Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1872-08-03
AREMINISCENCE OF ETON LIFE.

Greegleby and Blazcpolc; Stump,
minor also conveyed friendly ad-
monltlon to me on the subject, ant
Asheton one morning sent. for me
on purpose to say that | must b,
careful what l did when Jickling
was by to advise me. But thcsc
counsels, though they kept me from
falling into any Of Jickling's mory
dangerous snarcs, did not remove
him from my company. lie ac.
knowlcdgcd with a candor that did
him honor, that he liked "iclIow.
whom you could humbug till all
was blue"
"WclI," said Ashcton to him, af-
ter an exploit at Windsor fair, "you
and Rivers there have become ho-
rocs as it were; and it's been said
that a fellow who has the stuff in
him that you showed on the Wind
sor fair day is worth better things
than to be continually in hot water,
and at skies and scvcns with every
body"
Jickliug changed color slightly,
went to the fire, pokcd it violently
without its having any need of such
operation, aud said, "You'rc always
badgcring me, Asipton."
81 want to see you a good fellow,
and ON the highway TO become a
man." answered Ashcton, with al
most a woman's patience.
"What is, is" said Jickliug, dog
gcdly. "You can't make yourself,
and you can't do what's impossible" /"
"And what's impossiblc?" asked
Asheton.
"Why," cried Jickling, breaking
out, and throwing down the poker
with cIattcr, it's impossible to be
this and that. simply because you
are told to be it; and it's impossible
TO do this or that, when you've not
strength enough. What should you
say il | told you 10 win the football
match against the collcgcrs this
year? Itsccms you're in the eleven
and they're stronger than You.
You know it. SO let me alone"
There was a moments silence;
thcn Ashcton walked straight up to
Jiolling lie had hrrnme very
pale, but looked at his unhappy tag
with a stead and earnest expression
in his eyes.
81 know the coIlcgcrs are strong
er than we" he said, "but will you
promise me" "-hc paused" will
you promise me, Jicliling, that if |
win the match for our side you'll
change?"
Jickling looked growlingIy sur
priscd, and glanced at him with sui
len suspicion. dts not much to
promise" he said at last, "lor you
won't"
mBut will you promisc?" asked
Ashcton.
"Wcll, then, yes" said JickIing,
with dry laugh and shrug.
every we'll" answered Ashton,
and he left the room.
The match, Collcgcrs vs.. Oppi-
dams, played every year ON St. An
drcw's feast, Both November, was
the great event of the football sea
son. At the time of which | am
writing it was not usual for the
Oppidans to win every year, as has
later been the case. The match
was played "at the wal, "a pccuI-
lar sort of football, in which the
Fountain boys, and as a result the
College team, although the COL
lcgcrs had only seventy boys to
choose from, as against nearly SIX
hundred on the other side, was cX-
trcmely powerful and difficult to
beat. On the day of the match Jlck-
ling and |, who had not yet been
out Of doors since our accident, OBJ
ta;ncd Icavct 60 ont fortwo hours,
lust to sec the match aud return.
Play began at haIf-post II, and
there wasaIways an enormous crowd
every boy in the school, every
master and masters family, and
some hundred or more of old Eton-
ions, being generally present. Jick-
ling and | took up our position at
that part Of the ropes where the
lower boys congrcgated, making a
irightluI hulIabalIoo in response to
the grown boys, who, at every adj
vance of their side, shouted like IA
natics, as if the safety of the three
Kingdoms were icing stalicd. For
those who have never seen "walP
football played, a description of the
game would scarcely be intcIliriblc,
and for those who have seen it it
would be useless. Let nc only say,
therefore, that the points to be
scored are goals" and "shics," a
single goal outnumbcring.any guam
ity Of SHES. By the end Of three
quarters of an hours play, three
SHES had been scored by the Col
legers' eleven. The game was go
ing dead against the Oppidans. who,
opposed to a formidable trio OF Coz
legers, named Bullockson, Huxley
and Drayman, were ovcrweighted
borne down, and forced back into
their own ground or cdLr every NO
ment, Notwithstanding all their gal
lantry. Ashcton had been perform
;nU nrodigies of valor in the Oppi-