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Southern Field and Fireside.
VOL. 1.
[Written for the Southern Field and Fireside.]
THE CONFESSION.
Ah! well do I remember
That evening in September,
Silver stars were gleaming,
And the moon was beaming ;
With love my sonl was dreaming—
Dreams so sweet!
Close he sat beside me—
Who will dare to ehide me ?
He called me “charming creature.''
Said each lovely feature
Should be to him a teacher,
While he lived;
•
Vow’d he loved me blindly,
Then he begged me kindly
For a pledge of sweetness
From my lips’ repletcness,
Said it was not weakness,
But divine!
He drew nearer, nearer—
Held m§ closer—dearer;
And while half elated,
He begged and waited, •
Still I hesitated—
Said ’twas wrong.
Softly he was smiling,
All my fears beguiling;
Tenderly caressing
My hair with many a blessing—
I blush while now confessing—
___ -Hot I loved !
I yielded—ah! 'twas thrilling,
Dreams of bliss fulfilling—
Vain was all regretting;
I ceased coquetting.
Its idle arts forgetting—
My heart is his!
A. Z.
Augusta, Ga.
[Written for the Southern Field and Fireside.]
Entered according to the Act of Congress <tc., etc.,
by the Author,
MASTER WILLIAM MITTEN;
OR,
A YOUTgi OF BRILLIANT TALENTS,
WHO WAS RUINED BY BAD LUCK.
BY TUE AUTHOR OF THE GEORGIA SCENES, ETC.
Ned Brace—For being idle—For knocking by
James Freer's nose—For knocking by Tom Mur
ray's nose—For plaguing Malory Rivers —
For plaguing James Collier and other boys
tvith a dead cat—For dropping a lightwood
knot upon Gilbert Hay's foot.
“ Why, Neddy, this is an awful account for
one week. Monitor, are any of these charges
upon your own observation but the first ?”
“ None, sir. They are all by order of the
boys whoso names are to them.”
“Explain, James Freer, what is meant by
knocking by your nose.”
“ He came by me, and struck his fist as hard as
he could, as closo to my nose as he could drive
it to miss my nose.”
“ Did you tell him to quit ?”
“Yes, sir.”
“ And did he afterwards repeat the blow ?”
“ No, sir, but he rent knocking by,the noses of
twenty boys in the same way.”
“ How was your case, Thomas Murray ?”
“Exactly the same as Jim Freer’s, sir?”
“ What have you to say to all this, Neddy ?”
“Why, Doctor Waddel, I was just playing with
them. I quit as soon as I saw they didn’t like
it None of the other boys got mad at it.”
“And what’s your case, Malory Rivers?” —
Malory was the smallest boy in school, save one.
“He come up to me, sail—he come up to me,
sail—an’ he put his face mos’ touchin’ mine, and
he opened his mouth and eyes jus’ as wide
as he could stretch ’em—putt’n out his arms
over me, too, like he was tryin’ to score me.”
“ What do you say to that, Brace ?”
“I just did it for a little fun—l wanted to see
what he would do—and I got the worst of it, too,
for he butted me on the nose, and I didn’t set
him down for it.”
“ Did you butt him on the nose, Malory?”
“ I give him a little butt.”
“Oh well, the case is easily settled; if you
take justice into your own hands, you must not
appeal to me. I regard a little butt full pay for
a big look."
“ And what have you to say, James Collier,
against the defendant? ‘ Plaguing with a dead
cat ’ is a new offence. Explain I”
“He took a long forked stick,” said Collier,
“ and stuck an old dead cat’s neck on it, and
swung her up by the head, and swung the stick
on his shoulder, and went all about among the
boys like ho didn’t seo ’em, stink’n ’em up.
Sometimes he’d meet a boy, and when he got
close up to him, he’d wheel off another way, as if
he just thought of something, and swung the dead
cat by ’em almost touch’n ’em. I, and Andrew
Govan, and Jim Tinsley, and Sam McGraw. and
Alfred Hobby, were talking, and I saw Brace
coming with his cat, and I hollo'd to him and
I JADIGS GARDNER, I
| Proprietor. f
said: ‘ Now, Brace, I’ve seen you scatter two or
three parcels of boys with that cat; and if you
come here with it, I’ll spank you. He pretend
ed he didn’t hear what I said, and kept coming
up, asking me all the time what I said; and he
knew what I said well enough. All the other
boys run, but I wouldn't run; and lie comes to
me, and says; ‘ Jimmey, I’ve been hunting all
over the school to find somebody to help me
bury this poor cat: but they are the hard heart
edest set of boys I ever saw; wont you help me,
Jimmey?” So without saying anything to him,
I went off and spunked him: and just as I
started off he turned round as quick as he could,
and whirled his cat almost all round me. And
I don't b’lieve there's another boy in the world
that could have stood that cat as long as he did,
just to have his fun out of the other boys.”
