case of the elder brother. But this was more than they
could make up their minds to bear. Accordingly, the night previous to
their trial, they decamped secretly, hired a carriage at a neighboring
village, and, being well provided with money, returned to their parents.

We afterwards ascertained that M. de Fellenberg did not send after them,
in pursuit or otherwise,--did not even write to their parents, but
suffered the fugitives to tell their own story in their own way.

The result was, that in a few weeks the father came, bringing with him
the runaways, and asking, as a favor, that M. de Fellenberg would once
more make trial of them,--which he very willingly did. They were
received by us with kindness, and no allusion was ever made to the cause
of their absence. They remained several years, quiet and law-abiding
members of our _Verein_, but neither attained to any office of trust
again.

Our recreations consisted of public games, athletic exercises,
gymnastics, and--what was prized above all--an annual excursion on foot,
of about six weeks' duration.

One of our most favorite amusements in the way of athletic exercise was
throwing the lance (_Lanzenwerfen_.) The weapons used were stout ashen
spears, from six to seven feet long, heavily shod with iron, and
sharp-pointed; the target, a squared log of hard wood firmly set in the
ground, about six feet high,--the upper portion, or head, which it was
the chief object to hit, a separate block, attached to the trunk by
stout hinges. This exercise required great strength as well as skill. A
dozen or more engaged in it at a time, divided into two sides of
supposed equal force; and the points gained by each stroke were
reckoned according to its power and accuracy,--double, if the head was
struck, and one point added whenever the spear remained fixed in the
wood without touching the ground. We attained great skill in this
exercise.

We had fencing-lessons twice a week; and there were many swordsmen in
the elder classes who need not have feared any ordinary antagonist. Of
this a fencing-master from a neighboring Canton, on occasion of a visit
to our teacher, had one day tangible and somewhat mortifying proof.

Much has been said, sometimes in ridicule, sometimes in condemnation, of
gymnastic exercises. We spent an hour a day, just before dinner, in the
gymnasium. And my three-years' experience induces me to regard these
exercises, judiciously conducted, not only as beneficia