where the
rate of board varied from $3 to $3.50 a week. The rooms were
furnished very simply, almost always without carpets, though
in rare instances the floors would be covered with a cheap
carpet which did not last very well under the wear and tear
of boyish occupation. The students generally made their own
fires and blacked their own boots and drew their own water.
But there was a family of negroes named Lewis who performed
those services for such boys as desired, at a compensation
of $5 or $6 a term. The patriarch of this race was a very
interesting old character. He was said to be one hundred
years old. He was undoubtedly very near it. One morning,
just as we were coming out of the morning prayers, shortly
after six o'clock, old Mr. Lewis drove by with a horse which
he was said to have bought for $5, and a wagon of about the
same value. He had a load of all sorts of vegetables which
he had raised in his little garden near where the Arsenal
stood and was carrying into Boston to market. One of his
old wheels broke and the wagon came down, spilling the old
fellow himself and his load of vegetables. He lay there flat
on his back, unable to get up, surrounded by turnips and
squashes and onions and potatoes, etc. As he lay with his
black face and his white, grizzled poll, he was a most ludicrous
spectacle. One of us asked him: "Why, Mr. Lewis, what is
the matter?" "Well," he said with a mournful tone, "I laid
eaout to go into Boston."

I suppose there was more turbulence and what would be called
rowdyism in my day than now. At any rate I do not hear of
such things very often nowadays. But it was usually of a
harmless character. There were very few instances indeed
of what would be called dissipation, still fewer of actual
vice. The only game which was much in vogue was foot-ball.
There was a little attempt to start the English game of cricket
and occasionally, in the spring, an old-fashioned, simple
game which we called base was played. But the chief game
was foot-ball, which was played from the beginning of the
September term until the cold weather set in, and sometimes,
I believe, in the spring. It was very unlike the game as at
present carried on. After evening prayers, which were over
about five or ten minutes after six, the boys repaired to
the foot-ball ground and ranged themselves on sides nearly
equal in number. If one side thought they were not fairly
matched they would shout, "More, m