The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1910-03-03
SCHOOL "REMINISCENCES.
School Days Back in the 'Forties
Christmas PLAY.
To the Editor of The Robesonian.

ocnoOl Lays back In the r ortleS
Christmas Play.
To the Editor of The Robesonian
Away back in the latter part
OF the '4O's | went to school with
six boys whom | never can for
get. They were Henry Bill, Sim
Arch, Big Alex. Little Alex. Lit
tie Duncan, John Shaw and Ned.
All OF these are now dead except !
Henry Bill and Ned. The teach
er was a young Swapping fellow
who kept rigid supervision over
the little ones, but let the bigger
ones study OUT. Jim Arch was
reserved, quiet and very studious
in his habits. Henry Bill was a
Neutrality-suspicious., and / recol-
lect how eloquently he used to
translate Virgil at recitation.
Big Alex. was solid, heavy
! kind Of a fellow, who also was
studying Latin, but didn't make
! as much show as the other fell
low. Little Alex. was a jolly
! good boy. and didn't make much
pretence at anything particular
: ly. Little Duncan was my antag-
onist at both ends Of the line.
Z Ned was my chum, and as his
s father was stage driver | was
3 kept up on the news of the
!. road. John Shaw was big,
6 hulking, awkward, good-natured
> fellow who. as l remember. was
9 always studying arithmetic with
i a long slate pencil. He was the
e same size from head to foot, and
z when you would hit him in bull
s. pen'-and you couldn't miss him
4 it sounded like hitting a hollow
= log.
8 Those were great days at Ash
3 land Academy, named by the
9 colonel and his neighbors after
u Henry Clay's residence. For they
IS were all Wings is those days, and
z the old Fayetteville Observer
81 was their political bible. Henry
q Bill was the most popular boy
= in school, and his word was law
6 unto the yonger set. 'TwasJune
q time, and we had apples galore
i and my business was every
u morning to fill a hollow STUMP
IS just over the branch full of nice
z mellow June apples for my friene
IS Henry Bill, who would get then
Il at noon. | don't remember ever
a receiving any thanks from
g him except a genial smile
81 which filled my heart. with sun
Sc shine. | think of that smile ever
u now, and wonder if he still uses
IS it. Christmas came on apace
Y and the absorbing question wa
81 about Christmas play. The teach
FL er boarded at the colonel's AM
90 we boys had a short cut to thu
g school house through the woods
- We had a consultation the eve
9& ming before at the school house
u and it was decided for al hand
81 to meet early and keep the teach
"a er out. We had to wait a littl
IS while after breakfast to get gu
& dinner basket 1--WE call it lunch
"a now, but we thought our shor
e cut would make up for lost time
~ But it seems that the teacher ha'
&C cognizance Of that cutoff also
~ and took it that particular morn
& ing; and 10, when we arrived h
~ had gained an entrance and wa
rs holding school! But the big boy
n were collected outside holding
"a consultation. After a while W
e also walked in the house to loo
- at the situation, but when tn
sc teacher ordered us to take on
~ books, there was no more courag
& in us, and we surrendered q
= once. The bigger boys, though
kept up their rebellion the bal
Fully nine out of every ten cases O