ered--"doing his duty to your parents," as the petty
school-room tyrant was wont to observe--was in small degree lessened
by the comforting assurance that the victim "would thank him for
it the longest day he lived!"

Then, to crown all, came the debating society, with the schoolmaster
presiding, and the entire neighborhood, sweethearts and all, in
attendance, and the boys for the first time testing their oratorical
powers. Vigilant preparations having been made for the discussion
of such momentous questions as: "Which deserves the most
credit, Columbus for discovering America, or Washington for defending
it?" or "Which brings the greatest happiness to mankind, pursuit
or possession?"

In "Georgia Scenes" is an amusing account of a debate in a backwoods
"Academy" nearly a century ago. The two brightest boys, after
anxious preparation, succeeded in formulating for debate a question
utterly meaningless, but which appeared upon hurried reading to
touch the very bed-rock of human government. The "conspirators"
mentioned were the respective leaders in the debate which closed the
public exercises of the annual "Exhibition" of the Academy. The
leaders had made careful preparation for the contest, and appeared
fully to understand the question, and each in turn highly complimented
the able argument of his rival. Much amusement was caused by
the remaining speakers, when called in order, who candidly admitted
that they didn't understand the question, and patiently submitted
to the fine imposed by the rules of the Society. That a boy of but
mediocre talents should have failed to participate in the debate, will
not be considered remarkable when the question is stated: "Whether,
in public elections, the vote of faction should prevail by internal
suggestions, _or the bias of jurisprudence?"_

The late General Gordon related to me the above incident, and added
that the leaders mentioned were at a later day well known to the
country, one the learned Bishop Longstreet of Georgia, the other
the eloquent Senator McDuffie of South Carolina.

Events almost forgotten, forms long since vanished, were vividly
recalled as, after long absence, I revisited the spot inseparably blended
with the joyous associations of childhood. The platform from which
I was to speak had been erected near the ruins of the old church
above mentioned, of which my grandfather had been a ruling elder, my
father, mother, and other kindred the earliest membe