“What do you say to all this, Neddy?’
“ Doctor Waddel. twenty boys will tell you, I
did ask them to go with me to bnry the cat. I
don’t think Jim Collier had a right to order me
away from the other boys he was talking to.
If ho didn't like the cat and my company, why
didn't he go off as the other ltoys did? They
all thought the cat smelt bad, but it didn't. It
didn't smell one bit.” Here, the Doctor opened
his eyes, and showed signs of light which mate
rially changed the aspect of the case. It imme
diately flashed upon his mind, that the weather
had been very cold for a week, and that, per
chance, the cat was not offensive.
“James,” continuciLke, “did you smell the
catr
“I didn't stay long enough to smell it.”
“ But you say he whirled it round you as you
went oft'; did you smell it then?”
“ I think I would have smelt it iflhadu’t held
my breath ?”
“ Doctor Waddel,” said Brace, “he couldn’t
have smelt it, to save his life. Call every boy,
he says I went to with it, and not one of them
will say that he cmclt it.”
A number of witnesses were called, and not
one testified that he smelt the cat. Most of them
had kept out of smell of it; some held their noses,
and others, by whom it had been whipt, remem
bered nothing about it.
“The case is certainly wonderfully changed,”
said the Doctor. “ Had a single witness testi
fied positively that he smelt the cat, I would not
have held you altogether guiltless, Brace; not
that I deny )'onr right to shoulder as many dead
cats as you please, and to carry them where you
please, provided you do not push yourself, with
your charge, into the company of others, and to
"their annoyance. But you have no right to con
strain a student to leave his company, or his
place, or to endure a stench. As to your pre
tending to want help to bury the cat, I under
stand all that perfectly; you wanted no such
thing.”
“ What have you to say, Gilbert Hay, against
Brace ?”
“He threw a lightwood knot on my foot, on
purpose, and hurt it, so that I haven't got over it
yet.”
“ Why did you do that, Brace V'
“ I declare, Doctor Waddel, I didn’t mean to
drop it on his foot.”
“ Yes, you did, sir ’’
“Address me, Gilbert—not him,” said the
Doctor.
“ Well, Doctor Waddel, he kept carrying his
lightwood knot about among the boys, and as soon
as he’d come near one, he’d pretend to let it slip
oft' of his shoulder, and pretend to be trying to
catch it; and halloo, * take care of your toes —I
can't hold it,’ and let it fall right by the boy’s foot,
just to make him jump. He did two or three
boys so 'fore he came to me, and when he came
to me, he let it fall on my foot, sure enough.”
“Is all this so, Neddy?”
“Yes, sir; but he shows himself I didn't go
to do it.”
“ No, sir, ‘you didn’t go to do it,’ but you went
to do what you knew was very apt to do it. So
if James Freer, or Thomas Murray, had happened
to lean suddenly forward, or been accidental
ly pushed forward just as you were striking by
their noses, he would have got a very severe
blow; and you wouldn’t have went to do that
either. You have no right to sport with the
feelings of others, for your fun. So I’ll give you
a little for your nose-fun. and two or three littles
for your foot-fun, and the usual price of idleness
unrepeated.”
Ned had a pair of breeches which he called
his Monday morning breeches. They were very
full in the legs—trousers, in fact. In their natu
ral position, they hung tangent to the calves of
his legs, or nearly so; but, by catching them
near the hips, and pulling them backward, and
a little upward, they pressed tight upon the shins,
and swung entirely clear of the calves, by at
least an inch. Ned had acquired such skill in
directing the play of these trousers, that he had
brought his calves through several penal Mon
days almost, or entirely, intact. He knew the
velocity of the switch, and he gave his twitch
just at the instant of its reaching the leg; and
at the crack, hands off! the pants were back to
their place.
Ned stept into the ring, and received the first
cut with his usual success. It was a clear flash.
The Doctor, without pausing, went through the
AUGUSTA. GA., SATURDAY, JULY 23, 1859.
motions of the second, but arrested it in its de
scent, and saw, with a smile, the pants fly back
to receive it. “ I thought,” said he, “ that lick
made a false report. How was that done, Ned
dy? You keep your hands a little too much
akimbo for the occasion. Hands off, and fair
play, Neddy! Big breeches are perfectly fair;
but no pulling!" The remaining nine told (as
an ofticer said of a park of artillery in battle,)
“ with beautiful effect.”
