MOUNT PLEASANT BOYS. 39 



compare myself In any other respect to the 

 great apostle, I felt that, like him, I was " sit- 

 ting at the feet of Gamaliel." He seemed 

 to remember the names of all his old pupils 

 and our various characteristics. It was grat- 

 ifying, because I knew he was sincere, to 

 hear him say that, although he was sometimes 

 obliged to punish us, not one of us ever gave 

 him real pain by our demeanor toward him. 

 "You were a pretty good boy, John, though 

 not one of the best," he said ; "you liked play 

 better than study." "You are right, sir," I 

 replied, " and it is as true now as it was then." 

 Enumerating several more, he came to 

 Beecher. 



" Beecher," he said, '* did not study more 

 than you did, but he was a boy that didn't 

 need to study. He had it all in him ready to 

 break out. The only thing to which he gave 

 any attention was elocution. He learned his 

 gestures at Mount Pleasant, and since that 

 time he has acquired matter to fit them. Yes, 

 he was at the head of his clas^ in elocution, 

 and I believe he was at the head of his class 

 in wrestling and foot-ball. I don't remember 

 that he was remarkable for anything else." 



And so the old teacher and the old pupil sat 



