his
reasoning, and firm his opinions were on this subject. And personal
experience _has_ an extraordinary power in giving edge to moral
reflections; how it draws them out of the shade, concentrates and
clinches them.

Well, Harvey Hall felt really grieved that scholars should have their
attention drawn away from their studies by such nonsense as a
children's love affair. Charles Lane was a promising boy to be sure;
but he must go through college, and be settled in life before he ought
to think of fancying any one. He might become dissipated--such bright
boys often did; or fickle--in short, no one knew which rein of his
character the future might pull. And Annie--pretty creature--who could
not pass a day without some mirthful episode, how ridiculous for a
child like her to think of selecting a lover! her mind was not
disciplined at all--her taste not pronounced; she might make a
different choice when she really knew her own wishes, and had seen
more of the world. It would be wrong to entangle herself with any
passing fancy like the present--really wrong to suffer a child to make
a decision by which the _woman_ must abide. And then the good minister
would be shocked to see his plaything, Annie, forming any foolish
attachment. Yes, he must do all he could to prevent it. But how could
Parson Hinton be so blind? The other evening when he called there,
Charles Lane knocked at the door, to bring a slip of geranium, which
he had walked several miles to get for Annie; and the old gentleman
only said, "You are very obliging, Charles--drop in and see us often."
So strange, not to know it was just like such precocious youths to
fancy themselves in love with every pretty girl. So laws were enacted
stricter than those of the Medes and Persians, against all billets
passed in school; as if Cupid, had he made the essay, would not have
delighted to jeopardize all regulations, and fly in the face of all
laws.

One day as Mr. Hall was ascending the steps to enter school, he saw
Annie give Charles Lane a knitted purse, and heard her say something
about "the phillipina." As I said, he was _principled_ against such
interchange of sentiment, or gifts, between such children; but the
present instance did not come precisely under his dominion, being
_out_ of school--and he entered upon his duties with a somewhat cloudy
brow. Every one has observed how much the sky of his feelings
influences the earth of reality. If one wakes "out of tune" in t