcs.,h .ht
Il rather bore.
In the maintenance Of this man-of.war.
ike discipline the doctor was ably seconded
~ = humble member Of his establishment,
whom must nov introduce TO the reader
Mary Garrett was bright, neat hat ded
servant. whose duty it Was to attend to the
boys in the dining hall At meal mes. She
vas an unboundsd favsrite; although she
contrived to exercise considerable author.
ity. Many . lad Was indebted to her for
keeping him cut Of scraps, for her vgi
ant eve never overlooked any stray article,
which ought to have been put away in its
appointed place. "Mastsr Thornton She
would say, "Mssus won't be best pleased,
# she sees your W. towel lying on your
bed" Aud away Thornton would hurry
to repair tho oversight, snly TO End that i,
had been done for him already. master
Borla's." she would say again, "the doctor
Won. let you keep rabbits any longer, il
YOU lot them get out and run into the gar
den" And Borlase, in HE turn, would b.
OF IN great trspidation, only 70 discover, to
his great relief, that the gardener had al
ready received . friendly HINT, and the Of
tenders had been captured aud returned to
thsir hutch. Ii WAS no wonder, therefore,
that Mary was great favorite, and tha,
her quiet ways Of keeping things straight
we're thoroughly appreciated.
Ii happened that family Affairs made it
incenvsnisnt for me to g home, the last
Easter holidays before left Hilbrow. Bor-
lass and Thornton we're 10 the same PEST
ton - myself; aud - for nearly three
weeks Ne we're left very much to our own
rssourcss to ind amusement and occupy
our time. The doctor never accepted any
invitations during the half year, although
he frequently entertained his friends ct bis
own house. But 10 the holidays he availsd
himself Of the hospitality 81 his nsighbors
Our evenings, therefore, during that brisi
vacation we're often entirely ct eur own dis
pesal. 4 fair amount Of liberty was per-
mittsd - during the day, % that We pre-
ssntsd ourselves at msaltimes and esr
orders were e b. within beuuds BY eight
s'clssk 10 the evening.
Ausngst the day boardsss who attended
our school Was boy named John Brandon.
He Was universally known by the name Of
Jack. HE father was surgeon residing
Ia the town, who had IN excellent prac.
use, and Was extremely popular. jack
wss Intended for HE fathers profession,
and was already beginning to learn il. II
vas his great delight - held the patients
head whilee tosth Was beiag extracted. He
vas perfectly unmevsd whom witnessing
the most sxcrucisting ag0niss; not from
any innate cruelty Of dispssitisn, but sim
ply because be was himself almost insen-
oibls to pain. His father ussd 70 esy thst
he would have made subject Of his own
hand or arm, rather than 60 without. And
this wae nct altogether such an exaeesra-
ton 40 1t would seem for he had during
several weeks an open wound in his leg,
brought on by accident, which must have
caused him intense suffering he had il
dressed and yet he endured tie repeated
torture without the quivsv Of a muscls.--
Toia young enthusiast had an cd lumber
room ct the top of his fathers house,
| which he used to call the Museum; and
thitasr he had conveyed from time to time,
. collection of the strapgest odds and ends
Q l.