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DREAMDAYS1DREAMDAYSBYKENNETHGRAHAMEDREAMDAYS2THETWENTY-FIRSTOFOCTOBERInthematterofgeneralcultureandattainments,weyoungstersstoodonprettylevelground.True,itwasalwayshappeningthatoneofuswouldbesingledoutatanymoment,freakishly,andwithoutregardtohisownpreferences,towrestlewiththeinflectionsofsomeidioticlanguagelongrightlydead;whileanother,fromsomefanciedartistictendencywhichalwaysfailedtojustifyitself,mightbetoldoffwithoutwarningtohammeroutscalesandexercises,andtobedewthesenselesskeyswithtearsofwearinessorofrevolt.Butinsubjectscommontoeithersex,andheldtobenecessaryevenforhimwhoseambitionsoarednohigherthantocrackawhipinacircus-ring--ingeography,forinstance,arithmetic,orthewearydoingsofkingsandqueens--eachwouldhavescornedtoexcel.And,indeed,whateverourindividualgifts,ageneraldoggeddeterminationtoshirkandtoevadekeptusallatmuchthesamedeadlevel,--alevelofignorancetemperedbyinsubordination.Fortunatelythereexistedawiderangeofsubjects,ofhealthiertonethanthosealreadyenumerated,inwhichwewerefreetochooseforourselves,andwhichwewouldhavescornedtoconsidereducation;andinthesewefreelyfollowedeachhisownparticularline,oftenattaininganamountofspecialknowledgewhichstruckourignoranteldersassimplyuncanny.ForEdward,theuniforms,accoutrements,colours,andmottoesoftheregimentscomposingtheBritishArmyhadaspecialglamour.Inthematteroffacingshewassimplyfaultless;amongchevrons,badges,medals,andstars,hemovedfamiliarly;heevenknewthenamesofmostofthecolonelsincommand;andhewouldsquandersunnyhoursproneonthelawn,heedlessofchallengefrombirdorbeast,poringoveratatteredArmyList.Myownaccomplishmentwasofanothercharacter--took,asitseemedtome,awiderandamoreuntrammelledrange.DragoonsmighthaveswaggeredinLincolngreen,riflemenmighthavedonnedsporransovertartantrews,withoutexcitingnoticeorcommentfromme.DREAMDAYS3ButdidyouseekpreciseinformationastothefaunaoftheAmericancontinent,thenyouhadcometotherightshop.Whereandwhythebisonwallowed;howbeaverweretobetrappedandwildturkeysstalked;thegrizzlyandhowtohandlehim,andtheprettypressingwaysoftheconstrictor,--infine,thehauntsandthehabitsofallthatburrowed,strutted,roared,orwriggledbetweentheAtlanticandthePacific,--allthisknowledgeItookformyprovince.Bytheothersmyequipmentwasfullyrecognized.Supposingabookwithabear-huntinitmadeitswayintothehouse,andtheatmospherewaselectricwithexcitement;still,itwasnecessarythatIshouldfirstdecidewhethertheslothadbeenproperlydescribedandproperlyfollowedup,eretheworkcouldbestampedwithfullapproval.Awritermighthavewonfamethroughoutthecivilizedglobeforhistrappersandhisrealisticbackwoods,andallwentfornothing.IfhispemmicanwerenotproperlycompoundedIdamnedhisachievement,anditwasheardnomoreof.Haroldwashardlyoldenoughtopossessaspecialsubjectofhisown.Hehadhisinstincts,indeed,andatbird's-nestingtheyalmostamountedtoprophecy.Whereweothersonlysuspectedeggs,surmisedpossibleeggs,hinteddoubtfullyateggsintheneighbourhood,Haroldwentstraightfortherightbush,bough,orholeasifhecarriedadivining-rod.Butthisfacultybelongedtotheclassofmeregifts,andwasnottoberankedwithEdward'sloreregardingfacings,andmineastothehabitsofprairie-dogs,bothgainedbypainfulstudyandextensivetravelinthoserealmsofgold,theArmyListandBallantyne.Selina'ssubject,quiteunaccountably,happenedtobenavalhistory.Thereisnolayingdownrulesastosubjects;youjustpossessthem--orrather,theypossessyou--andtheirgenesisorprotoplasmisrarelytobetrackeddown.Selinahadneversomuchasseenthesea;butforthatmatterneitherhadIeversetfootontheAmericancontinent,theby-waysofwhichIknewsointimately.AndjustasI,ifsetdownwithoutwarninginthemiddleoftheRockyMountains,wouldhavebeenperfectlyathome,soSelina,ifageniehaddroppedhersuddenlyonPortsmouthHard,couldhavegivenpointstomostofitsfrequenters.FromthedaysofBlakedowntothedeathofNelson(shenevercondescendedfurther)SelinahadDREAMDAYS4takenspiritualpartineverynotableengagementoftheBritishNavy;andeveninthedarkdayswhenshehadtopickupskirtsandflee,chasedbyanungallantDeRuyterorVanTromp,shewasyetcheerfulintheconsciousnessthaterelongshewouldbegleefullyhammeringthefleetsoftheworld,intheglorioustimestofollow.Whenthatgoldenperiodarrived,Selinawasbusyindeed;and,whilelovingbesttostandwherethesplinterswereflyingthethickest.shewasalsoacarefulandcriticalstudentofseamanshipandofmanoeuvre.Sheknewtheorderinwhichthegreatline-of-battleshipsmovedintoaction,thevesselstheyrespectivelyengaged,themomentwheneachletgoitsanchor,andwhichofthemhadaspringonitscable(whilenotunderstandingthephrase,shecarefullynotedthefact);andshehabituallywentintoanengagementonthequarter-deckofthegallantshipthatreserveditsfirethelongest.AtthetimeofSelina'sweirdseizureIwasunfortunatelyawayfromhome,onaloathsomevisittoanaunt;andmyaccountisthereforefeeblycompoundedfromhearsay.ItwasanabsenceIneverceasedtoregret--scoringitup,withasenseofinjury,againsttheaunt.Therewasasplendiduselessnessaboutthewholeperformancethatspeciallyappealedtomyartisticsense.ThatitshouldhavebeenSelina,too,whoshouldbreakoutthisway--Selina,whohadjustbecomearegularsubscribertotheYoungLadies'Journal,andwhoallowedherselftobetakenouttostrangete