3 - Spring 1904

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divinity that shapes their ends.

As possessed to no degree of Mr. Cornish's confidence, I will just hint that there may have been a private reason for his manful persistence so long and so successfully in an uncongenial occupation and an equally intimate occasion for his sudden change of life. Every man has his romance let alone one whose nature is deeeply suffused with poetic sensibility And Mr. Cornish sometimes tells particularly of rising with the sun at Beauharnois to take boat out upon the St. Lawrence and see the magic unrolling of the morning mists from the surface of the great river. But for whatever immediate cause, David suddenly resigned his position in Quebec, left dear associations far behind and appeared at Huron College.

Last edit almost 2 years ago by Carolebar
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Here his bent toward psalmody can be leisurely indulged, his literary appetite finds food in Moses, Sheridan, Browning, the Strand Magazine (when the ladies haven't it out) and the Blue Jay; while his argumentative rage plunges him into joyous discussions about a man on a bicycle, a squirrel going round a tree or the crimes of Ross and Whitney. It is beautiful to see David handle a whole tableful of snarling opponents on a political question without losing his temper over their sophistries. He pities and not hates he is merciful.

In his first year or so at college, David did not amount to much. Even his pole vault in those days was not over eight feet. At his books he was assiduous but proportionately unsuccessful. The

Last edit almost 2 years ago by Carolebar
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ungenerous soil of his memory clogged with the stumps and roots of the old dry goods plantation did not respond adequately to cultivation, however fierce and unremitting. Algebra racked him, coughs and Euclid attacked him a grim professor hacked him, French Prose nearly cracked him. But David held on trusting that his genius for argument would yet clear away Euclid, that French Prose would also explain iteself if he stayed with it that Algebra might be conquered by hook or by prayer, by crook or entreaty or perhaps just turn out after all to be only a bad dream, too bad to be true. As to Latin, well the less said about that the better: least said, soonest mended. It was a nasty spectre at first, with a full accoutrement of blood-sweat, rattling irons and hollow groans. From all these plague-spots, David's only

Last edit almost 2 years ago by Carolebar
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refuge was to Shakespeare and the Psalms. (Sometimes it is true, he thought of trying the [Esler?] system on the grim Professor.)

Time rolled on and mountains lowered in to hills. Last fall David felt secure enough to accept the Presidency of the Literary Society. He looks well on the platform and otherwise also has done much the the society. The recent success with the play was due largely to his painstaking and intelligent rendering of the hero! lover's part. Ladies were breathless, lunatics yelled their feelings, as Absolute and Lydia made love or made up. Oh wise, smooth psalmist, how you would have married the niece of the old gentle man took the aunt or the aunt indeed if he would have the niece! How two-faced courtly you could be to the old

Last edit over 1 year ago by jessicafrederick
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[harridan?] very tender and very profane all the while! And now, David, let us not further anticipate the past; but taking one hurried glance into the future, let us all crawl down into our cyclone-cellars of work, for, there looms a funnel-shaped cloud, as yet no larger than an examiner's hand, which will destroy you and me with a fury if we do not prepare our shelter. Keep your lamp trimmed, David, and may you and other true slaves of the lamp receive your reward in due measure.

[drawn line]

Why is a washerwoman like a good preacher? Cause she is always bringing things home to you that you never saw before. [drawn line]

Last edit almost 2 years ago by Carolebar
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