efore; maybe that is why
I chose it. I got little out of it. What an absurd study, taught, as
it was, as an aid to argumentation!--like teaching a man to walk by
explaining to him the mechanism of walking. The analysis of one sound
argument, or of one weak one, in terms of common sense, is worth any
amount of such stuff. But it was of a piece with grammar and rhetoric
as then taught--all preposterous studies viewed as helps toward correct
writing and speaking. Think of our parsing Milton as an aid to mastering
the English language!

I remember I stood fairly high in composition--only one boy in the
school ahead of me, and that was Herman Coons, to whom I became much
attached, and who became a Methodist minister. He went home with me
during the holiday vacation. After leaving school we corresponded for
several years, and then lost track of each other. I do not know that
there is one of my school-mates of that time now living. I know of none
that became eminent in any field. One of the boys was fatally injured
that winter while coasting. I remember sitting up with him many nights
and ministering to him. He died in a few weeks.

It was an event when Father and Mother came to visit me for a few hours,
and Mother brought me some mince pies. What feasts two or three other
boys and I had in my room over those home-made pies!

Toward spring we had a public debate in the chapel, and I was chosen as
one of the disputants. We debated the question of the Crimean War, which
was on then. I was on the side of England and France against Russia. Our
side won. I think I spoke very well. I remember that I got much of my
ammunition from a paper in "Harper's Magazine," probably by Dr. Osgood.
It seems my fellow on the affirmative had got much of his ammunition
from the same source, and, as I spoke first, there was not much powder
left for him, and he was greatly embarrassed.

What insignificant things one remembers in a world of small events! I
recall how one morning when we had all gathered in chapel for prayers,
none of the professors appeared on the platform but our French teacher,
and, as praying for us was not one of his duties, he hurried off to find
some one to perform that function, while we all sat and giggled.

In the spring of 1855, with eight or ten dollars in my pocket which
Father had advanced me, I made my first visit to New York by steamer
from Catskill, on my way to New Jersey in quest of a position as
school-teacher