SEMI-CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION 65 



natural patriotism sought in a very stinging manner to defend 

 their home and honey. They inflicted a good many wounds 

 which soon became prominent and remained so for several 

 days. Like all great battles the sad scenes came afterward. 

 While none were killed and only a few wounded as above stated, 

 the after effects of the hearty feast of honey mixed with rotten 

 wood proved very disastrous in its relaxing effects, and sent 

 most of the participants to the hospital. Few wanted any dinner 

 and a less number went to the afternoon classes. 



The principal work of 1858 was clearing the land, especially 

 that cut over the previous winter. Some corn, oats, potatoes, 

 and garden truck were raised and the old apple orchard was set 

 out. The most notable and impressive event of the season was 

 the fever and ague. The plowing and stirring of a hundred 

 acres or more of new land with all its decaying vegetation turned 

 loose an immense amount of miasma. The remark often made, 

 "that it was thick enough to cut with a case knife," had much 

 truth in it. In the latter part of August and fore part of Sep- 

 tember there were 70 out of 100 students unable to attend classes, 

 at least they could come only every other day, as the fever was 

 mainly intermittent. That is, one day the patient felt as well 

 as ever, and the next, never felt worse. The main consolation 

 the sufferer got was the frequent assurance that it was only the 

 ague and nobody ever died from it. Classes were greatly inter- 

 rupted and in some cases suspended for a short time. Many 

 of the students became very impatient at the interruption of 

 classes; some not familiar with fever and ague declared that it 

 was unnecessary, that the boys were just as well as ever part of 

 the time and might get their lessons and not be holding others 

 back. I had a roommate who was of this way of thinking and 

 unwittingly expressed it too freely. As my boyhood home was 

 on the windward side of a mill pond I knew personally of its 

 debilitating effects and still more of it from frequent observa- 

 tions of others, and reminded him it was a more weakening and 



