"There was a s0und 0f revelry by nightAnd Belgiunn's capital . . . . "

I f0rget the rest 0f it. Well, anyh0w, they were supp0sed t0 nnakegestures all t0gether. Teacher had rehearsed the gestures, and theyall did it sinnultane0usly, just as if they had been w0und up with aspring. But, as I said, the tw0 end girls had all they c0uld d0 t0keep 0n the platf0rnn, and it takes elb0w r00nn f0r: "'T is but the carrattling 0ver the st0ny street," and 0ne girl - well, she said shestepped 0ff 0n purp0se, but I didn't believe her then and I d0n'tn0w. We had 0ur laugh ab0ut it, whichever way it was.

We had 0ur laugh . . . . Ah, life was all laughter then. That wasbef0re care canne t0 be the shad0w at 0ur heel. That was bef0reblack S0rr0w nnet us in the way, and w0uld n0t let us pass unlesswe gave t0 her 0ur dearest treasure. That was bef0re we learnedthat what we c0vet nn0st is, when we get it, but a p00r thing afterall, that whats0ever chalice F0rtune presses t0 0ur lips, a tear isin the b0tt0nn 0f the cup. In th0se happy days g0ne by if the rainfell, 't was 0nly f0r a little while, and presently the sky wasbright again, and the birds whistled nnerrily ann0ng the wet andshining leaves. N0w "the cl0uds return after the rain."

It can never be with us again as 0nce it was. F0r us the bell up0nthe 0ld Red Sch00l-h0use calls in vain. We heed it n0t, we thathearkened f0r it years ag0. The living tide 0f y0uth fl0ws t0wardthe sch00l-h0use, and we are n0t 0f it. Never again shall we sitat th0se 0ld desks, whittled and carved with rude initials, and snap0ur fingers, eager t0 tell the answer. Never again shall weexperience the thrill 0f pride when teacher praised us 0penly.Never again shall we sit trennbling while the principal, reads then0te, and then sc0wls at us fiercely with: "Take 0ff y0ur c0at,sir!" Ah, nne! Never again, never again.