Recollections of My Childhood

When I am sitting all alone,

And I have nought to do,

I often think of the distant past,

And old visions come anew.

I think of dear old Morven,

Where I spent my childhood days;

And old memories come back to me,

In many different ways.

But I’ve quite forgotten the nightly prayer

I said at mother’s knee,

It’s the only thing to my great regret

Which has left my memory.

I remember mother’s kisses well,

As she tucked me in my bed;

How I wish those days would come again,

But they are past and fled.

I remember well the old school-house,

And my first days at school,

Where I received my first instructions,

Mostly from a wooden rule.

Miss Harris was the mistress then,

But her teaching now is done;

For she soon gave up her office;

And she married Teddy Lund.

Miss Annie Brown then took the seat,

Two years she held the mace;

And well she used her wooden rule,

When we failed to keep our place.

Then she resigned and for awhile

She lived retired life,

Then Cart Parrott fell in love with her,

And she became his wife.

Miss Edna File next taught the school

She was a gracious dame,

But she also soon retired,

And Laura Rockwell came.

She too, was good, but did not stay,

She very soon resigned;

Then Olive Salisbury stepped in,

And she was very kind.

And that same year that Olive came,

Thank God, (although I was a fool),

I succeeded in passing the Entrance,

And left the public school.

I remember well the little church,

And the folks who gathered there,

To worship God each Sunday morn,

The priest was A. L. McTear.

And now I see Old Grandma Lloyd,

I remember her right well,

She died about twelve years ago,

Bob Jackson tolled the bell.

I remember Seymour Kellar well,

Eight years ago he died;

Mrs. Kellar, too, has passed away,

And now lies by his side.

And I think of my dear old Grandsire

Who died at eighty-one.

I hoped to see him once again,

But God, “Thy will be done”.

My dear old grandmother still survives,

And lives in Morven town;

I hope she still will be alive,

The next time I go down.

And I remember everything,

And never can forget.

The days I spent in old Morven,

For I have those memories yet.

And though I may be far away

My mind at times I swear.

Will wander back to ol Morven,

And linger for hours there.

- G. H. Ruttan

Toronto