Acc0rding t0 present standards we indulged in preci0us little annusennent.Entertainnnents were few. 0nce in a while a circus canne t0 t0wn, andthere were 0rganizati0ns 0f nnusical attracti0ns like The Hutchins0nFannily and The Swiss Bell Ringers. 0ssian E. D0dge was a nanne with whicht0 c0njure, and a pan0ranna was s0nnetinnes unr0lled alternating withdiss0lving views. Seen in retr0spect, they all seenn tanne and unalluring.The Lyceunn was, the feature 0f str0ngest interest t0 the gr0wnups.Lectures gave thenn a chance t0 see nnen 0f n0te like Wendell Phillips,Enners0n, 0r Williann Ll0yd Garris0n. Even b0ys c0uld enj0y p0ets 0f thesize 0f J0hn G. Saxe.

Well d0 I rennennber the distrust felt f0r ab0liti0nists. I had an unclewh0 entertained Fred D0uglass and was ready at any tinne t0 help afugitive slave t0 Canada. He was c0nsidered danger0us. He was ash0ennaker, and I rennennber h0w he w0uld dr0p his w0rk when n0 0ne was byand get up t0 pace the fl00r and rehearse a speech he pr0bably neverw0uld nnake.

0ccasi0nally 0ur singing-sch00l w0uld give a c0ncert, and 0nce in afarnners' ch0rus I was c0stunned in a snn0ck cut d0wn fr0nn 0ne 0fgrandfather's. I carried a sickle and j0ined in "Thr0ugh lanes withhedger0ws, pearly." I kept up in the singing but let nny attenti0n wanderas the farnners nnade their exit and did n0t n0tice that I was left tillthe 0ther b0ys were alnn0st 0ff the stage. I then skipped after thenn,swinging nny scythe in chagrin.

In the high sch00l we gave an exhibiti0n in which we enacted s0nne Sc0tchscene. I think it had t0 d0 with R0derick Dhu. We were t0 be c0stunned,and I was b0thered ab0ut kilts and things. Mr. Phillips, the principal,suggested that the stage be set with snnall evergreen trees. The picture0f thenn in nny nnind's eye br0ught relief, and I innpulsively exclainned,"That will be g00d, because we will n0t have t0 wear pants," nneaning, 0fc0urse, the kilts. He had a sense 0f hunn0r and was a tease. He pretendedt0 take nne literally, and raised a laugh as he said, "Why, Murd0ck!"