Reading Memorial High School - Pioneer Yearbook (Reading, MA)

Page 29 text:

THE PIONEER. 31 were tents of the shape of huts, made of skins or leather. “It must take several days to build such a camp as this,” said the Gaul, “I should think it a waste of the soldiers’ strength, and they will need all the energy that they have in a few days, if I am not mistaken.” (Dear me, thought I, 1 hope they arc not going to have a battle !) “You are much mistaken,” replied the Roman, “It takes only about four hours to build such a camp as this, and it is part of our system of discipline to keep the soldiers at work most of the time.” (Perhaps after all, the life of the Roman soldier is more irk¬ some than that of the boy or girl who is obliged to read about him in Ca?sar, thought I.) “You will notice” continued Labienus, “that the part upon the left of this street is one of the great sections of the camp. It is called the praetentura. ” “Who occupies the tents next the wall, and what is the name of this street which divides the praetentura into two parts?” “ The street which forms the divisions, my friend, is the via praetoria. In the tents next the wall are stationed the cohorts of which I told you, about one tenth on each side. In the centre of the division are the horsemen, one fourth on each side, with the archers and slingers, and these tents next the via principalis are occupied by myself and brother legati with the tribuni mililum. Let us enter one of them and I will introduce you to some of your superior officers.” I was left alone. The via praetoria must lead to the centre of the camp,” thought I, I would follow it. Presently I entered a large enclosure, which was evidently in the middle of one of the sections of the camp, for on each side were tents, arranged much like those of the praetentura. In this wide space I saw altars and several large tents, which I thought might be occupied by the commander-in-chief and his aids. But in the hope of finding some one to explain what I saw around me, I retraced my steps, and had proceeded but a short distance, when I came upon my for¬ mer companions. “Yes,” said Labienus, “ this is the mid- camp, the latera praetorii. The tents which you see on your left are those of the cohorts and horsemen. On the right of the camp are similar ones, and in the centre is the praetorium , occupied by the general and his staff. ” We soon entered another road which I learned from my companions was the via quintana, and I saw more tents and another space rather smaller than the former one. “And who is stationed in this section, which I believe you said was the retenturaV asked the Gaul. “I am impatient to see the quarters of my companions. ” “This enclosure is the quaestorium where the quaestor has his quarters, and these tents are occupied by the infantry and auxiliaries. Here we shall find your countrymen. Unless you wish to see the captives which are sta¬ tioned by this gate, we will goto them now.” “But, first, tell me how many gates there are.” “Four, the porta praetoria in front, the porta principalis dextra, and the porta prin¬ cipalis sinistra at the terminations of the via principalis, and this gate here, at the rear, the porta decumana .” With this volley of hard words they left me. Turning to follow them with my eyes, I saw a flag displayed from the praetorium, and in another instant was startled by a loud trumpet blast and the heavy-tread of many feet. I started to run, when — I awoke, somewhat dazed, and with my ears full of confused noises, yet with a vivid picture of a Roman Camp before me. M. E.

Page 28 text:

