The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1874-05-01

| lage ofsome twenty-five or more houses, six
of which were taverns. 1t was and is coun-
ty town, and court was regularly held there,
to which the Baltimore lawyers used to
| flock in crowds; and many mad pranks
have known them to play there for their
own amusement, if not for the edifcation
of the pupils of Mr.. Sears.
| My father drew up at McKenney's tav.
ern, and as it was about twelve when we
arrived, and the pupils were dismissed to
| dinner, he sent in his card TO the principal,
who in few minutes made his appearance.
| Talk of a lover watching the movements
and having impressed upon his memory
| the image Of her whom he loveth the
| schoolboy has much more vivid recollec-
| tion of his teacher. Mr.. Sears was tall
| stout man, with broad STOPPING shoulders
He carried a large cane, and his step was
| as decided as ever was DR.. Busby's, who
would not take off his hat when the King
visited his school, for the reason, as he told
| his Majesty afterwards, that if his scholars
| thought that there was greater man in
| the kingdom than himself, he never could
| control them. The face of Mr.. Sears re-
| sembled much the likeness of Alexander
Hamilton, though his features were more
| contracted, and his forehead had nothing
like the expansion ofthe great statesman's;
| yet it projected similarly at the brows.-
He welcomed my father to the village with
great courtesy, and me to his pupilage with
greater dignity. He dined with my father
with me by his side, and every now and
| then he would pat me on the head and ask
| me question. l stammered out monosyl-
Liable answers, when the gentleman would
address himself again to his plate with re-
newed gusto.
| Mr.. Sears recommended my father to
| board me at the house of Mr.. Hall, who
had formerly been the Sheriff of the county,
| and whose wife and daughters he said,
| were very fine women. He regretted, he
| said, when he first took charge of the AGA
deny, that there was not some general
place attached to it, where the pupils could
| board in common but after-rehection had
| taught him that to board them among the
townspeople would be as well. He re-
marked that I was one of his smallest pu-
pills, but he would look upon me in loco pa
| 1entis,and doubted not that he could make
| a man of me.
After dinner he escorted my father, lead
ing me by the hand, down to the academy,
which was on the outskirts of the town, at
,.
buzz, which the usher had not the power
to control in the absence of Mr.. Sears,
| hushed instantly in his presence, and as he
| and remained standing until he ordered
them to be seated. Giving my father a
seat, and placing me in the one which he
designed for me in the school, Mr.. Sears
called several of his most proficient schol-
n, C,o,,
down to elements of English, and examin-
ed them. When boy blundered, he dart
ed at him look which made him shake
in his shoes; and when another boy gave
correct answer and took his fellows place
and glanced up for Mr.. Sears smile, it was
a picture which my friend, Beard of Gin
cinnati, would delight to draw. The
blunderer looked like one caught in the
act of sheep stealing, while the successful
pupil took his place with an air that might
have marked one of Napoleon's approved
soldiers. when the Emperor had witnessed
an act of daring on his part AS for Mr..
Sears, he thouget Napoleon II common
creature to himself To kill men, he used
to say, was much more easy than to in.
struct them. He felt himself to be like
one of the philosophers of old in his AGA
deny and he considered Dr. Parr and
DR.. Busby, who Boosted that they had
whipped every distinguished man in the
country, much greater than he of Pharsa-
liza or he of Austerlitz
When the rehearsal of several classes had
given my father due impression of Mr..
Sears great gifts as an instructor, and of
his scholars proficiency, he took my faith
er to Mr.. Halls, to introduce us to my fu-
ture host.
We found the family seated in the long
room in which their boarders dined. To
Mr.. Sears they paid the most profound re-
spect. Well they might, for without his
recommendation they would have been
without boardcrs. Hall was tall, good
humored, careless man. His wife was old
er than himself, tall too, but full of energy.
He had two daughters, Harriet and Jane.
Harriet was quick, active lively girl, and
withal pretty; whilst Jane was lolling and
lazy in her motions, and without either
good looks or smartness. The matter of
my boarding was soon arranged, and it had
become time for my father to depart. All
this while the variety and excitement of
the scene had somewhat relieved my feel
ings, but when my father babe me be Il
good boy, and drove off, l felt as ifthe last
link was indeed broken; and though |
made every effort, from a sense Of shame, to
repress my tears, it was in vain, and they
broke forth the wilder from their previous
restraint Harriet Hall came up instantly
to comfort me. She took seat beside me
at the open window at which / was look
ing out after my father, and with sweet
voice whose tones l remember yet she told
me not to gricve because | was away from
my friends; that should soon see them
again, and that she would think l feared
they would not be kind to me ifI showed
so much SORROW. This last remark, touch
ed me, and whilst was drying my eyes,
one of the large boys, youth of eighteen
or twenty, came up to the window for the
academy by this time had been dismissed
for the evening", and said =
'Ah, Miss Harriet is this another baby
crying for home 2
In an instant my eyes were dried cast
one glance at the speaker; he was tall,
slim, reckless looking fellow, named Pretty
man, and from that day to this | have
neither forgotten it, nor | fear, forgiven
him.
In the night, when we retired to our
rooms, found that my bed was in room
with two others, Prettyman and country
pumpkin 10y the name of Muzzy AS usual
on going to bed, knecled down to say my
prayers, putting my hands up in the at
titude Of supplicaton. l had scarcely ut
tered to myself the first words Our Father,
but to the ear that heareth all things, when
Prettyman exclaimed
Hes praying. by the Apostle PAUL.
as Richard the Third says, that's against
the rules. Suppose we cob him, Muzzy 2"
Muzzy laughed and got into bed; and
l am ashamed to say that l arose with the