Litchfield enquirer., 1873-01-02
From Scribners onthly. EXTRACTS FROM .ARIHuR BON. MlCASTlEss


 8 We were always wakened in the morn ing by swloop' and sshalloo that ran from room to room over the whole estab- lishment. A little bell started 1t some where; and the first boy wLo heard 1t gave his call, which was taken up by the rest and borne on from bed to bed until the whole brood was in full cry. Thus the school called itself. 1t was the voices of merry and Wide-awake boys that reused the drowsy ones; and very rarely did 8 dull and snlky face show itself in the breakfast-room. s.szg 4s
 This morning call was the key to all the I affairs of the day and to the policy of the school Self-direction and self-goyern- ment- these were the most important of all the lessons learned at the Birds Nest Our school was little community brought together for common objects the pursuit of learning. the acquisition of courteous mannerssa and the practice of the duties which relate 10 good citizenship. The only laws of the school were those which were planted in the conscience, reason, and sense of propriety of the pu- pils. The ingenuity with which these were developed and appealed to has been. from that day to this, the subject of my unDounded admiration. The boys were made to feel that the school was their own, and that they were responsible for its good order. NIT. Bird was only the biggest and best boy, and was the accept I ed president of the establishment. The responsibility of the boys was not thing of theory only. It was deeply realized in the conscience and conduct of the school However careless and refractory . new boy might be, he soon learned that he had whole school to deal with, and that he was not match for the public opin- ion. He might evade the masters or a teachers, but he conld not eyade the eyes or the sentiments of the little fellows around h1m.
 On the first Friday evening of my term, entered as charmed and the roughly happy element into one of the social institutions of the school On every Friday evening, after the hard labor of the, week was over. it was the custom of the school to hold what was called 8 ''reception." Teachers and pupils made the best toilet they could, and spent the evening in the parlors, dancing, listening | to music, and socially receiving the towns-people and such strangers as might l happen to be i'll the village. The piano that furnished the music was the first l had ever heard, and at least half of my first reception-eyening was spent by it's side, in watching the skillfnl and hand 1 some fingers that flew over its mysterious keys. I had always been taught that l dancing was only indulged in by wicked people; but there were dear Mr. and Mrs. Bird looking on; there was precious Miss Butler without her belt, leading little fel- lows like myself through the images of the figures; there were twenty innocent and hi,ppy boys on the floor, their -eyes sparkling with excitement; there were fine | ladies who had come to see their boys, and village maidens simply clad and as fresh as roses; and Icould not make out that there was anything wicked about it. l It was theory of MT. Bird that the more the boya eeusd lse Egfanght ls1so SEaIss familiar association with good and gefs- cioes woalag tha itetsef t tssalzalii ts .5s>e.. them AccordIhg1y. he had no 4l.Dz- among his teachers, and as his school was the social center of the village, and ali around him were interested in his objects. there were always ladies and young women at the receptions who devoted themselves to the happiness of the boys Little lads of less than ten summers found no difficulty Ill securing partners who | were old enough to be their mothers and 1 grandmothers; and as look back upon the patient and hearty efforts of these women, week after week and year after year, to make the boys happy and manly and courteous, 1t enhances my respect for | womanhood, and for the wisdom which laid all it's plans to secure these atten- tions and this influence for us. I never saw sheepish-looking boy or a sheep ish-acting boy who had lived year at the Birds Nest Through the influence l of the young women engaged as teachers and of those who came as sympathetic visitors, the boys never failed to become courteous, self-respeetfal, and fearless in society
 Miss Butler, the principal teacher, who readily understood my admiration of her, undertook early in the evening to get me upon the floor; but it was all too new to me, and begged to be permitted for one evening to look on and do nothing. She did not urge me so I played the part of an observer. One of the first incidents of the evening that attracted my atten- tion was the entrance in great haste of a good-natured, rollicking boy, whose name had learned from the fellows to be Jack Linton. Jack had been fishing, and had come home late. His toilet had beer hurried, and he came blundering into the room with his laughing face flushed, hi4 neck-tie awry, and his heavy boots on.
 MT. Bird, who saw everything, beckonl ed Jack to his side. "Jack," said h5 'syou are very rugged boy" @
 "Am IF" And Jack laughed. .
 Yes, it is astonishing what an amount of exercise you require" said MT. Bird. r
 '.ls it?' and Jack laughed again. T
 Yes. l see you have your rough boots l 0,, for onofbar. around Robin Hoods Barn, and report yourself in light, clean pair of shoes, as soon as you return"
 Jack laughed again, but he made ratherI sorry work of it; and then he went out. '"Robin Hoods Barn" was the name given to a lonely building mile distant to which MT. Bird was in the habit of sending boys whose surplus vitality hap pened to lead them into boisterousness or | mischief Jip, wEo had been an atten- tive listener to the conversation, and ap- ! parently understood every word of it, fol lowed Jack to the door, and, having dis missed him into the pleasant moonlight, | gave one or two light yelps and went back into the drawing-room. Jack was brisk walker and lively runner, and before an hour had elapsed was in the drawing-room again, looking as good-natured as if noth- ing unusual had occurred. looked at his feet and saw they were irreproachably incased in light, shining shoes, and that his neck-tie had been readiusted. He came directly to Mir. Bird and said: q have had very pleasant walk, Mir. Bird"
 ''Ah! I'm delighted" responded the master, smiling; and then added: Did you meet anybody ?"
 'Yes, sir; met COW"
 1 'What did you say to her?"
 'I said How do you do, ma'am? How's your calf P" ,ss
 sWhat did she say?" asked Mr. Bird, very much amused.
 .''She said the calf was very we'll, and would be tough enough for the boys in about two weeks. replied Jack, with a loud laugh. .
 MT. Bird enjoyed the sally quite as much as the boys who had gathered round him, and added: Tl.s a@f--
 "We all know who will want the largest