Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1909-04-17

schooIhoase during school hours; and
yet my attendance was sufficiently
constant to enable me to become IA
miliar with the various modes Of pun
ishment that were in-yogue in dis
trict schools, and l sometimes thought
my schoolmaSter received his appoint
ment more for his accomplishments as
first class punisher than as a high
toned teacher. One thing the culprit
could always reilly upon: the punish
ment would be equal to the offense.
In my ninth year, my schooimaster
was Mr.. Stephen L'Hommedieu. He
was a splendid teacher, and as a puc
Usher he had but few equals. l re-
member that for some breach of dis
cipline l was ordered to the middle Of
the floor and sentenced to stand on
one foot for a certain leneth of time.
After the teacher left me, the foot had
somehow got changed. When he came
back he discovered the change, and
with fire in his eye he said to me:
"Who changed that foot?"
I said 1 didn't know, but 1 thought
It must have changed itself. 1t was
then that l realized that "a soft an
swer turneth away wrath" for the
frown upon his brow gave way to a
pleasant smile and he told me TO go
to my seat and be a better boy. l
cheerfully went to my seat, but about
being a better boy I don't seem to re-
member. But Mr.. LHommedieu was
one of the best teachers 1 ever had.
And yet, those were lovely days.
The swimming and flying of kites in
the summer, the skating and sliding
down hill in winter, the ball playing
on Fast Days, the burning barrels
on Thanksgiving night, and the burn
ing fire crackers on Fourth of July
with pleasure l remember it all.
I raan11nHf RI p1IlqT Sabbath in
the old Presbyterian Westinghouse
in Norwich. 1t had been showing lin
the morning quite hard and the meet
ing house presented a beggarly array
of empty peWs. Mason Kline and my.
self were about the only ones in the
mems gallery. / wore my everyday
felt hat and carried my fathers pom
gee silk handkerchief. In q piece of
brown paper, very nicely done up. was
my lunch. consisting of buttered bis
cult, a miracle and a piece IF cheese.
Long before the conclusion of the SER
mon I had concluded that lunch, and
then the sun shone out bright and
beautiful had seated myself near
the end window, that l might be the
first to see the last of the sermon Cthe
pulpit was at the south end). and from
the window 1 could look far down the
river, which was Their frozen over.
Near the old pottery l saw men on thu
ice who seemed to nave no thought or
the Sabbath. Sabbath-schools, nor Of
going to meeting,T and I remember wei
what my feelings were as 1 thought
Of the manner in which they were
spending the Sabbath. I would have
given all I had in the world to be as
Independent as those men on the ice.
They didn't have to go all day to Sun
day-school and meeting and hear long
sermons which little boys could not
comprehend. I field sad. but consoled
myself by eating my lunch beginning
with the cheese and biscuit, and If
there was anything left it was mira
clei But there was finally an end to
the sermon. Stephen L'Hommedieu
rad faced the congregation: Mr.. Mans
field "slacked up" the strings of his
bass viol: Colonel Colt buttoned his
fur collared overcoat7 the Riplevs.
Perkinses. Kinnes, Colts, Bolles and he
Wits prepa1 ed to leave, and the green
baize door was fastened back by Will
liam Law. The long session was over
for the little boy. I have often won