The evening times., 1895-10-25
WHEN OLD MEN WERE BOYS
Memory Treasures the Old Fashion
ed Schoolhouse in the Backwoods.
some Incidents Connected With the
Plans for the Washington
Teachers BAZAAR.

| 1t is well established, psychological
| fact that memory is partial To the pleasant
happenings of life. And this accounts for
the numberlcss bright pictures that crowd
| to the front " hen we think OF the days OF
auld lang syne.
Most every one can think OF the iine
when he has been bored or annoyed by
some dear old patriarch's glowi ing ac-
count of the good old times" when he
was young. The aged pilgrim does not
| mean TO be unfair in his comparisons; he
knows his language Is not hyperboiic, for
! the old times VIII always be ''the good
old iimcs,' because kInu memory purgcs
away all the hard and disagrccabie eX-
pcriences ana preserves only the Joys.
\ thought AKIN 10 this flashed INTO the
mind or one OF Cur teachers the othcr Oay
as she stood convcrsns with a veteran
shop keeper.
Yes" he said, Il have heard of that
big lair you's going to give, ana il IT'S The
decstrick school you come from, l rcan
to do my share"
He hau coniounded the schools OF Wash
ingtun with district school of history and
his early youth. He had forgotten the
weary miles he Irudgcd through The snow
tp get 10 school, but remembered enough
of The stove heated building and its glad
even now when his head is circied in it's
" hite crown.
\ reporter remarked the other day i'll
the presence of the writer: I'D like to do
something big for the bazaar, because
think am responsible for some OF the gray
hairs OF that teacher, at any rate"
Undoubtedly such wide-awakc, vgor-
Gus Young man didn't grow up In the
schools without being the cause of more dis
l,p.. tl,.. h.,t t1 "A
less modest he might have expressed the
thought that he owed much to his teachers
on the score OF their having produced such
q noble specimen Of a thinker as he, for
he is credit to his profession and to any
school system.
As the teachers come in contact with
the merchants OF the city their eXpe-
ricnces are amusing and manifold One
relates a tale which she styles The evolu-
ton Of the fur cape" The noted furrier
proceeded: 'Of course; haven't been
brought up in these schools. am not doing
a good business? Suppose ] contribute
a nice umbrella"
Remonstrances follow; the Oliver Twist
nature cries for more. A muff and collar
are offered next, but before the Unsuitable
Oliver leaves the store a fur cape is donated
Some merchants begin To air their griev-
anccs of Intractable boys who will play
truant in spite of all their worthy sircs
can do. They treat the blushiDg niaidcns
with a harangue that might do If they
were truant Officers, hut which is worse
than useless excerpt for The fact that the
por;ly sire has inadvertently given an
excuse for his unwillingncss to help so
worthless cause along.
These are the exceptions rather than the
rule, however, as most of the merchants di-
late rather on the rapid and satisfactory
progress OF their youthful descendants. In
nearly every instance the teachers have
met with the kindest courtesy and consid-
Grafton. very few caseS, indeed. have they
met with absolute refusais, and in many
instances the donations have been generous
beyond the most sanguinc expectations
of the bazaar committee.
But the men who are the most lavish
and frechauded are those who have happy
memories and pleasant associations bind
ing them to the past and some brigiit-eyed,
rosy-chccked instructor now relegated TO
the list Of supcrannuated teachers.
Should aud acquaintance he forget,
And never brought to min?
Well take a cup OF kipdness yet
For aud lang syne.
NINA GOETZ.