. IC-NRLF 27 77b 0noru Blorm. ROBERT UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA C. P. HUNTINGTON <?? 6 G^A THE SNOW STORM. BY ESTHER M. BOURNE. SAN FRANCISCO: AGXEW & DBPFEBAC1I, PUBLISHERS AND PRINTERS, 125 RANSOME STKKKT. 1857. APOLOGY or reason for presenting to the public the following series of Poetic Pictures by My Daughter, is unnecessary ; yet I deem it proper to state that I do so First As a Tribute, however trivial, to Her Genius. Next Because it is a graceful and graphic reminiscence of scenes and incidents familiar and dear to the memories of the youthful days of the men and women of California, who claim for their own, their native land, the northern country, where fruitful summers and healthful labors are followed by stern winters, with their long evenings, cheerful firesides, pleasant recreation, mental improvement, and scenes such as are described in the Poem, which they will not only appreciate and admire, but thank me for. Lastly though not least That I may express some sentiments in rela tion to a subject of deep import to the rising generation, if not to that which is now " upon the stage of action, - and give them a more per manent position than through the ordinary channels of the Press. Almost every man and woman has a vivid recollection of the terrors of school days ; of the acts of injustice, tyranny and cruelty inflicted by their teachers. I certainly have. Very deficient from birth in number, acquisitiveness and secretive- ness, (so styled by the phrenologists,) in my childish days arithmetic was so profound a mystery that I could scarcely comprehend that " two and two make four ;" yet I was required to perform the same " sums " as those who, from their different mental conformation, delighted in figures. It being impossible to comply, I was " cut " and " threshed " with hickory or other rods, until my flesh would not only be much bruised but also " raw." At last, to obviate such suffering, I yielded to the teachings of those boys who compassionated me, and commenced a game of deceit by hiring and begging the doing of my " sums " by those who were competent. If un fortunately they committed an error, I paid the penalty by receiving a " good threshing." Thus the brute of a teacher forced me to learn and practice fraud and deception, against which my small sccretivcness and I V large r : " lied. In reading and >p -lling I alvrays 1 -d my ela~-. y.-t f.ir my natural d"!iciency in ligur- - I v. a- eru"lly. murd Toii-ly. i inak-- " the idle liitl" rascal DJ] -in-. that other< \\u<i c\ pli. T -d well w r- alway- U-ing "tin .. so indelible an inn p >:i my m;:id of .-oiii" great \\ : iiTe. that 0:1 arriving at manhood I d"t -rm : :i. d that m child of mim- >lii)iil-l \<-r i-nti-r school i i ; ^!i<.raiu in-" iuir>in-l. Ala-: to Ihia -liy it rniuiris n-arly t!i-- MOM : and h. !. i;i San Fran- cieco too. ;xino:i^ le upon t-arth." (!) we have tin- ui -la: cli.ilv -p cta-l of ; h -forc t!i.- PnTc. Court : ,i- arly pulling oT t!i -ar of a littl- </\\-\ : another lor cnirlly and brutally U 00 .1 1)(> y until his Imck \va> mad -raw." \v .th other i-nu ltii -. tip as to call impvrativ. ly forPoliee , . n: , , - pr- vail alm<i>t uuivrrsally throu-h.nt all r:vil;/ d e<NUitlie& Tin- in" (unworthy th i fault. Teachers, .1 for their p ruliar litm-ss, quitr coininonly arc ji.ilitiral J a-vor .i.-.- or r-lativr.- of iullurntial \>- -r.-tn-. PenpU \\lio arc fit for nothin.LT. a:id win) do nothing. oft;-n take ii])on tin in- -h -^ or arc ajn po;nt"d to t!: r --]io:i-;i)l-- oilif.- of t.-ach -r for - a livelihood. \"rry l r>-- (jn -ntly. in fact \-TV -"ii -rally. tli-y a: hf.-ju-j.Hrf. who Lriu.^ all !!!> irritalrTiy and .-nil rii. -chool room, and vent their sple- - upon their unfortiiMai j;i|;U. K M . ih ina e- l. adier is IWAJI ad-Trtnlto t .i.- M-- of filthy tol.acco. either in smoking, ehewi;: .1 aN<> is oh;io\;oii - to the cliar.LT" of tl.-ili.^ illto\i- catini; liquors, all ]indurtiv.- I.TMHI- irritability and ]>liy-ieal and iivntal unlitn ---: add-d to \vhieh. the more MTiOQI run-id- -ration of ih.< evil moral elf.-et of nieh exainpl" upon the minds of the children com- m H d to 1 Viewing the .I ud- "H-IIO..I >y-t in" and its inculcators and exponents in tin- light in whk-h I view t!i TH a- a \\hole. it will not surprise the reader \vh"n I remark that the author of the followin- To- in \va- n. v.r permitted to alt-lid -ehool until well advam-il in IMT t.-.-n-*." and but a slmrt pe- 3b tin-si had att-nd. d but a few we.-k< \\li--n ill-.-- mim-TiHi" aets of. injustice so commonly ii-r|i"tratel in tin- room was infliet-d ii].on h-r : ami though tin- wrong was privately . it \\a- not and would not be a< publiely ;itin -d for a- eommitt.