The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1900-08-16

Read at Anniversary of Eaton School, Nor
dgewock Wednesday, August /, 1900. by
l.. Walton, Esq.
l used to go to Eaton school
Myself long years ago;
greener lad than / was then
You never saw, know.
Upon q large and rocky farm
ia grown up day by Gay,
Along with sheep and colts and calves,
In much the self same way.
Their very nature. so ii seemed,
Into my being went.
NO calf or colt could be more shy;
No lamb more innocent.
had grown tall, like Southern corn,
knew not how to stop.
OF tan and freckles, I'd produced
most abundant crop.
A moustsche, too, not quite so stout,
Which, l admit with pain,
should have cut and harvested
And left to sprout again.
1t was decided in the spring,
So all the summer through
That | was going TO Eaton school
And must declaim, knew.
l learned piece most thoroughly;
elearned 1t twice, and then
Repeated il so many times,
lear ned it still again.
had a rather vague idea,
From things that had heard,
That something awful would occur
II but missed q word.
So. as in pasture. through the woods,
And over knobs. | went,
To find and bring the oxen in,
Or for the horse WAS SENT
And as at night adown the lane.
Behind the cows, | came,
NY voice resoundt d far and wide,
My piece did declaim,
l spoke it, too, so many times,
Rehearsing DER and ser,
The brindle COW learned most of it,
OF this I'm very sure.
1t did not please the white. faced steers,
! can not tell you why,
Perhaps it was too sad piece,
Some brutes don't like 10 cry.
And to this day can not walk
Beneath wide spreading trees
And hear the rustic of the leaves.
And song of birds and BEES
But what there comes into my mind
The piece / learned by heart,
To speak at Eaton's in the fall,
When asked to take part
At last the opening day arrived,
And, like as though | dreamed,
l stepped into another world;
Delightful, too, it seemed,
How fine the school house and the rooms
Naught common place. saw;
While Eaton's form and vissge grim,
Filled me with deepest awe.
How l was charmed with anything,
Except, perhaps, the girls:
I long had known quite pretty maids
With dimpled cheeks and curls.
Some laughed at me, and, worst Of all,
At my moustache. Alas
| took revenge upon them, though,
Out in the syntax class,
Some of the boys l most admired,
From distant cities came:
l close my eyes: see their forms,
hear them speak my name.
l studied all my lessons hard,
never thought to shirk,
While had many things to learn,
had been taught to work.
Base ball was new thing TO me.
And well do re call
Ny first endeavor, ION the fly, -
"To gather in" the ball.
But over and above ali else,
Twas defamation day
That most absorbed my interest,
And filled me with dlsmay.
And that event at last arrived.
AS such times always do,
| went, resolved to do my best,
To die or speak it through.
And when, at length. my name was called
Without moments pause,
| started forward-lost myself,
And knew not where l was.
The next knew, l nesred my seat,
Sat down, still in 8 dare,
And asked my seat mate what I'd done,
And then to my amaze
He told me that acclaimed
In manner never heard,
With lightning speed. but not a soul
Could understand word
l never WAS stsge-struck again.
learned how to declaim:
Was transferred to the puolic class
And afterwards becAme,-
A Litersti member. too,
And help determine whether
1.-The pen was nigh Ter than the sword"
Contrasted well together.
In the same manner, carefully,
As would benefit brother,
The Indians woes, the Negroes wrongs,
Were balanced 'gsinst each other.
The girls were very helpful here.
They made il q delight,
And fondest memories cluster round
Our Literati night.
Well, here my story ends my friends,
part at least, is true:
II portions have overdrawn,
They're known to some OF you.