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\ ~*** ,r—y --^ < -*? v »,-\, ,P-> &-n<_'—k IfVU --** . *-4*mS~k-t, r -l Ji VOL. 1. [Written for the Southern Flehl and Fireside.] TO COUSIN P. The gates of Day are closing. And shutting out the light: But. tis not twilight's coming. That makes me sad to night. This sigh, dear cons, is given to thee; Swiftly the moments flew, Like butter-flies on wing, So sweetly, scarce I knew What joys they did not bring. Thou'rt gone—l sigh, and think of thee! Penses-tu a moi , ires chert amie f The strangers left behind, They will—let them! —forget: But say not, from thy mind Hath passed thy young friend, yet: For, by yon star! I say to thet— «/if t' atlie htoucoup, tree chert amie The stars begin to peep From the still depths of blue: As they smile on the deep, So, love, would I on you; Gladness and joy for aye, to thee! Aime-moi toujour*, tree chert amie ! Emm. - • [Written for the Southern Field and Fireside.] Entered according to the Act of Cong re**. <£c., <tc., by the Author. MASTER WILLIAM MITTEN; OR, A YOUTH OF BRILLIANT TALENTS, WHO WAS RUINED BY BAD LUCK. BY THE AUTHOR OF THE GEORGIA SCENES, ETC. They set forward, and at the distance of about two hundred and Ally yards from Mr. Newby's premises, they entered a street, shaded by ma jestic oaks, and composed entirely of log huts, varying in size from six to sixteen feet square. The truth of history demands that we should say, that there was but one of the smallesf size just indicated, and that was the whimsical struc ture of a very whimsical fellow', by the name of Dreadzel Pace. It was endangered from fire once, and four stout students took it up by tho corners, and removed it to a place of safety. The street was about forty yards wide, and its length was perhaps double its width; and yet tho houses on either side did not number more than ten or twelve; of course, therefore, they stood generally in very open order. They were all built by tho students themselves, or by architects of their hiring. They served for study-houses in cold or rainy weather, though the students were allowed to study where they pleased within convenient reach of the monitors. The common price of a building, on front row , water proof, and easily chinked, was five dol lars —the chinking was generally removed in summer for ventilation. In the suburbs, were several other buildings of the same kind, erected by literary recluses, wo suppose, who could not endure the din of the city at play-time— at play time we say, for there was no din in it in study hours. At the head of the street, east ward, stood the Academy, differing in nothing from the other buildings but in size and the number of its rooms. It had two; the smaller devoted to a primary school of a few boys and girls, over which Moses Waddel Dobbins, a nephew of the Rector, presided. These soon left, and Mr. Dobbins became assistant-general to his uncle. The larger, was the recitation room of Mr. Wadded himself, the prayer-room, court-room (see infra ) and general convocation room for all matters concerning the school. It was without seats, and just large enough to con tain one hundred and fifty boys standing erect, close pressed, and leaving a circle of six feet diameter at the door, for jigs and cotillions at the teacher's regular soirees every Monday morn ing. A delightful spring gushed from the foot of the hill on which tho school-house stood, and at the distance of but a few paces, poured its waters into a lovely brook, which \yound through a nar row plain, covered with stately beeches. Ven erable old chroniclers of revered names and hap py days, where are ye 1 It was under the canopy of these beautiful ornaments of the forest, by the side ofthat whispering brook, that wo felt the first gleam of pleasure that we ever derived from any thing in Latin. And here are the words which awakened it: “ Tityre tu patulee recuban* *ub tegmine fagi. Silrestrem tenui musam meditari» arena" Our party having taken a hasty survey of these things, bent their way to Castle Carberry. As thej' journeyed on, Mr. Newby pointed out the ground over which Sam Shankliu and Mr. Waddell had a notable race. Sam had offended “ Old Moses" (so he was called, even in his prime, which he had now hardly left,) and as the latter approached him whip in hand, Sam, took to his heels, not dreaming that old Moses would follow him. But he was mistaken; he did follow him, and gained upon him at every step—a little —Sam, finding his pursuer too fleet for him, j JANES GARDNER, I | Proprietor. f sought safety in lofty leaping: so he made for a brush-heap. Just as he reached it, old Moses fetched him a wipe upon the legs that energized his activity to uumatcliable achievement, and he cleared the brush-heap at a bound. Here the race ended. The Captain laHghed heartly at the story; but William saw no fun in it. Castle Carberry stood on the highway leading from Augusta, Georgia, to Abbervillo Court- House, South Carolina, and about equidistant from Mr. Newby’s and the Academy. By whom it was erected, we are not informed; probably, by Samuel Shields, an assistant of Mr. Waddel, who had occupied it for two years previous to the time of which we are speaking, and who was just now gathering up his goods and chattels for his final departure from the place, and for a much more interesting engagement.