The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1908-05-14
Sunday Musings.


indulge in retrospective attitude, has
missed one of the pleasures of life.
"A little excursion along the backward
trail of life is often beneficial as we'll
as furnishing q momentary enjoy
ment. As we 60 back step by step we
6nd much of tragedy, comedy, mirth
and real misery. At some places we
lineer fondly and review with zest the
scenes that took place here; and at
other places we hurry on, not wishing ;
to revive events of an unpleasant ma
ture. How vividly 1 remember that
aittie schoolhouse ] attended; what q
fund of recollections the place recalls.
Aitho it is almost two decades since
crossed its threshold, 1 remember dis
tfnctly its location, the outline of the
room, where the big box stove is To-
Gated; and in fancy can see the dig
1ified school marin sitting behind ber
throne, furtively watching us boys for
the next disobedience of the rules.
Without any stretch of the imagina-
tion 1 can, by simply visualiging the
memory upon this scene. hear the
teacher ringing the school boil; l can
see the awful look of pretended agony
on little Johnny Green's face as the
teacher swiftly plies the ruler to his
outstretched hand for drawing hu-
mOrOus caricature of the teacher on
the blackboard, and which convulsed
every pupil in the schoolroom. Poor
little Johnny! Whenever spitball
went whizzing across the room, it was
Johnny that had to stand in the cor
0er. If any of the boys accidentdy sat
: on Q bent pin and suddenly arose with
almost enough energy to overturn the
screwed-down desk, it was Johnny
that had to stay in at recess time. If
q warty toad was found in any of the
girls desks, Johnny got all the blame
and the sting of the ruler.
At heart, little Johnny was kind
chap and well liked by everybody. He
was always ready for agame Of "keeps,"
and carried the biggest buckeye and
finest carnelian of any boy in school.
My, how quick he could hOller spixf'
.knuckIe down, etc. Well, he couldn't
be beat; and If there was an agate in
the ring, Johnny would be sure to get
it. On Saturdays, Johnny would be
the first boy to wend his way to the
beloved swimming hole, holding up
two fingers to his chums as he passed
along. Us lads always envied John
ny's ability to stay under water, and
he didn't hold his nose either. 1t was
comical to see him teaching some OF
the boys the art of diving. He would
advise them to hold their hand on
their head when making dive; "for,' ;
he explained, "that it was better te
have bruised hand than a cracked
head" which advice was considered
good wisdom until you tried it few
times.
Johnny had more luck in catching
fish than any boy knew of. 1t wai
simply remarkable how fast he coul(
haul in the pike, white bass and sheep
head. The latter he would Away
trade off for pike with some of tn
other boys, who knew nothing of th,
merits of the two fish. The way John
ny beguiled the other youngsters t,
give up their fine pike for his plebeial
sheephead, you would think him
philanthropist, one of the best chap
that ever went bafefooted. For in
stance, he would say: "Billy, l se
you had bad luck again today.
seemed to have caught nearly all tn
big fellows. Now, Billy, If you g
home with all those little minnowl
your folks might get angry and no
det you 60 fishing next Saturday. jus
take few Of these nice fat boys an
give me the little ones, for don't lik
to see good chap like you lose hi
holidays" The trade would be mad
and both boys were supremely happy
shall never forget the time littl
Johnny and several OF. us boys wer
into the country after watermelon
Bright and early we started on or
-tsunt. each boy carrying sack
which to place alltke meions ha coul
carry. Johnny explained that the