ips or wooden blocks. On these nights came the
disputant with library (?) under arm, a vast "His
tory of the World" in one volume. It is indeed
complimentary to the township genius of that
time to notice here that this library was well
thumbed. Its leaves had evidently been turned
by the use of spittal. The stain from • toiling
hands seemed to indicate that it had not only been
marked, but stubbornly read, for "pointers."
The debate was mainly noise spiced with sauce.
Issues were determined or rather fixed by what
ever over-production of racket might ensue in
behalf of the " Affirmative" or " Negative. "
Taunting personalities as generally considered
were to reason and fact as Alderney cream is to .
Alderney ." skimmed. " It was the richness of
spunk that was all admirable and these taunts
were the delight of the night and the relish of the
week. The " Sir "of Burke and Webster was
used with campmeeting emphasis to fill words I
believe as certiiinly as to loop a rumpled brawl to
the line of dignity. He who owned the heaviest
fist, the deepest lungs, the sharpest tongue was es
teemed as " scienced " in oratory. We, boys,
what of us? Our great shoes incited the disput
ants on and on to frenzied declaim by making
the floor ring. It was all nuts to us. While in
cidental ly some knowledge was diffused a thought
ful youth here or there daring to tremble forth a
fact or truism was ever meet by a rebluff that
dwarfed ambitions entitled to encouragement and
tender treatment. Thus I remember these old
debates in the sadness with which people of my
age are ever recalling lost opportunities. What
little in the way Of fact, truth or oratory the boys
had garnerned from geography, or the pages of
the, " English Reader" or what graces of fancy or
romance they had absorbed from " Jack Haly
ard " were somehow recalled to boyish memories
by these debates. Thoughtful youths saw plenty
of room for reply, comment, proposition even
through the feeble lens of the little they knew . ,
through the small circle of budding inspiration.
But the opportunity that confronted them was
LANCE.
THE FRE
much too Spartan. The old debate had all that
was harsh of Spartanism without its motive,
strength, skill and its modicum of adjustment , to
conditions. So that if there ever was a time in
which we boys were contended to rejoice that
" silence is golden" it was during these nights of
far off days, in the wee school house, with its play
ground surrounded by banks thick with boys,
sand mills and traced with girls' play houses.
Will you permit me, Messrs. Editors, to ask just
here, why has it ever been that girls played house
keeping and the boys ran saw mills? Is this sug
gestive as against this or in favor that teaching
certain rights which are discussed to-day? We of
Chester county are largely of opinion that the in
telligence of woman is needed as a factor in the
promotion of wise laws and good government. I
could not help saying this " right-out" notwith
standing good men, and women too, will disagree
with the saying. '
In the English of a French phrase, esteemed
sufficiently elegant to be popular, " return we to
our mutton. " The young men and women who
read the FREE LANCE know, perhaps more
generally than I, of modern literary societies, the
lyceums of their time. It is noticeable to us all
that the " Sir " of old time oratory is now but
little used. The empty, puzzling question is fad
ing away. The speech spun to thinness more
dreary. Subjects such as " Which has the more
right to complain the Indian or African, " "Pur
suit or Possession, " "Town or County,"
" Knowledge or Riches " long and boisterously
fought over are at last nearly extinct, while in
their stead we find a selection made with more
design as to profitable research and conclusions.
There is now more ease and refinement of expres
sion, better argument because in part of better
preparation and resources. There may be some
awkward attempts as yet, some inaccurate state
ments, some unwise antagonism, but there seems
at present more pride in a strength that courte
ously accepts correction. Thus the disputes be
comes more learned, attractive, chivalric. Indeed