The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-03-23
ROYIsH MIsERIEs.
and Meditation Day.


What q stiffness prevails in the old school
room when the master" announces before
dismissing school that ION next Friday alter
noon there will be no recitatons, but alter
hearing the reading lessons every young lady
will read an original composition, and every
Young man will commit to memory a piece
CT poetry or prose. which he will speak from
his stand, and those who fail 20 do either Will
be punished" --
How the perspiration started on the oro"s
of the tinid ones tho solemn speech was
made. Even the boy who had put his mit~
tens on. under the desk, and placed one foot
out in the ai.le, ready to ''go" at the words
"scheol is dismissed" pulled off his mittens
and began searching for book to take home
Ito learn something out Of" and whispered
profanity, such as darn it," 'confound the
thing" ETC., came up from behind the desks
and all felt as If there was to be an eclipse
and ne glass smoked, except the one smart
chap who would rather speak than not, /"
and the girls who had big sisters at boarding
school, whose previous literary efforts at
home afforded rare chances for plagiarism,
which by little help would deceive the
teacher.
At last the anxiously-awaitedsday arrives,
the forenoon is passed in the usual manner,
!
in the appearances of the scholars and school.
room. Ths "big girls" are dressed up" for
the occasion Their gsWns are Of finer tex
turs than those worn during the week some
are adorned with their mothers ''breast pin"
and pair of "prze" earrings; white stock
iugs take the place Of the Literary blue" or
black ones, which would not look go well on
the platform (for there were no dresses en-
train in those days.; nearly all wore beau
catchers'' pastered on the side of their fore>
heads, and charcoal from the Fireplace had
| been used as dsntifrce during the inter-
mission between fore and afternoon.
| The little bare>footed girls appeared in
bright. copper toed shoes and tape embIoider-
| ed pantalettes of the nankeen style. With
the boys there was also attempt at i'm
/ proved toiletta boots had been creased,
paper collars turned and a portion sf their
'.Sunday-gn-to nee;in' clothes donned for
/ the occasion. Shocky heads Of hair had been
comb into partial subjection. and the boy
! with chapped hands had soaked his hands in
/ bran and water until portions of the origiua
cuticle we're visible. The doctors son" eX
hailed a powerful aroma, of all his father
favoring essences and the "tavern keeper:
boy," had auointed his head with Jamaica, ;
as su bslitute for bay Rum" TLe"ma
ter, ;" to maintain a dignity equal to the oc'
casion, had also exchanged his everyday coat
for "swing tail" Of fabulous length ana
shiny in spots as a duck wing. The bel
rings-readiag lessons are heard-books pu
away, the speaking platform cleared fo
work and the show opens.
Samuel Snubnose !" calls the teacher
and Samuel" with parting glance at hi!
b oks, stnmbles along toward the stand
where he becomes the target of hundred
eyes. and his face ths color of turkey COB
blsr's vattles. A bow, such as be would
have made if brick had struck him al thu
instant in the back of the head, and he essay
to speak:
1.-The curfew tolls the knell Of parting day
The lowing pause) herds wind slowly Ger th'
lea
The-the-(prompter) "plowman '-plowmaI
leaves the weary way
And plodS to worldneSs and to me.
Save from the yOnder lyy mantled tower
The mop1ng moon doth 10 the owl complain
{snickerine)
Save (te he he he) where the beetle wheels hi:
best rgiht bower
And drowsy tinklings lun her distant reign
The teacher raps 90 the desk and says
Samuel, no levity," and Samuel, who h1
forgotten pretty much all his "olegy," con
cludes as follows:
Here rests his Cha ha) head (snort) upon tn
lap OF yearth
A youth to (prolonged snicker) unknown,
Melancholy marked him at his -- birth,