she was called), situated near the corner of Mary and Clarke Streets, was a low, square chamber on the second floor, having no furniture, no desks, nor chairs, excepting a few for teachers or visitors. The children, boys and girls (the former dressed the same as girls), were furnished by their parents with seats made of round blocks of wood, of various heights. These movable seats, at least thirty in number, would constitute as great a curiosity at this day of school accommodation and luxury, as would the old "tenfooter" district schoolhouses, were they set up for public gaze in one of our streets. Mrs. Sayre was a model teacher in her day. It was at the time of reading from Noah Webster's spelling and reading book, when an urchin, alias brat, sometimes softened into varlet, being pinned to the mistress's apron, was hammering or stuttering over a monosyllable, turning red and pale by turns as she jostled the poplar rod at her side, -it was just at that moment, when her eyes were bent on the sewing she was preparing for the girls, and on the garter-knitting for the boys, and she listening to and correcting the poor boy's mistakes, it was just then that the block

gyrations commenced, not exactly as on a pivot, but in sweeps, forming larger or smaller circles according to the whim of the block-mover, it was just at that moment of astounding commotion, when the old lady, taking notice of the tumult, raised the wand, viz. the poplar pole, and with distinct, nay, fearful articulation, cried out, in regular, syllabic order," Mi-rab-i-le-dictu," which Latin word sounded in my right ear very much like "My rabble dick you." Of course, this, to us meaningless, word excited as much open-eyed and open-mouthed admiration as is produced by a grandiloquent orator. By the way, the poplar pole spoken of above was a very popular tree in my day. The planting of it became a kind of passion, and its offshoots sold readily at twenty-five cents apiece. It was introduced into Newport, and largely cultivated, by Mr. William Tilley, the patriarch of the Tilley family, always held in great esteem. If my memory is not at fault, Deacon Tilley hired of the Trinity-Church Corporation the ten-acre lot, now a portion of Kay Street, on part of which stood the Trinity-church House, so called, occupied, when I was a boy, by Mrs. Pollock, a lady

from the South. It was on this lot that Mr. Tilley raised this tall unsightly tree, ugly from its very leanness. A few of its ghostly trunks and straight, stiff branches may yet be occasionally met with in our suburban towns. I have spoken, casually, of my wearing frocks or "slips.". I remember the fabric was English calico, of a uniform groundwork, either dotted, or sprigged with fanciful figures. It was an economical age when I figured; and it was not uncommon for the gown of the grandmother to descend as an heirloom to the grandchildren. There were nine children in our family; and when the frock of my eldest sister reached me, a boy of five years of age, it was almost threadbare, and past fading. Boys were thus kept in frocks, that they might be profitable beneficiaries of what would otherwise have fallen into the rag-bag.

Quite near our juvenile schoolrooms, there lived a very worthy colored woman, named "Violet," who kept exposed in a window-frame

w specimens of cake and candy, rendered very attractive by the neat and tasteful way in which they were arranged. A few of us

urchins were furnished now and then with a

few coppers; and hence followed early trading propensities, with "Violet" for instance. Other boys there were less favored with means for procuring similar gratifications, and they could only look wistfully at the sweets. The goodnatured, kind-hearted woman was not slow in discovering the reason for this self-denial; and SO on one day when the fortunate ones had retired, and the unfortunates still lingered, she bid them go round the house, and then gave to each a copper, telling them they could now buy candy for themselves if they pleased. They soon found their way back, shouting to the old woman, "A stick of candy, Violet!" and were supplied as promptly as would have been the best paying customers.

Violet, whilst evidently intending to keep up the appearance of doing a regular business, practically repudiated the worldly apothegm, "There's no friendship in trade."

To return to Mrs. Sayre's primary school: I recollect very well the disagreeable sensations connected with the "dark closet," the prison of the disobedient. It was not resorted to, save in extreme cases. I remember what a fright

was caused by one of the boys swallowing a marble (he is still alive), which led to a sudden dismission of the school. At the close of the school on Friday afternoons, we were sent to a vacant room below stairs, where we recited the "commandments," repeated the "Lord's Prayer," and received commendation or censure according to our good or bad conduct during the week. I remember most gratefully the happy influence of Mrs. Sayre's discipline and instruction. She was firm but gentle in manner and speech, governing by signs rather than by words. My preparation was excellent for the higher school I was soon to enter, especially in reading and spelling. The junior teacher (Miss Betsy) had under her care children of advanced standing. She was an excellent teacher, and was affectionately remembered for her assiduity in behalf of her scholars. During the recess twice a week, Mrs. Sayre taught colored children spelling and reading, gratis. This good lady and her daughter were greatly respected and beloved. The latter married Joseph Rogers, Esq., of Philadelphia.

The first schoolhouse of any note in the