The Princeton union., 1880-09-16
SUCH IS LIFE.

Away back IN memory's halls hangs
picture yet undimmed, though years have
come and gone since the days long ago
when I first knew the reality. An old
brick school-house, formerly church,
with it's broad doors and great arched
windows, their buff curtains futtering
lazily in the summer breeze, forms the
principal feature. A back ground of
hazy, purple-green hills, and just to the
right group Of grand old walnuts,
where daily we held our noon picnics,
and wove wonderful garlands to decorate
the yellowed walls Of the old school
room, and in front the great gaping
ditch, which in marvelously-
space of time would swallow up the
whole school after the bell tapped for
recess but to me the dearest feature Of
all was the broad old Mississippi in the
distance, rolling along in majestic grand
eur, it's sparkling wavelets catching the
suns brightest beams, and throwing
them back into the old school-house
with redoubled brilliancy. From my
seat near the window think I never
tired Of watching it's bright waves glim-
mer and gleam through the swaying
green trees. Here, gentle reader, it was
that I first knew Ethel Raymond, tiny,
fair-haired girl Of perhaps my own age,
always clad in the same pure-white dress
with its marvellous number Of tucks, and
blue silk waist, with low neck and short
sleeves setting off her fair childish beau
ty, though sadly out Of place in the
dusty old school-room, as was the gen.
eral opinion from the numerous up
turned noses and suppressed litter Of the
little calico-clad damsels whose manners
were not nearly SO respectable as their
somewhat-faded garments. How long
it seemed till recess that first morning,
and when it came how we all bounded
off to "our grove" as we called the wal
nuts, to surround Mat Bronson, who,
with an air of superior knowledge, had
informed us that the newcomers lived
"just down by her house." consequently
was supposed to know all about them.
"I s'pects they must be awful rich to
dress so fine at school," timidly sug-
gested little Kitty Edwards, as soon as
we were settled.
erich, indeed !" shifted Mat "poo1
as Jobs turkey; live in an old shanty
just down below our house; amt got
anything in but two or three old chairs
table and stove awful stuck up
too. My ma went over there, the othe1
day, just to see what kind of people
they were, and, my land Mrs. Ray
mond was so high and mighty she hard
~ asked her to sit down. She said un
der the circumstances she couldn't bt
very sociable, which means she's to-
poor; amt going to send her boy tx
school, with her present arrangements
she can't, which means he amt got any
thing to wear, you know. Pity he cam
Wear the family white, with about hal
the tucks ripped out; it would be jus
long enough for him with all, you know
it makes quite stylish Sunday dres
for their mother.
"'Well, I'd be ashamed, Mat Bronson
to tell such stuff as that" interrupted
one Of the girls.
swell, you know I'm never ashame'
to tell the truth, and this is solemn
fact; she's got one of these sewing ma
chimes. You just pull the thread an
away goes the tucks /; it's got draw
string in the waist. and when it s washe
and done up who knows the difference
Now, my dear schoolmates, don't loo
so horror-struck; I tell you all this as
seciet, Woulum tell everybody 1Of any
thing; as there are only about forty {
you, Of course it will never get out, and
giving her crrls wicked toss, Ma
bounded away.
Mat Bronson was the acknowledge
leader, and I fear the new scholar woul
have been sadly neglected but for th
ever-thoughtful kindness of our teache,
who seemed never to weary in hi
efforts entertain and amuse her durin
the long recess time. I can see the1
yet, his dark boyish beauty contrastin