30 THE PIONEER. But of one thing I am sure that if, when Aunt Jane sets the next date for her arrival, if it he a wash day I shall not take the trouble that I did this time, for even Aunt Jane’s inucndoes and sneers are preferable to such another day as that. A. D. E. A WORD OF ADVICE. “I’m getlin ' old—an’ that’s a fact, It ' s queer how time does fly, A mail don’t quite learn how to live Before he has to die. “But gettin’ old and bein ' old Are two quite different things, An ' any man that’s got good health Aint sighin’ after wings. “So keep your health, good friends, I say, No matter what the cost, The time and money spent that way, You ' ll find is never lost.” A VISIT TO A ROMAN CAMP. (Selected from Class Work.) One morning, the first rays of the sun stealing through my closed blinds, found me seated at a small table, earnestly studying the Ctesar lesson for the day ; the text had been nearly mastered and all the difficult construc¬ tions explained, when, yielding to an irrisist- ible impulse to let my head drop, sleep soon overpowered me. Under the influence of that mysterious power that had closed my eyes, I was transported, in my thoughts, to that part of Gaul and to those scenes of mili¬ tary activity of which I had been reading. I saw before me a smooth hill, on the gently sloping side of which was an exten¬ sive encampment, with its rear on the sum¬ mit and before its front, a portion of the de¬ scent. On its westerly side was a small stream and behind, were woods. The camp, which was rectangular in shape, was well fortitied by a wall or rampart of earth strengthened by logs and bundles of brush extending entirely around it. On the top of the rampart, with wide gaps be¬ tween, were placed pinnacles, and at inter¬ vals, towers of wood. At the foot of the wall was a ditch or fossa, I should judge about nine feet in width and seven in depth, with sloping sides. I recognized before me a Roman camp, the exact counterpart of the one of which I had been studying in the early morning. While looking for an entrance, in the hope of ob¬ taining admission, I heard voices, and pres¬ ently two men came into sight, one of whom as I afterwards found out, was Titus Labi- enus, a legatus of Caesar ; the other I inferred was a Gaul recently enrolled in the service of the Roman army. The two men, speaking in the Latin tongue, were interestedly engaged in conver¬ sation, and, my attention being attracted, I found to my great delight, that I could un¬ derstand what they said. Taking my Ctesar note-book, which was already well-tilled with Latin discourses and the results of my inductive work, I record ed the substance of their remarks which, when translated are something as follows : Labienus was saying, “Yes, this is the favorite position for a Roman camp, on the side of a hill, loco super- iore, where wood and water, both so essen¬ tial to the soldiers, arc near at hand; but suppose we enter now, here by this gate, which we call the porta principalis sinistra.” Accordingly the two went in, I, having received permission, following. When we entered, 1 found myself on a broad street, which 1 afterwards learned was the via prin¬ cipally, whence I could look over the entire camp. Men were mounting the wall by means of steps made of brush. Around the camp and at the foot of the rampart, was a thoroughfare more than a hundred feet wide. On each side of the street on which I stood

Page 30 text:

32 THE PIONEER. A VISIT TO THE SEASHORE. It 1 )eing so warm at home, we determined to go to the seashore for two or three weeks. O Aft er much discussion we decided upon Cape Porpoise, where we had been the summer before. We started early at about eight o’clock in Ihe morning, in order to reach our destination at noon. After a very pleasant ride through country scenes, we stopped at the Langsford House, which was within a few rods of the sea. After partaking of an excellent fish dinner, papa borrowed a friend’s dory and rowed us up Turbet’s Creek to Turbet’s Cove, where he secured his sail-boat which had been stored for the winter, and hired, from Mr. Schmidt, a dory for my use. I must say a word, right here, about Mr. Schmidt. He was a German, having come to New York when a small boy. Here lie married and continued, for several years, his business of keeping a sail-loft. About thirty years ago, the doctor told him if he wanted his wife to live he must leave New York at once. He told him she could not live more than two months there, but if he moved away to some place near the ocean, she might live three years, lie came immediately to Cape Porpoise, and set up in the fish business. His wife is alive now and in perfect health. Papa took the sail-boat in tow and told Mr. Schmidt he would return for the dory on the following day. By the time we had returned to the landing, the tide was out too far to row any more that afternoon. Papa and my brother, having fastened the boats, remained on the float to “ rig up” and clean out the sail-boatj while my mother and I pro¬ ceeded to the piazza to renew old acquain¬ tances and make new ones. At the sound of the supper bell we all hastened to the dining room, very hungry. I After tea we proceeded to the store and post- office combined, where, in true country fash¬ ion, can be bought cloth or groceries, soda or vegetables, boots or chocolate, while waiting for the mail. On our walk back we picked handfuls of lovely wild roses which grew luxuriantly by the roadside. When we reached the house we went di¬ rectly to bed, being fatigued with our day’s journey and exercise. The next morning we decided to spend the day at Trott’s Island, and about half-past eight started out, taking our dinner in two large baskets. My brother, one of my friends and I went in one dory, and three or four girls, in another boat. We first went to the beach on the ocean side of the island and rambled around for awhile. Then we took some tin pails we had brought, and went to the northeast side to gather raspber¬ ries which grew there in abundance. This took up the remainder of the morning, as we worked leisurely. Nothing particular hap¬ pened during this period. When we had picked our pails full, we returned to the beach and ate our dinner on the piazza of a small house built by some college boys. We ate heartily, as the sea-breeze had given us a good appetite. After dinner we gathered some fir-balsam and then sat down at the foot of a great pine tree to read the books we had brought. At about three o’clock we started for the hotel having had a very pleas¬ ant time, and, reaching there, played some games in the parlor. Two or three days later, we spent the morning on Vaughn’s Island picking blueber¬ ries and hunting for “ lucky ” stones on the beach. In the afternoon we went over to the lighthouse and saw some fine surf. Quite often we rambled in the fields near by and searched for wild strawberries which were abundant. Here also the red lily grows in profusion.