David Murray, for throwing a chew of tobacco
in James Nephew's eye !
David, commonly called Ising David, was the
tallest, and, for his height, the slimmest student
in the school, no stood full six feet in his
stocking.
“ How was that, David ?” said the Doctor.
“He asked me, ” said David. “to throw him
down a chaw o’ tobacco, and I done it, and it hit
him in the eye.”
“Where were you. David? Where did you
throw it down from?”
“ I wasn’t any where, sir. Because lam tall,
all these little fellows are constantly running up
to me, and askin’ me to throw ’em down a chaw
o’ tobacco, jus’ like I was ’way up in a tree.”
“Well, David,” said the Doctor, chuckling in
spite of himself, “if a boy asks you to throw
him down 1 a chaw o’ tobacco,’ I don’t think
you are responsible for where it falls.”
“ What!” the render may bo disposed to ask,
“ did he ever whip grown up young meu ?” Not
within otit recollection, because-we never knew
but one who rendered himself liable to this kind of
correction, and that one left the school m quick
time after the commission of his offence; but tra
dition said that lie had done that thing; andtie
used to flourish his hickory with graceful, but
terrific vigor of arm, when a little fretted with
matters and things in general, and thunder forth.
“I'll whip you, sirs, from Robert Pettigrew
down to James Scriven. inclusive." The first
was the largest, the last the smallest student in
the school.
A number of other cases, besides those men
tioned, were disposed of ; but there was nothing
remarkable in them. They were chiefly cases
of idleness in which judgment was confessed;
but the sessions closed with a case of contempt
of court which deserves to be reported; first,
because it is the only case of the kind, we believe,
that ever occurred during the instructorship of
Doctor Waddel; and secondly, because it shows
how he disposed of cases which demanded im
mediate notice, but which he could not visit
with the usual penalty, without violating his
fixed rule, never to flog in a passion. The last
case on docket was just disposed of, when some
thing that the Doctor said or did, now forgotten,
led Brace to exclaim pretty rudely, “ Doctor
Waddel, that's partial!" "What, sir!” thundered
the doctor from a hurricane countenance. He
paused a second—then dropt the switch lie had
iu hand, and seizing Ned by all the apparel that
covered his breast, lie shook him tremendously.
He lifted him high and sat him down emphat
ically, but not injuriously. He now waltzed him
round the ring in the quickest possible time. He
then made a path with him. five feet deep,
through the boys—brought him back with a
double-jerk—took another turn with him as be
fore, and dismissed him at the door witli a push
that sent him off at a “ half hammond .” As
soon as the impetus had spent itself, Ned stopt,
looked back, looked up, looked round, like a
man iu delirum tremens, and then set off a tip-toe,
at a rather brisk gait, like one creeping to catch
a butterfly, and discoursing as he went, in a sort
of half whisper: “ The man's mad! The ma-a-ns
mad l He's made me drunk, turning me round-
If 1 didn't think he’d kill me, Til never budge!''
The morning's excereises were exceedingly
interesting to Master Mitten, of course, and he
was allowed half a day to muse upon them; for
he was without the text book of his class, and
could not be supplied until Doctor Waddel went
home to his dinner. The forenoon of the day
was employed chiefly in taking observations of
the costumes, manners, and conduct of the boys;
but part of the time was spent with young Hay
and three of his classmates, with whom he
studied during that day. They construed al
ternately a sentence aloud, and if the version
of the reader was not corrected by some one of
the listeners, it was considered as properly
rendered, and adopted by all. Occasionally, a dis
pute would arise between them as to the case
of a noun, the mood and tense of a verb, or the
application of some rule of syntax, and the dis
pute was invariably settled by an appeal to tho
grammar, which each one kept always by him in
studying his lessons. Herein, he found one clue
to a solution of the mystery which had astounded
him so, at the opening of school—the prodigi
ous lessons which the boys recited —and before
the next day he discovered another which solved
the mystery entirely; it was, that the very
idlest of the boys studied twice as much as any
school-boys he had ever seen. In the afternoon
his select* was furnished him, and ho set in
regularly with Ins class. He begged to b» ex
cused from reading in his turn, as the author was
new to him. He was indulged; and thus he
was virtually carried over his first lesson. One
reading of it, to him. was enough to make him
as perfect in it as any in tho class, aud eonse-
quently he recited it creditably. He had hard
ly concluded his first recitation, when the signal
for evening prayer was given ; the students
were assembled, prayer was held, and they
were dismissed for the night. Thus ended the
most terrifle day of William's pupilage. We
have been particular in giving its history, not
only for its effect upon Master Mitten, but that
the reader might have a pmctical exhibition of
Doctor Waddel’B government. Terrific as-the
day was to William, it was the first of a long
series of days pregnant with good luck.