* Its name was doubtless derived from Maria Roche’s novel— The Children of the Abbery, which had a great run in that day ; but to tell wherein the two Castle Carberrys were alike, would puz zle the greatest eonm indrum-solver that ever lived. Upon the retirement of Mr. Shields, Al exander B. Linton succeeded to his possessions, and James L. Petigru to his office (not as some have most'orroneously supposed, the Mr. Penti gall,of the “Georgia scenes,’) though it was in this very' castle that the great question was dis cussed : “Whether at public elections should the votes of faction predominate by internal sugges tions or the bias of jurisprudence ?” Mr. Peti gru had been in Columbia College, a year or more before the discussion came off. Some two or three students always boarded themselves at Castle Carberry. It served as a nucleus around which other edifices of like kind and for like purposes gathered, all built of the common material. At Castle Carberry the promenaders re-entered the big road which they had left at Newby’s, having now seen all of Willington proper ; Wil lington common embraced every house within three miles of the Academy. As they entered the road, a messerger called for Mr. Newby to return home on some special business. He gave the Captain directions to Mr. Waddel’s, and re turned. The directions were simply to keep the road to the next house. A walk of a quarter of a mile, or a little over, brought the Captain and his charge to the residence of the renowned teacher. It was a comfortable, framed building, two stories high, neatly, but plainly paled in— very rare things in that vicinity. Some six or eight more boys, like the Newby - ites, were differently employed about the prem ises. “Do you know, my son,” said the Captain, ad dressing one of them, “whether Mr. Waddel is at home ?” “ Yes sir,” said the youth, springing to the door, and opening it, “Walk in, take seats, and I will call him.” He disappeared, and in a moment returned with Mr. Waddel. “Mr. Waddel, I presume,” said the Captain. •‘Yes, sir.” “Thompson, sir, is my name, and this is my nephew, William Mitten, whom I have brought to place under your instruction.” “It is rather chilly, here,” said the teacher, shaking their hands cordially, “walk into my study, where I have a good fire.” Wont yon go in, David ?” added he to the guide, who was about retiring. “No, I thank you, sir,” said David. “That’s a sprightly youth,” said the Captain, as he moved towards the study, “and he is a namesake of mine.” “Y.es,” said the teacher, “he is a clever boy— the son of the celebrated Doctor Ramsay.” “ What! Doctor Ramsay, the patriot, states man, and historian —who married the accom plished daughter of the renowned Henry Lau rens, President of the first Congress of the Unit ed States, Minister to Holland, and father of the gallant John Laurens, the beloved of Washington?” This was a clear splurge- f- for William’s ben efit. “The same,” said Mr. Waddel. “Well, I feel myself honored in bearing the boy’s name.” Before this conversation ended, all were seat ed in the teacher’s study. It was crowded with books—partly, the teacher’s private library —partly, books laid in for the students, which he furnished at cost and charges on Philadelphia prices. “Have you studied Latin. William?” enquired Mr. Waddel. “Yes, sir.” “llow far liavo you gone ?” “I was reading Virgil, when I quit school.” “Well, I have a large Virgil class, which will be divided on Monday. I have found that some of them are keeping others back ; and I have or dered them to get as long a lesson as they can for Monday morning. Those who get the most, and recite the best, will be put in one class and the rest in another. Now, yon can take ei ther division of this class that you may be found •He soon after married a young lady of Vienna. tA splurge is a moral cavort Bath are embraced in the generic term, cutting shines. Ga. Vocab. AUGUSTA. GA., SATURDAY, JULY 16, 1859. qualified for, or you may enter the Selects e Veter i\ class, which will commence Virgil in two or three months. Meet me at the Academy on Monday morning, and we will see what will be best.” ‘•How many pupils have you, Mr. Waddel ?” inquired the Captain. “About one hundred and fifty.” “Where do they board ?” • Just where they please, among the neighbors around. They all take boarders, and reside at different distances from, the academy, varying from a few hundred yards to three miles.” “Have the students to cut and haul their own firewood, and