Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1872-02-22
..SPEAKIN'" AND aKI
s-ss DAY.

"sPEAKIN'" AND aR1 0As'
-ssn DAY.
A Western writer thus vi9f |sayo
the miserics Of . country 81 -
What a stiffness prevailed in d. lool
room when tho s.masterS an1 -
fore dismissine school tLpt s ESi&'
day afternoon there will BE- ne 1ipos.
bu, after hearing the reading T. ecgy
young lady will read an oriGin !.
ton. and every young man n II i
piece 10 memory. Of poetry a. <fck
he will speak from this stsu -
Who fail TO do either viii b pI + =
How the perspirstiou se6<l -
brows of che kimid out1 ~ u nn
speech - - g - Ia
Exa put-his mfsscns on. under the desk.
aud placed one foot out in the aisle ready
to go at the word ..school is dismissed" I"
pulled OF his nittens and began searching
for book to take home .'to learn some.
thing ou, of. and whispered profanity such
as darn it," "confound the luck" came
up from behind desks-and all felt as if
there was to be an eclipse and no glass
had been smoked, except the one smart
chap who had rather speak than not and
the girls whe had big sisters a, boarding
schools. whose previous literary efforts at
home afforded rare chances for plagiarism.
which by little help would deceive the
teacher.
AT last the anxiously-awaited day ar
tho ,S r.e.al h. Il
manner, but ut noon there is decided
change made in the appearance Of the scl,oi-
ars and school-room The "big girls" arc
dressed mp for the occasion. Their
GOWNS are of finer texture than those worn
during the week; some are adorned with
their mothers "breast pin" aud pair Of
prize earrings white stockings take
the place of the literary blue or black
ones. which would not look SO well on the
platform (for there were no dresses en-
train in those days.; nearly all wore
beau catchers' plastered on the side of
s,heir sforeheads. and charcoal from the
fireplace had been used as dentrifc dur
ing the intermission between fore and af-
terEo0n.
The little barc-footed girls. appeared in
bright, cuppcr-tocd shoes and tape en-
hroiIercd pautalettes of the nankeen style.
With the boys there was also an attempt
at improved toilette. boots had been grcas-
ed-psper collars turned. and portion
OF their Sunday go-to- mcctiu' clothes"
!.donnea for the occasion Shocky heads
of hair had been combcd into partial sub
lection, and the boy with chapped hands
hal soaked his knucktes in bran anl wa
ter until portions Of the original cu,icle
were visible. The doctors son" exhaled
u powerful aroma, all his fathers favor
ing essences, and the tavern keepers
boy had anointed himself with ..Jamaica. +"
as . substitute for bay Rum" The
master" to maintain a dignity equal to
the occasion. had also exchanged his every
day coat for ''swing-taiP' Of fabulous
length aud shiny in spots as a ducks wing
Tie bell riugs--rcading lessons are heard
books put away. the speaking platform
cleared for work. and the show opens.
Samuel Snubnose!' calls the teacher
and Samuel" with parting glance
at his book, stumbled alon. towards the
stand where he become the target Of a
hundred eyes, and his face the color Of a
turkey gobbler's wattles A bow. such as
he would have made it brick had struck
him at that instant in the back ofthe head i,
and he essays to speak:
"The curfcw tolls the knell of parting day
The lowing tpause) herds wind slowly DER the
lea
Tbe-,he-ip p-or,n,erl -nlown,n
leaves the weary way
And p!ods the dark TO worldness aRd TO me.
Save from the youder ivy mantled tower
The mopnc moon doth 20 the owl complain
! (Suiekering)
Save ('e he he he) where the beetle wheels his
best right bower
And drowsy tink!ings lull her distant reign.
! The teacher raps on the desk and says !:
''Sanael. no levity," and Samuel. who
las forgotten pretty much all his .'elegy,"
concludes as follows:
''liere rests his tha-ha) head (suort) upon the
| hap Of yearth
\ youth 10 prolonged suickerl unknown.
Melancholy marked him at his-birth,
Andseieneefrow observation-disclosures"
Sam goes to his sea, and holds his nose to
keep from laughing out loud, while a, a
nod from the master Lucinda Wir,h"
trips. all smiles aud bushes. to the plat
torn and after "kurtseyirg,' proceeds to
read in an iraudible voice something about
BE kind to thy father" The teacher saws.
.'Loadcr." and We catch q few words t:
"ioar father loves you and has been at a
great deal Of expense a-bringing you up.
80 you should obey him aud not" here
cnsnes jumble Of sounds which no one
can interpret. which cease. and after fold
ing her composition. .'Lucinds" lays Il on
the teachers table for inspection, kurt
seys and goes to her seat. George Fran
els Sprain." SAYS the teacher, and . spruce
looking chap. whose hair is goose-oiled
into Sarlisess. steps boldly 10 the front.
George likes this business-he is going
10 .makea lawyer-aRi in shrill voice
he commences: Mot many generations
ago share you nov sit. eueircled BY all that
embelli>hes civilized life. the Wild fox nod
ded in the wind. and the thistle dug his hole
unscared "-snd so be goes on. transposing
- sentence occasionally. bu, mainly right,
sud with . 6rm voice 10 the end. We
hase seen George since he arrived a, man s
estate he now stands in the police court
and defends ..aruaks- for fifty cents q
case. win er-Isose. and has acquired each
reputation that the judge always comes