BACKWOODS DEBATING SOCIETY. 327 



hard work. In spite of the bears and bats that I 

 encountered in my dreams, I awoke quite refreshed, 

 and did full justice to the beautiful breakfast of bear- 

 collops, milk, and maize bread. Perhaps the wild out- 

 door life which we had been leading may have lent 

 more charms to the quiet life of this happy home, than 

 under other circumstances I should have been sensible 

 of; but, be that as it may, I shall never forget this 

 amiable family. Old C. and I sat the whole day by 

 the fireside, mending our leggings and moccasins. He 

 was certainly the last man in the world to neglect 

 spinning a yarn when he had a good opportunity, and 

 he told me so many anecdotes, and related so many 

 adventures, that the day passed away only too soon. 



About an hour before sunset, a neighbor came in 

 to inquire whether we would go with him to the 

 debates. " Debates ! " I asked, quite astonished, " what 

 does that mean ? " He seemed still more astonished at 

 my ignorance, and explained that, on every Friday, it 

 was the custom to hold a paeeting at the school-house, 

 about two miles off, to debate on any subject which 

 might be proposed, and in which the scholars took 

 part. The account excited my curiosity still more, and 

 I decided on no account to miss such an opportunity. 

 Old C. had frequented these meetings too often to be 

 induced to leave his comfortable fireside ; but I saddled 

 a horse at once, and was soon at the school. 



Imagine a large smoky building in the midst of a 

 forest, with dark, dusty windows ; a broad, well-worn 

 door-stone ; a heavy iron-bound door ; and rules and 

 regulations pasted up here and there in the room. A 

 number of horses, fastened to the surrounding trees, 