* chapter x.
The Captain learns more % about Dr. Waddel's
school from hearsay than observation—Gives a
partial account of things at Willington, ivhich
produces divers conferences between his sister
and his wife —Deceives glorious news , with
which he delivers an impartial account of
Willington—The good doesn't neutralize the
bad; and Mrs. Mitten is deeply afflict’d , hit finds
an admirable comforter in Mrs. Thompson.
By reason of detention at the river, and an
accident to his vehicle on the way, Captain
Thompson did not reach home until near eight
o'clock on Monday night; and at his request the
tidings of his return were kept from his sister
until the next morning. As soon as they reached
her, she hastened over to him, to hear his
report from Doctor Waddel’s school. “How
did you find things, brother?’’ said she; “I hope
you got a good boarding-house, and a comfort
aide room for William this cold weather; and
that before you left, you saw him well provided
with bedding, fire-wood, and all the other little
conveniences that he needs; for you know he
has no idea of providing for himself. Did ho
seem satisfied with his new school? What
sort of a man is Mr. Waddel? Is he as severe
a man as he is represented to lie ?”
“ Bless me, Anna!” said the Captain. “ What
time have I had to prepare answers for all these
questions ? I got there at four o'clock on Sat
urday afternoon, and left a little after sun-rise
on Sunday, so that I had no time to learn much
about Mr. Waddel or bis school. Oh, Anna,
who do you think was the first boy I got ac
quainted with there! David Ramsay, son of
Doctor Ramsay r , who married Miss Laurens,
daughter of Henry Laurens, President of the
first Congress, and Minister to Holland. He
seemed to be very well satisfied there—quite
cheerful and happy—fine boy.”
“ Couldn’t you have got William into a room
with him?”
“ Well —I didn't try —he boards with Mr.
Waddel, and I thought ”
“Oh! brother! I wish you had placed him
with young Ramsay, immediately under Mr.
Waddel’s eye. I should have no fears, then, of
his getting into bad habits.”
_ “Well, be can board there yet, if he wishes to,
for I only paid his lx>ard at Mr. Newby’s for one
quarter, and I told him to visit the other boarding
houses and select the one he liked best, and I
would place him at it. lam determined to make
him just as comfortable and happy as I can, at
Mr. Waddel's. His room-mate is a qpn of our
old friend, Doctor Hay, of Washington—nice
youth—fine school, I’ve no doubt—one hundred
and fifty scholars 1 Industrious, hearty-looking
fellows, of all sizes! Willington is the finest
town in the world, for boys. Anna, I’m a little
pressed with business, this morning; come over
another time, and we will talk the matter over
more leisurely.” So saying, he retired.
“Sister Mary,” said Mrs. Mitten to Mrs.
Thompson, “did brother David giveyou any of
the particulars of his trip to Mr. Waddel’s?—
Did ho tell you how William liked the school
and his teacher ?”
“ No,” said Mrs. T. “I asked him how Wil
liam liked the school, and he said he hadn’t seen
the school, when he came away. I asked him
how he liked Mr. Waddell, and he said William
thought Mr. Waddel a very grum looking man ;
but that lie had had no opportunity of getting
acquainted with him before lie left. But be
(Mr. Thompson,) said that it seemed to him that
the man and the place were made for William—
that AVillington was the most quiet, peaceful lit
tle village he ever saw; in a healthy region, with
delightful water, beautiful study-grounds—in
dustrious, hard-working, orderly boys, Ac., Ac.”
“Sister Mary, you may depend upon it, brother
David was disappointed in the school, or William
is dissatisfied with it, or both arc dissatisfied
with the teacher, or the board, or something else,
or ho would not put us off with these general
remarks. As sure as you’re born, there is some
thing there, that lie knows will not please me.
If all had been to bis liking and mine, he
wouldn't liavo waited for questions from me.
knowing my solicitude about the boy. He
have spoken in raptures about every tiling. How
agreeably disappointed Wiiliam bad been —what
a charming family, and what comfortable quar
ters he had got in—what an accomplished, agree
able, fascinating man Mr. Waddel is, Ac., Ac.—
What is the use of his trying to conceal these
things from me ? As soon as I get a letter from
William, he will tell me all about them, and broth
er David had as well let me know about them at
ouce.”
