Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-05-09
Mistellameons.
SPEAKIN' AND RECITATION DAY.

w hde IL stuiutsS prevailed III tne OW
school room when the master an
nounced before dismissing the school that
ION next Friday afternoon there will be
no recitations, but alter hearing the
reading lessons every young lady will read
an original composition. and every young
man commit piece to memory, Of poetry
or prose, which he will speak from this
stand, and who fails to do either will be
punishedr'
How the perspiration stated on the brows
OF the timid ones as the solemn speech
was made. Even the boy whe had put
his foot out in the aisle already to "go" at
the words. "schools 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 luck" came up
from behind the desks-and all felt as il
there was to be an eclipse and no glass had
been smoked, except the one smart chap
who had "rathcr speak than not, " and the
girls who had big sisters at boarding
schools, whose previous literary efforts At
home afforded rare chances for plagiarism,
which by little help would deceive the
teacher.
At las, the anxiously-awaited day
arrives, the forenoon is passed in the usual
manner, but at noon there is decided
change made in the appearance of the
scholars and the school room. The "big
girls are dressed up for the occasion.
Their gowns are of finer texture than
those worn during the week; some are
adorned with their mothers breast-pin and
a pair of prize" earrings, white stock
ings take the place of Literary blue or
black ones, which would not look so we'll
on the platform (for there were no dresses
en- train in those days J nearly all wore
"beau-catchers' plastered on the side of
their ioreheads, and charcoal from the
fireplace had been used as dentifrice dur
ing the intermission between fore and af.
ternoon
The little barc-footed girl appeared in
bright copper-toed shoes and tape en-
broidered pantaettes of a nankeen style.
With the boys there was also an attempt
at improved toilette; boots had been
creased, paper collars turned. and q por-
ton of their Sunday -go-to-meetin'
clothes donned for the occasion. Shocky
heads of hair had been combed into par
tal subjection, and the boy with chapped
hands had soaked his hands in bran and
water until portions of the original cuticle
were visible. The doctors son." exhaled
a powerful aroma, all his fathers fiavoring
essences, and the tavern keepers" boy
had anointed himself with Jamaica, as
4 substitute for 'Bay Rum" The mas
ter to maintain dignity equal to the oc-
casion, had also exchanged his every day
coat for ''swing-tail' Of fabulous length,
and shiny i'll spots as ducks wing. The
bell rings-reading 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 books, stumbles along toward the
stand, where he becomes the target Of a
hundred eyes, and his face the color of a
turkey gobblcr's wattles. A bow, such as
he would have made if brick had struck
him at that instant in the back of the head,
and he essayed to speak:
''The curew tolls the knell Of parting day
The loving (pausel herd, winds slowly Ger the
The The-.u,-,prompter) 'plowman' piowman leaves
the weary way,
And plods the darx 10 wordness aud to me.
save from the yonder Ivy mantled tower
The moping moon doth TO the owl complain (snick.
save te he he hey where the beetle wieds his be.,
right bower
And drowsy ,inklings lull her distant reign.
The teacher raps on the desk and says:
Samuel, no levity," and Samuel, who has
forgotten pretty much all his CLERGY" "
concludes as follows:
He rests his (ha hal head tsnorp upon the lap o.
ytarth
youth to prolonged snicker) unknown.
Melanc holy marked him at his birth.
And science frowned on him for her own.n
Sam goes to his seat and holds his nose
to keep from laughing out loud. while at
nod from the master Lucinda Wirthr
trips, all smiles and bushes, to the plat
form, and after "kurtseying." proceeds to
read in an inaudible voice something
about 'Be kind to thy father" The
teacher says Louder" and we catch
few words: "Your father loves you and
has been at great deal Of expense
abringing you up. and you should obey
him and not--," here ensues tumble
OF sounds, which no one can interpret,
which cease, and after folding the com.
position Lucinda" lays it on the teacher's
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