make their own fires ?” “ Not always. At some of the boarding houses the landlords have these things done for them, aud at all, they may hire servants to per form them, if they will, or, rather, if they can; but, as at every house there is at least a truck wagon and horse at the service of the students, and wood is convenient and abundant, and to be had without stint or charge, they generally supply themselves, and make their own fires.” During this conversation, which, from begin ning to end, was of the most alarming interest to William, his eyes wide open, were fixed on Mr. Waddel, who was ait object of still more alarming interest to him. He had never seen— we have never seen—a man of sterner features than Mr. Waddel bore. From the time that William entered the house to the time that he left it, “shadows, clouds, and darkness” werogn thering and deepening upon his mind; relieved only by one faint gle;u>jf light from young Ramsay', whom he regarded as the concentrated extract of all that was august, and great, and gifted, and good in the United States, if not in the world: avd an ample verification per .se of all that his uncle had told him about “ big men’s sons.” William was entered in due form a student of Mr. Waddel’s school; and the Captain having enquired of the post office at which the students received their letters, and pressed Mr. Waddel to give him early information of William's con duct, standing, and progress, he left with his charge for Mr. Newby’s. A long silence ensued. At length, it was broken by William. “ Mr. Waddel is the grummest looking man I ever saw.” “Pretty sour,” said the Captain. “But I don't reckon he is as bad as he loeks to be. The boys seem cheerful around him; and David Ramsay seemed perfectly easy in his presence.” The truth is, the Captain was sore pressed for encouragements himself, and it vas the luckiest thing in the world for him that he happened to fall in with young Ramsay just when he did. “ I had an idea,” continued the Captain, “of proposing to Mr. Waddel to take you to board with him; but it occurred to me that you might prefer to board somewhere else; and lam per fectly willing to accommodate you in this mat ter.” “ Uncle, I wouldn’t board with him for five hundred thousand dollars 1” “ Well, my son, I will not place you with him. I think the best way will be for you to board at Mr. Newby’s, for the present. After you be come acquainted with the other boarding houses, you can take your choice among them.” Silence ensued, which we will fill up with a more particular account of Mr. Waddel. As he was made a Doctor of Divinity soon after the time at which we are speaking of him, we wil[ anticipate a little, and call him henceforth Doctor Waddel. He was about five feet nine inches high; of stout muscular frame, and a little inclined to corpuloncy. In limb, nearly perfect. His head was uncommonly large, and covered with a thick coat of dark hair. His forehead was projecting, and in nothing else more remarkable. His eyes were grey, and overshadowed by thick, heavy eye-brows, always closely knit in his calmest hours, and almost over-lapping in his angry moods. His nose was bluntly aquiline. His lips were rather thick, and generally closely compressed. His complexion was slightly adust. His tout ensemble was, as we have said, ex tremely austere; but it was falso to his heart; for he was benevolent, affectionate, charitable, hospitable, and kind. He was cheerful, and even playful, in his disposition. Good boys felt at perfect ease in his presence, and even bad ones could, and did, approach him with the ut most freedom. He never whipt in a passion— indeed, he seemed to be in his most pleasant moods when he administered correction; and hence, a stranger to him would naturally sup pose that he took pleasure in flogging. It was not so, however. He hardly ever whipt, but upon the report of a monitor; and after a year or two from Master Mitten’s introduction to him, very rarely, but upon a verdict of a jury of stu dents. His government was one of touching “moral suasion;” but he admonished in a new way. Instead of infusing it gently into the head aud heart, and letting it percolate through the system, and slowly neutralize the ill humors with which it came in contact, he applied it to the extremities, and drove it right up into the head and heart by percussion. Ho sCemed to regard vices as consuming tires, and he adopted tSelectio e Vetcri Profanis Sortptoribus Hi storin'. the engine process of extinguishing them. One would suppose that moral reforms, so hastily produced, could not last; but we have living cases to prove that they have lasted for fifty three years, and are still fresh and vigorous. It is a very remarkable fact that Doctor Waddel never flogged a boy for a deficient lesson. To be “turned off,’’ as it was called —that is, to have to get a lesson over a second time, was considered such a disgrace by the students, that if this did not cure the fault, whipping, he well knew, would not. He woidd often mount his horse at eight o’clock at night, aud visit the stu- dents at their boarding houses. Sometimes he would visit them incognito , and recount his ob servations the next day to the whole school, commending such youths as he found well em ployed, and censuring such as he found ill em ployed. And what were the fruits of this rigid, but equitable discipline? From under the teachings of this man have gone forth one Vice President, and many Foreign and Cabinet Min isters; and Senators, Congressmen, Governors, Judges, Presidents, and Professors of Colleges; eminent Divines, Barristers, Jurist!