“No, sister Anha, he cannot be dissatisfied
I Th* Dollars Per Aiiiinm, I
1 Alua) m In Advance. |
with the teacher or the school, as is plain from
what he has said to both of us. I reckon the
living is r, rough up there, for ho said it
was the cheapest tvoard that he ever paid. Just
think of it, sistefcAnna ; ten dollars a month for
board, washing,! lodging, and firewood 1 The
kindest man in (fee world couldn’t supply boys
with dainties at Mr-se rates. And all this with
out making any alowancc for damage to room,
furniture, bedstoids, bedding, breaking window
glasses, plastering, atul ilie like, which is sure to
occur in students’ for boys are certain
to get into romps and Trolics at times, and
then everything flies before them. Now, I reck
on husband found the boys’ fare very plain at
Mr. Newby’s, and thought, maybe, that it
would distress you to know this fact, as William
has never been used to such" living. As for ac
complished, agreeable, fascinating school mas
ters ’’
“Well, sister Mary, it may be so; I hope it is
no worse. Learn all you can about the school,
from brother David, and report to me. Good
morning!”
Mrs. Mitten went home, and immediately ad
dressed to her son a letter, wherein, among
other things, she said : “As yet, I have learned
but very little about the school or your teacher
from your uncle ; but as he seemed to think it
promises every tiling good to you, I ought to be
satisfied. I have always been under the im
pressioji.tiiat Sir. Waddel’s school was in the
woods, but your uncle informs us that it rain the'
lovely, quiet, little village of Willington. I have
looked for it on the map of South Carolina, but I
cannot find it put down there. Now, I charge
you, my dear boy, not to be running about the
streets of nights, to the disturbance of the villag
ers. You are now, thank Heaven 1 away from
the G boys, and I hope you never will again
fall into such company. I am happy to learn
that you have had the good fortune to become
the room-mate of Dr. Hay’s son. It is a
long time siuce we had the pleasure of the
Doctor’s society, but we never can forget it, and
we take it for granted that the son of such a
man must be all that a son should be. But even
the best boys will occasionally have their romps
and frolics, and then they are very apt to for
get their duty to their hostess. Ido not forbid
you these little pastimes ; but I strictly enjoin it
upon you, if they occur in your room, and any
injury results to bed, bedding, bureau, table,
wash-stand, basin, pitcher, looking-glass, win
dow-glass, or any thing else, to go immediately
to Mr. Newby, and insist upon his charging the
whole damage to you, assuring him that I will
pay it promptly and cheerfully. So cheap is his
board, that I know he cannot afford to bear the
expense of breakage.
“ There is another thing upon which I would
repeat a caution already given you; you will
often be applied to, as you have been, to carry
some of your less gifted schoolmates over their
lessons. Do these little kinduesses for them
cheerfully, and for the honor of your name, do
not think of charging or receiving anything for
them. Study' neatness and cleanliness of person.
Before you left me, I told you to change your
linen every day, but as the number of your
shirts were reduced at your departure, and more
especially' in mercy to Mrs. Newby’s wash
women, and her mistress, I will revoke that or
der, and say to you, change only three times a
week. Eat what is set before you, asking no ques
tions.”
Mrs. Mitten added a great many other wise
and pious counsels, but as they would be of but
little interest to the reader, wo suppress them.
She concluded her letter, folded it, addressed it
to “ Master William Mitten, Willington, Abbe
ville District, South Carolina,” and sent it to the
post office. As, there was no post office at
that time in Willington, the letter went to
Abbeville Court House, where it remained
three weeks from its date before it was called
for. At the end of that time it was reported to
Dr. Waddel, who took it from the office, and the
same day delivered it to William.
Three days passed away before Captain
'/hompson found it convenient to give his sister
a circumstantial detail of matters and things at
Willington; and on the fourth he set out for
Augusta on business of importance. As soon as
he was gone, Mrs. Mitten called on his wife.
“Sister Mary,” said she. “have you
up anything from brother David about Willing-*"
ton ?”
“ Not a wo: *, sister Anna. He’s always too
busy, or too sleepy, to talk upon this subject.
Whenever I bring it up, like old Jenkins in the
Vicar of Wakefield, with his one sentence of
learuinj, lie begins to run on about young Ram
say, as he did to you, but with this difference:
that he was serious when he delivered his har
angue to you, and he chuckles every time he
repeats it —or begins to repeat it—to me. I be
lieve you are right, sister Anna; there is some
thing about Mr. Waddel’s school which lie
doesn’t wish us to know ; and as for my part, he
may' keep \t to himself till doomsday for aught I
care; I shall ask him no more about it”
“ Well, sister Mary, he can’t keep us long in
suspense, for I have written to William, and I
shall get a letter from him in a week or so that
will explain everything.”
[to be coxtisted.]
NO. 9.