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66_102 The Country School Our school stood on the wide plain _ lone and treeless. It was a plain one story one-room building, utterly simple and unpretentious, but to me it and all about it was a realm of keen delight and never-ending interest. Here one met, associated, played with other boys. Above all was the play. One could get to school quite early and have much time for play; then one looked forward eagerly to little recess 10:40-11:00. Then there was big recess, 12:00-1:00 and afternoon little recess 2:40-3:00. One day it was storming so heavily as to make certain there would be no school. But I went anyway, counting on some other adventurous spirit to keep the faith. When I got near the school a voice in declamation could easily be heard and I wondered could school have begun early. I listened: _Hear ye you lion in his den. Tis three |
66_103 days since he tasted food._ When I got into the schoolroom a lone boy was there, about my own age, practicing declamation from the rostrum to the empty desks. He went on and finished. He was a lad of quite serious purpose. Finding that there would obviously be no school, he meant that his journey of several miles across the watery and muddy plain should not be wasted. As soon as he finished the great speech of the Roman gladiator, he said that he was going home. My attempts to prevail upon him to play were in vain _ there was work at home that he must do and off he went conscientiously. Left alone, perforce I returned home too, though there was no work awaiting me. I have not the slightest remembrance of this lad_s name. As I remember he was in he school only one term; but after all these years there remains the vivid picture of the young lad, his head erect, his face glowing, his eyes shining, as |
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