# Legislators, Physicians, Scholars, Military and Naval officers, innumerable. Captain Tlmmpson returned to Mr. Newby's. His namo hau been made known to the boys during his absence. One of them introduced himself to him os the son of Doctor Hay, a near and dear friend of the Captain, in times gone by. The youth was made acquainted with William— offered him a part of his bed aud study, which were accepted. Before retiring to rest, the Captain paid u hasty visit to William’s new dor mitory. He found him at a table, with three others, who were studying their lessons before a rousing tire. They seemed very cheerful and happy. After a few questions, he withdrew, and left them to their studies. An early hour the next morning found him on Ids way home ward. chapter IX. The first ilay of Master Mittens pupilage with Dr. Waddel—Astounded at the capabilities of the Waddelians, and a little more astounded at the capabilities of their Teacher—Strikes a streak of splendid luck. Monday morning came, and William moved sadly to the Academy. Soon the students of every size began to pour in from every quarter; and soon the whole school was in commotion. George Cary had got a thousand lines in Virgil! He was to leave his class, of course ; for such a lesson had never been heard of before, even in Doctor Waddel's school, where the students seemed to take in Latin and Greek by- absorp tion.} "As his classmates came in, they com pared notes, and not one of them had got more than three hundred lines. “ I didn’t get but two hundred and ten,” said one; “1 didn’t get but two hundred,” said another. “Well, I’m at the foot of all,” said a third, “ I didn't get but a hundred and fifty; so I'm double distanced, and left, of course.” William heard these reports with overwhelm ing amazement. The largest lesson he had over recited was thirty-five liues, and the largest he had ever heard of being recited was one him-. dred. He had been led to believe that his native village was the very focus of intellectual illumi nation and mental vigor, and that he himself was the centre-beam of the focus. He did not suppose that Latin and Greek were made for country-folks at all, much less for poor folks; and behold, there stood before him homespun clad, •jUilbo-shod, potatoe-fed chaps, even small er than himself, who had mastered one huudred and fifty lines in Virgil, acknowledging them selves the fag-end of their class, and “double distanced!” His mind was immediately made up to take the selocta class, mortifying as it was to a gentleman of his calibre to have it known at home that he had retrograded; but could he keep up with this class? He had little hope of doing so; but so shocking was the idea of fall ing two classes below his home stand, that he resolved to try it at all events. He had one con solation, at least, and that was, that none of the school-boys knew of his advancement before he came hither. Withal, he concluded that there must be a something about Doctor Waddel’s school that made all the boys who came to it smart, and whatever that sometliing might be, he surely would catch it in a short time. The Doctor soon made his appearance ; and William signified to him his choice of classes. The school was summoned to prayer, and at the conclusion of this service the monitors' bills were handed in, aud the dancing room cleared. The Doctor read over to himself the bills, with an affected seriousness, while a death-like lOcorge McDuffie afterwards overtopt Cary, for he, recited twelve hundred and twelve lines for a Monday morning's lesson. #We give this name as it was pronounced. W e think it was spelled Uuilleboiilt lie was shoemaker-general for the se'hool, and one of the best that ever lived. The soles of his shoes were about half an inch thick, and the heels, three-quarters. The upper-leather in exact proportion with the soles. In short, they were brogans in all respects, of the stoutest sort. It took them about a month to show outward signs of an inward foot Then they began to wrinkle down to something like foot-shape; with only a tolerable greasing, they were good for a year, certain. I Two Dollar* Per Annum, I ) Always In Advance. ( silence reigned around him; his countenance meantime assuming