Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-08-18
BOARDING SCHOOL.

DOAhD1NU SCHOUL.
The effort made BY mature mind e
recall again its earliest impressions is q
very curious thing. One evOkes them.
They rise MP under the form of a very
small person, whom one succeeds in de.
taching from ones self, but who never
thelcss continues to make one body with
what one has become The IMPRESSION
Is singular; it is nultiform. The image
OF the vision Of tho myself is clear,
well defined. As soon as one says to
oneself, "Whon I was o child, :" one
can sec oneself as one was at certain
hours. but as soon as one wishes to re-
member an event or question OF fact one
cannot escape from ones actual person
atty, and it is impossible to rid that
fact or that event Of its connections of
| all its future consequences. One would
like to describe childhood with childish
| words. One cannot do it.
Is it interesting for another mind
than ones own to rehearse what one did
at the age Of Q years? I fear not, yet
nevertheless I will try. Since 1 run
this risk, desire to run it absolutely,
and to describe in the most natural way
possible what appears to me from out
the past.
Ono day-it was not a Sunday-my
grandmother put ON me pretty white
dress which she had embroidered her
self, and she said to me: "This is your
birthday. You are 8 years old ON this
4th day Of October"
Three years!' These two words re-
peated themselves in my head. They
had in them something grave and
gay at the same time To grow
is the perpetual dream Of childhood,
which entertains some very surprising
illusions upon this subject. They said
increasingly around me, ''She is tall for
her age" looked at myself. thought
Of the children who were smaller than
I, and ! found myself tall. A pride
came over me, which was increased by
. word uttered by my nurse, Arthemise.
For the first time she called me made
moisella"
On that day all the persons who saw
me kissed me- returned the kisses Of
my grandfather and Of my grandmother,
suspending myself by my arms ON their
necks, but ! remember that many peo-
pie displcased me by kissing me too hard
! made an exception for my nurse,
Arthemise, whom adorcd, and for my
big friend, Charles, who had promised
to marry me, and who called me his lit
tie wife. thought. not without pride,
that now, when was 8 years old, he
would call me This big wife,, =" thing
which he did with much respect ON Of
fering me drum.
My grandfather and my grandmother
expected for breakfast my father and
my mother, who lived three leagues
from Chauny, ut Blerancourt. Every
time they came they were late, because
tho route across the prairie Of Mimi
camp was so bad, SO bad that people
told the children tho following story: A
COW had fallen in one of the ruts, and
the herder, who was always searching
for her with his whip handle, could
! never find her again.
was hungry, and at each moment
ran to the front door. held onto the
doorpost and leaned outside. Twas q
little afraid The front stairs seemed to
me 10 high with their four steps, but
then Thought would be very useful
to the kitchen if I could cry out at the
first glimpse Of them, There they are!''
I was extremely restless. I even fell
once, to the great fright Of Arthemise,
who feared for my pretty dress. Finally
my parents arrived.
They told o great story which I dc
not now remember. The carriage and
the horses were covered with mud. NV
papa and my mamma said that the road
was bad, thing which impressed me.
My mother wore q six dress, very much
looped up and very much hidden under
her shawls ] can yet see her unfold her
jupe and shake 1t. help her by beating
the silk, and repeat with admiration,
Mamma is pretty!"
Ny. father takes me up and puts my
head upon his shoulder. He has tears In
his eyes. My mother takes me in heu
turn, and she cries also.
1T IL o long time since we have seen
you" says my father, "a very long
time"
''Oh, yes, o long timeV repeats my
mother.
lam looking for that long time, and
do not find it Ny Grandmother IN.
| swers:
"Oh, no. not o very long time. two
months.
And ! am more contented.
We are sitting down to breakfast.
My grandfather tells some things al
which everybody laughs, but am think.
ing already that the gayety will moi
last. that my mother will begin again
| TO cry in . moment, and that tho days
when my parents from Blerancourt are
present are always sad ON account d
me. I well know why. have story,
and tell IL when am asked for It:
my grandmother took me from my
mother when I was months old She
stole me. Then I made so leagues n
the stagecoach. 1t was when was very
little, and that is all. :" All Chauny has