The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1885-02-10
Written Tor the FLoEDrAN.l
"REMINISCENCES OF ITALIA,
HA88EE.

Schoolboy Days In the Old City Of
lflls.
The old male Academy stood ,n The 500, now
occupied by the residences Of Mrs. F. e. Gilmore,
and II the writer's memory Is not at fault, was
blown down in the gale of 1855 or SO II was
an old rambling tw0-stOry structure, tho upper
story being used by the Masonic fraternity as
lodge room, and the b0ldest of the "big bows
used to ascend the rickety stairs on tip toe, peep
through the keyhole With bated BREATH and then
recount to the little fellows" wonderful stories
of COLLINS, William goats aud greasy poles used
by those dreadful men. the Masons, but which
existed only in the ever fertile imaginaiions of
these irrepressible urchins.
The schoolroom below extended the whole
length of the building, with a platform or ros-
trum at the western extremity reached by
short flight Of steps and used on Fridays for pur-
poses of defamation.
All well do remember the torture 1t was for
me- to ascend those steps and face the assembled
school to "speak my piece" the agony OF sus-
pense In anticipation,th che cpld sweat that would
stars out all overme whsn ny nasne was called,
the fnal breakdown, and then being sent in dis
grace to my seat. The recolIections of school
days may be pleasant to some, but they have
never been so to me. | think we suffer more
keeny then than we ever do in after life AT
the time OF which l write the presiding digni-
tary OF The school was the Rev Mr.. Neil,
iCooy HtuiStCIf anu HIS dSSISthut rev.
Warner Clisby, also minister OF the same de-
nomination. Ii ever tyranny had an embod-
ment in human form, il was in the person of our
Principal He was worthy 10 have been the
presiding genius at DOthebOys Hall. Irascible,
quick and cruel whipping scholar seemed to
afford him intense delight, and being short of
stature, he usually raised himself upon his toes
to give the greater effect to his blows. while the
long skirts of his swallow tailed coat flying above
his head at every stroke formed picture which
80 indelibly stamped itself upon my childish
memory that all the events of subsequent life
have failed TO Oblterate it, and my idea of force
and power have always been inseparably con
nected Herewith
favorite amusement with him when not en-
gagged with his classes was TO lean back in his
chair, with his feet cooked up on the desk in
front of him, apparently deeply immersed in the
contents OF some book or newspaper, but in such
u position that the whole school was reflected
in the spectacles over his nose, and woe
to the poor boy who innocently supposed he
could play off some prank upon another in the
vain idea that old Neil" was busy reading
Whrling round in an instant, sapping his hands
together like the report of pistol. and pointing
the relentless finger of destiny at the offender he
would utter his short but irrevocable fiat, "boy,
come here" This was the seal fdoom; the next
moment the blows OF his rattan were falling
thick and fast upon the fiinching shoulders of the
would-be joker, whose yells of pain were ming
ling with the hoarse chuckles of the tyrant.
Mr. Clisby, on the contrary, exactly the
reverse of Mr.. Neil in disposition and tempera-
ment. Cool, imperturbabe aud unruf1ed, l
don't think he would have been startled had IA
cannon been discharged beneath the school
room. Yet doubt if he was any more beloved
than the principal for the impression left upon
onr boyish minds was that he was cold and de-
void of sympathy. l think the uproar of Mr.
NeIFs f1oggings annoyed HIM much more than
sympathy for the fOggcd Among the boys in
attendance at this time | recall Alick Shine, the
acknowledged chief of the campus, foremost in
all manly sports, leader in all enterprises of skill
or daring he was looked upon by the younger
boys as prodigy of valor and prowess, so that
when discussing the merits of some new scholar
or the leader OF a rival school, the discussion
generally wound up with, "Pll bet Alick Shine
can lick him." Ali Alick, time has dealt gently
with you; may the prosperity which has attended
you thus far be yours to the end.
Then there was Dick Wilson, fat, gOOd-natured
and tavo:ite with all. Dick ParkhlI full OF
fun, but hot headed and impetuous ready 10 resent
an insult on tile spot and the next minute TO fight
for the boy who had insulted him. Hayward
Willis, cratic. but brave and chvarous, the
favorite OF the small boys because he would never
see them imposed upon. Charlie Miller, our
musical boy, who used to sit under the oaks and
sing songs to the girls at the female academy
across the way Jim Galbrath. kind-hearted
and gentle. Poor jim death claimed him all
too young. Then there was Bob German, an
other general favorite and who had Penchant
for circuses and Shove. John Taylor, who lost
part of his hand shooting fourth OF July guns
John and Douglass Neil who had many friends
Notwithstanding their fathers severity, and Dick
Lmeburger who had but one arm and who used
to amuse the little fellows by sitting astrde his
bench Initiating horseback rider and Using his
empty sleeve as a whip. He used to provide
against Nei's rattan by chucking an atlas up his
buck under his coat and when the rod descended
it made such report that even Neil himself was
startled and stopped to take breath before order
ing poor Dick to take off his coat.
Most of the boys who used to romp in careless
glee around this old school-house are YET alive,
some sleep in foreign lands, while the bones of
Others are scattered over the battle fields of Fr-
ginia and Tennessee.
Life itself is bat one long battle, and perhaps
they are hsppiest who fail earliest.