THE COTTAGE SCHOOL.

Summer time was in the waning, Vesper Sun was wending low, And reminiscences brought me Back to school days long ago There the school-house stood before me, And I was on hallowed ground, Where each old association Inspiration breathed around.

Full in view the school was standing Near the road and yet aloof, Four square walls in ochre painted, Topped off with a cottage roof. In the distance old Atlantic Glistened as in days of yore, While upon his glimmering bosom, White caps rolled towards the shore.

On the diamond boys were playing Base-ball, with eclat and shout; Saw the batter three times fanning, Heard the umpire’s “Batter’s out.” Saw some other hit a grounder, Speed away like a winged bird; Heard the rooters merry shouting, As he landed safe on third.

Heard the maidens merry laughter, As they played upon the green, And the rythm of their footfalls, Skipping o’er the hard terrene, Saw the little boys and maidens Drinking at the nearby well: And upon the air vibrating Heard again the master’s bell.

Plainly heard the foot-step sounding On the floor with measured beats, While the boys and girls were filing Through the aisles towards their seats. Saw the whole class sitting upright, In position, one and all; Heard distinctly “Here” and “Absent,” Answered to the master’s call.

I could see the master’s visage, With its look of learned lore, While Sol’s summer shadows lengthened Slowly o’er the school house floor; O’er his head there hung a motto With the words, “God Bless Our School” Standing in the left-hand corner Was the oft-used Dunces’ stool.

Heard him from the Holy Bible Read from some New Testament, And to each and every passage, Young and old, attention lent. Heard once more the school repeating Earnestly the Saviour’s prayer, While around a holy stillness Floated on the ev’ning air.

Saw the school take first position At the sound of warning gong, Heard the master’s voice intoning Some old school or college song; Saw all in position standing With demeanour calm and still; Saw them going through the movements Of the military drill.

On the walls the maps were hanging, Colored in blue, red and gold, Ornamented with the pictures Of the noted men of old. Moral maxims, plainly written On the board in plain relief, “Order Is First Law of Heaven,” With some others terse and brief.

Summaries of all the home-work By to-morrow to be learned; Saw, too, some make interchanges When the master’s back was turned. On their slates the younger pupils Strove to make their cranes and hooks, While the older ones were busy Writing in their copy books.

Heard them spell and give the meaning, And pronounce in unison; Heard them too, in concert reading, Reading also, one by one. Saw them, on the Black-board, parsing With and without formal line; Use of “a” and “n” explaining “These” and “those” and “thy” and “thine.”

Heard them drill at combinations, Learn to multiply and add, Now subtracting, now dividing,— Doing as the master bade; Saw them on the map locating Chiefest places of the earth; Heard them give events in History, ’Fore and since our Saviour’s birth.

Heard them, too, at Nature lessons, Saw the card within their hands, With the Flora and the Fauna Of our own and other lands; Heard the master talk on Civics, And our duties to the State, And on Etiquette and Hygiene, Heard him, too, at length dilate.

Not an incident was missing Of those school days long since fled, Though so many of its members Now were numbered with the dead. And too swiftly passed the vision Retrospective of the past, And upon my soul its setting Fleeting specks of sadness cast.