Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-02-21

US boys contributed either frst or last TO the
architecture of that structure. We were a
merry and healthy crowd of young people
who gathered there to wrestle with the three
RS however. Red-cheeked girls and sturdy
brown-faced boys, as full of mischief and
life as it was possible TO be- Generous and
kind-hearted, yet oftimes causing sad heart
aches BY our boisterous and thoughtless fun
There was one boy in that school who did
not partake of the general good health.
His name was George Whitaker white
faced, frail-formed, studious little fellow
with large earnest eyes Of light blue, and
a peculiarly sensitive spirit. 1t is face
shall never forget, grave beyond its years,
with mobile mouth that could close tightly
over the most intense sutfering-and an en-
tire lack of selfishness that marked his bear
ing towards his school mates-these were
characteristic of life of singular sweetness.
He lead the school easily in scholarship, but
| don't know that any of envied him in
that. District school children are not apt
to be particularly emulous in the matte of
scholarship. know we all loved him, and
yet We found a peculiar pleasure in playing
upon his name. Partly am forced to be-
lieve, from the very apparent sensitveness
which he felt on this point. How we would
seize the opportunities to work in the ex-
camation 80 J. Whitaker" and what a
rich piece of wit it seemed to us. How
strange it seems to me now that such little
thing this could give any one pain. But
As | said before the little things of age are
the big ones of childhood, and that foolish,
parody of his name caused little George
Whitaker good many heart-aches and
imagine tears, although he was too proud to
show them before his school mates.
We didn't plague the little fellow long,
however. The face grew whittier the days
went by, the big purple veins seemed to stand
out more distinctly beneath the transparent
skin. The eyes grew larger and more serious,
selfish spirit was always with him. until one
day it passed beyond the little trials and tears
of childhood, and his place in the school
room was vacant. There was a feeling of
awe and real grief that rested upon our young
hearts then, such as we had never felt be-
fore. The usual whispering was subdued,
the usual boisterous fun was omitted, and
the following day when we stood in body
ahont the little plain casket, to look for the
last time upon the still white face of our
school-mate, upon which rested a look of
infinite peace there. were no dry eyes among
us and our tears were genuine. We would
have given worlds then to have recalled the
thoughtless words which had given him so
much pain. but it was too late | think how
ever. the lesson which was impressed upon
us there, and later by the earnest words of
our teacher. was never forgotten.
Excuse me" remarked the gentleman as
he brushed something from his eye that
look suspiciously like a tear, "if dwell too
long upon this incident, but it made lasting
impression on me. There were two other
bows who went to school-twin brothers-who
bore the names Moses and Aaron. 1t was
astonishing to see the ingenuity which was
shown making up "take-offs" on those
names They were sturdy fellows and bore
it good naturedly, however, even when later
in life they took their best girls to the lyce-
ums only to hear those two names served up
in some new and ludcrous form in the
chronicles that formed SO important part of
the paper" which was always read on those
occasions Another schoolmates name
Calamitv-as if the poor child wasn't de-
stiued to find enough of it in the course of a
lifetime without bearing the additional cal
amitv of such a name. Still another friend
bore the name of Ncrdant, and there were
those who were always ready to torment hun
with being not only Verdant by name but also
by nature.
had teacher once who bore the good old
New England name of IIamm. HIS first
name Glanced to be Arthur. shall never
forget what a terrible amount of coughing
there was in school that term. visitor
would have thought that consumption had
n firm hold ON the whole of US. From hrst
one corner of the room and then another
would come the hacking of a-ham only to
be echoed by series of 'a-hams from oth-
or parts of the room. The teacher was equal
to the emergency. however. He informed
the school about the third week, that he mad
been so panied to note the unusually large
amount of coughing that was prevalent III
the school, that in order TO break tup he mad
determined to make hospital of his platform.
Here the sick ones should sit during schoo'
hours. remaining an hour after the others hah
c,pe to,ase A dose of medicine" of which he
/ had a large bottle specially prepared for these
/ cases" as he earnestly remarked and whicn
+ have since suspected was as harmless as II
WAS disagreeable to the palate Ii cured the
courhs in that school however, in less than a
week.
Another bows name was Spindle Dean
Jus, why this ridiculous name should nave
! been given him cannot tell, except tha'
/ distant relative had borne that as sir-hane
and so ii was dragged into the light OF 'ht
leih century and hitched upon this boy.
ALWAYS seemed to me to belong more properly
tn the feminine than the masculine gehoer
We'll until that boy-who had the misfortune
unaar the circumstances, TO be tall aud SIM
moved away from town he always went 0!
the euphonious title of Spindle Shanks-
Then there were the initial .'parodles.
A. b. Cole was always called 1.-THE A b. Z
ID n w Plummer was called "a
Y y" from the tendency of his initials
come near the foot of the list could 'hini
of a good many others but l might wear.
on have had several children OF Nd.
own to name. and in doing SO l nave oee'