Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

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.