luxury of stage effect. Our simulacrum of a market was ruled by the real

markets outside, so that we might experience the course and vicissitude

of prices. We must keep books, and our ledgers were overhauled at

the month's end by the principal or his assistants. To add a spice

of verisimilitude, "college paper" (like poker chips) had an actual

marketable value. It was bought for each pupil by anxious parents and

guardians at the rate of one cent for the dollar. The same pupil, when

his education was complete, resold, at the same figure, so much as was

left him to the college; and even in the midst of his curriculum, a

successful operator would sometimes realize a proportion of his holding,

and stand a supper on the sly in the neighbouring hamlet. In short,

if there was ever a worse education, it must have been in that academy

where Oliver met Charlie Bates.

When I was first guided into the exchange to have my desk pointed out

by one of the assistant teachers, I was overwhelmed by the clamour and

confusion. Certain blackboards at the other end of the building were

covered with figures continually replaced. As each new set appeared, the

pupils swayed to and fro, and roared out aloud with a formidable and

to me quite meaningless vociferation; leaping at the same time upon

the desks and benches, signalling with arms and heads, and scribbling

briskly in note-books. I thought I had never beheld a scene more

disagreeable; and when I considered that the whole traffic was illusory,

and all the money then upon the market would scarce have sufficed to

buy a pair of skates, I was at first astonished, although not for long.

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