ead was given to solace the
runaway. The mother thought it very strange her little boy should so
often transgress, when he knew what to expect from such a course of
conduct. The boy was wiser than the mother; he knew perfectly well how
to manage. He could play with the boys beyond the garden gate, and if
detected, to be sure he was obliged to spend a quiet hour in the
pleasant parlor. But this was not intolerable as long as he could expect
a paper of sugar-plums, a cake, or at least something amply to
compensate him for the loss of a game at marbles."

5. COMPLAINTS OF LONG LESSONS. A college officer assigned lessons which
the idle and ignorant members of the class thought too long. They
murmured for a time, and at last openly complained. The other members of
the class could say nothing in behalf of the professor, awed by the
greatest of all fears to a collegian, the fear of being called a
"_fisher_," or a "_blueskin_." The professor paid no attention to the
petitions and complaints which were poured in upon him, and which,
though originated by the idle, all were compelled to vote for. He
coldly, and with uncompromising dignity, went on the excitement in the
class increased, and what is called a college rebellion, with all its
disastrous consequences to the infatuated rebels, ensued.

Another professor had the dexterity to manage in a different way. After
hearing that there was dissatisfaction, he brought up the subject as
follows:--

"I understand, gentlemen, that you consider your lessons too long.
Perhaps I have overrated the abilities of the class, but I have not
intended to assign you more than you can accomplish. I feel no other
interest in the subject, than the pride and pleasure it would give me,
to have my class stand high, in respect to the amount of ground it has
gone over, when you come to examination. I propose, therefore, that you
appoint a committee in whose abilities and judgment you can confide, and
let them examine this subject and report. They might ascertain how much
other classes have done, and how much is expedient for this class to
attempt; and then, by estimating the number of recitations assigned to
this study, they can easily determine what should be the length of the
lessons."

The plan was adopted, and the report put an end to the difficulty.

6. ENGLISH COMPOSITION. The great prevailing fault of writers in this
country, is an affectation of eloquence. It is almost universally the
f