all varieties of expressions. It was very easy for those well acquainted with him, to collect from these indications the general Character of the bills in hand; and the signs this morning were of things grave, novel, funny, and common. The reading finished, the Doctor began: " Pretty heavy bills 1 somethings new even to me. Garritt Sandige, go and get the change to • settle off these bills, and see that it is such as has the genuine ring!'' To a correct understanding of tlie first case on the docket, it is necessary to premise a little. John Freeman had been ex alted for the first time to the dignity of Monitor on the preceding week, and he had over-acted his part a little; he was rather too vigilant and au thoritative. To economize time, while Garrett Sandige was collecting the change, the Doctor sounded the docket in humorously emphatic and pomp ous style: Austin Ji. Overstreet, f<rr being idle npteatedly ! What say veu, Austin?" ‘‘l deny it, sir," said Overstreet. ‘•Monitor, speak!” “ Doctdt Waddel, almost every day in the week he follows me all about with his Greek gram mar in his hand, and goes on in this way: tupto, tupteis, tujitei, (of all the monitors) tuptekm, tupte ton, (that ever I saw in my life) tuptomen, tuptete, (John Freeman takes the lead) tuptousi, (rather rousey). I told him I’d spunk him, (report him) if he lU'lft't quit it, and he wouldn't, so I spunk ed MfiOjf ■WurifijWhese pleadings the Doctor's face put on all sorts of expressions; to maintain the digni ty of the Monitor's character, it was of the first importance that he should hear him with the profouudest respect and gravity; and yet there was something so novel and farcical in this case, that he could with difficulty suppress open laughter. He drew his eyebrows to their clos est, pressed his lips forcibly together for a mo ment, and then passed judgment: “ This is a new case—l confess it perplexes me not a little. It seems to be a case in which study and idleness are so equally and intimately blended, that you can’t hit idleness without at least grazing study, nor indulge study without indulg ing idleness. If, as soou as Overstreet began to make up his compound, you had informed me, Mr. Monitor, of his experiment, I could have given you a recipe that would have precipitat-, ed the feculent matter so entirely from the pure, that we might have dealt with it this morn ing without danger of disturbing the pure; but as it is, with no antecedent law to meet such a case, and under the maxim that it is best to err on the snfe side—the side of mercy—if we err at all, I will let the matter pass for this time; but if you come up again, Austin, with such a mixture of Greek and English in the presence of a monitor, I'll teach you the first future tense of your Greek verb in such a style that you’ll never think of mingling English with it again while you live, unless it be the true English.” Before this case was disposed of, Sandige hod returned with about a half dozen hickories beau tifully trimmed. The Doctor took one, drew it through his left hand, found it knotless, gave it an exjierimental flourish, liked the ring, and pro ceeded : 11 Garry- Osko-Sapling.for being idle repeatedly f’ Garry ’ stepped into the ring without defence. The Doctor gave him one cut and paused— “ Garry, said he, very good humoredly, “that doesn't sound right. My ear don't often deceive me.” So saying he stooped down and raised up the pants of the left leg, pulled down the stocking, and discovered a tasteful and most artistic binding of the calf and its appur tenances, with long narrow strips of old shirt. The Doctor manifested not the least surprise at this, but very deliberately commenced unwind ing. At about every yard detached, he would pause and look up to the school with an expres sion of countenance which seemed to say, "boys needn't try to fool me.” Having unrolled about four yards and a half of swathing from this leg, he proceeded to the other, and did the like. During the whole process the school was in a roar of laughter.' and few laughed more heartily than Gam- himself Having returned the stock ings and pants to their places. “ let us have fair play, Garry," said the Doctor! “Fair play’s a jewel. No"’ stockings are fair, and pants are lair thick or thin. If I can’t get through them, why. that’s my fault, not yours.” So saying, he let Garry have the regaining six with a bril liancy that fully compensated for the lost pleiad. (to be continued.) mm i»i ' A little boy called upon one of our citizens last week and offered some berries for sale. “Well, my son,” said the citizen, “are there not worms in them?” The little boy frankly re plied, “I think there are some.” Our citizen then said, “I don’t want the berries, but as you are an honest boy. and tell the truth, I will give you a dime.” The boy retorted, “ I don’t sell my honesty.” - Gaming, like a quicksand, may swallow a man up in a minute. NO. 8.