AS for the Acacias, in that queer old courtyard distinctly 

 exotic creatures, aristocrats in the company of those pal- 

 pable sons of the soil, the caducous orchard treesI still 

 wonder how they ever came there. Their role in the life 

 of the small-boy school seems to have been that of a 

 butt for cockshies, and thus passively to foster a notable 

 precision in the use of those small river pebbles with which 

 the playground was covered. A game, deeply favoured 

 by the young scholars <but not recognized by the authori- 

 ties) when Acacias were " in," consisted in the bringing 

 down of some selected bunch of fragrant, creamy flowers 

 from its lofty station with the minimum number of pebbles. 

 The feat was the subject of wager, the stakes stated and 

 paid in steel nibs. Nibs in the tongue of the aborigines, 

 Aecs-Je-p/ume were accepted as currency and legal tender. 

 It would be truly interesting to find out how this par- 

 ticular token of exchange came to be established among 

 the youthful communities of French elementary schools. 

 Be it as it may, the convention was hallowed by tradition 

 " whereof the memory of boy ran not to the contrary/' 

 When, however, the pale yellow, incense-smelling, honey- 

 tasting racemes were " out," the devoted Acacia became 

 the object of other, slightly different, balistic attentions. 

 The boys, be it stated, were regularly released from the 

 durance of bench and desk every hour for some ten 

 minutes <a commendable system with seven to ten year- 

 olds) during which the courtyard became clamorous as 

 any aviary. During these short intervals of recreation, 

 too short to allow of any settled games, a favourite 

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