-d. withdrawn from -eiiool. [-chool-. tlc n fore. ai - not the ull-i---ntial of education.] and to th-- r,-m nibrancc of that occurrence my own experience as well as the recent outrages committed in San Francisco, is this indignant statement of my views, and this PUBLIC PRO TEST against the almost worthless school system of the past and present, to be attributed. Our youth demand better teachers and a better system of education they must have them. They will have them when teachers are Phreiio- logically selected for their fitness ; and for a " school system" they have a Phrenological basis, with PHRENOLOGICAL SCHOOLS schools in which their MINDS AND BODIES WILL BE EDUCATED IN ACCORD WITH THEIR NEED schools wherein the great and profound truths of Nature will be the rudi- mental and fundamental of all their teachings, and effective incentives, etc., be substituted for humiliating, debasing and brutalizing punishment. Then school days will indeed be the hylcyon period of life, ever to be fondly reverted to in all after years. YOUNG AMERICANS ! Inform yourselves in relation to their importance, and then unite in an unceasing demand for PHRENOLOGICAL SCHOOLS, and if YOU cannot have them, at least RESOLVE THAT TOUR CHILDREN SHALL. The moral which may be drawn from my own experience is a sufficient warrant for its presentation to the public, and will, I trust, have its due influence upon those whose retrospect is confirmatory of the truthfulness of the picture which I have drawn ; and if it be the means of arousing- only one intelligent and influential mind to the merit of a due investiga tion of such a " SYSTEM " as PHRENOLOGY would inaugurate, the object which I have in view will be accomplished. I wish to know that the brutality of flogging is abolished in schools as well as in the public service of the United States and our merchant ma rine ; and that the MINDS and BODIES of CHILDREN are to be SCIENTIFICAL LY, HAPPILY and DULY DEVELOPED. I wish also to be distinctly understood as recognizing the fact that there are teachers who are not brutal and tyrannical ; who are not ad dicted to the odious habits of using tobacco and liquors ; and that there are those who do not suffer from the curse of ill health ; and that there may also be many who disapprove of the wretched " system " by which they are governed and compelled to act but I sincerely believe they form the exceptions. The illustrations are Californian. To Mr. NAHL, the artist, I am chiefly indebted for the drawings ; to Mr. DURBIN YAN VLECK, a genuine young American, for their clever cutting. G. M. BOURNE. % SAN FRANCISCO, NOVEMBER, 1857. / THE S3STOW STOPiM. The beauteous snow has come at last. Athwart the sky In feath ry flakes, tis falling fast ; They fly! they fly! In quaint, fantastic shapes tis cast. On all that s nigh. All o er the bleak and wide expanse, A mantle white Is thrown. Far as the eye can glance, Most dazzling sight, The snow-wreaths in their merry dance, "Wear robes of light! THE SHOW STORM. O er meadow, orcluml. 1 n-ld and plain. I !<>\v <\vift they go! Ka<-!i post ami rail along tlie lane The gt&M tufts low lu vestments white arc wrapp d airain. With .-now, with snow. And now it whirls in mimic war Along the hedge ; In eddying gusts, tis flying far, Across its edge ; Its glist ning white there a nought to mar, On the low sedge. THE SNOW STORM. Along the road how deep its fall ; There 7 s not a sound ; In silence weird, unbroken all. It lays : no ground Is seen ; no noise ; the snow-birds, small, Look sadly round. With snow it all is cover d o er ; The flakes, pure white, Are gently falling, more and more, So soft and bright. The children at the cottage door Shout witli delight! THE SNOW STORM. Til.- sums- N fulling soft and Upon the ground ; Its curls upon the trees are 6*8*1 Low drooping round. .l;i -k Frost, with mairic chain, at last. The earth has bound. Ath\vart the road a snow-drift high Is swell iiiir yet ; Now let the fragile sleigh draw ni-h. It will up-set : Out falls tin- LiToup. who. warm and dry Get cold and wet. THE SNOW STORM. The boys are coining home from school The snow-balls fly 7 Mid laughter loud no care, no rule Now low, now high. Midst merry shouts, with hands so cold, Some laugh, some cry. They soon will grasp the snow, and mould A quaint Snow-Man ; An image strange, with air so bold, They Ve quick began ; And when his head is nicely rolFd, Upright he 11 stand! (76 6 THE SNOW STORM. And then lie a done ; a curious eight To Southron eye. Their sleds they Vc brought, and with delight, "Let s home," they cry. The snow storm now has reach d its height, And evening s nigh. The winds sweep low with gentle moan, O er meadows wide Round hill-side bleak : in forest lone They seem to hide. The drifted snow is lightly blown From side to side. THE SNOW STORM. f OP T] | UNIVEJ Vek ^p The snow has ceas d ; it falls no more The wintry air Is blowing cold ; the cottage door Is shut with care. The moon her light is pouring o er The landscape fair. To deck the earth, the Elves have task d Their fancies bright ; It seems as if it all had bask d In silv ry light! Each tree and vine they Vc surely mask d In garments white. THE SNOW STORM. Advrnt miis youth prepares the sleigh; The fiery Rftet I Impatient stands. Away! away With liirhtniiur spoed They soon will irlide, mid laughter piy- One takes the lead! The silv ry bells, with pleasant sound. Are jingling glad ; The dainty horse thoy clasp around In music clad Kxcitcd l.y them, o er the ground He flies! like mad. THE SNOW STORM. While merry jests, from rosy lips, Come quick and low, The Frost-King, with cold fingers, nips Their noses, oh ! In joyous sport they crack their whips. And course the snow. On, on they race, and gaily cry, "We 11 soon be there!" And sparkles bright each girlish eye They Vo not a care While whisper d words and kisses sly Float on the air. 10 THE SNOW STORM. The pleasant evening now has pass d, And home they go : O er road and lane they re driving i u-t- How crisp the snow ! And wearied eyes are closed at last In sleep? Oh, no! The moonlight soft is falling o er The earth below ; A holy sight, as if to lure Man s thoughts from woe ; So gentle, and so pure, it lays Upon the snow. or - TTTST TTT TT/R CTTT 600 NON-CIRCULATING BOOK , , UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY