VOL. XVII. AUGUST, 1881. No. 116. Vol. XVII.-7. A MIDSUMMER RAMBLE. BY MAURICE M. HOWARD. "DON'T you want to take a ride?" asked a reporter on a city daily, whom I chanced to meet on the shady side of Chestnut street some days ago. "Where to, and for what purpose?" I asked in surprise. "Why, away from these sweltering streetsout among the sweetly-scented clover-fields, and through the breezy rustling woods, where the "Easy now, my dear fellow, easy; that is plenty. Tell me, now, for what purpose?" "I don't know what you mean. Do you want to be paid for going?" he asked. "Most assuredly I do; though not necessarily in cash. Other coin will answer as well. I want the worth of my time. I am tired of going aimlessly about 'studying human nature.' I can study that anywhere, and there is plenty of coun try in the Park for that matter. Yes, I want my price, and it must be a specific one," I retorted. "I am almost inclined to let you drop, old friend," he replied, but the expression of his face indicated the contrary, the hard task lines there dissolving away into a genial look of boyish anticipation as he continued smilingly, and confident of an easy victory, "but I'll buy you up this time, if I do have to give you more than you are worth." "Well, what shall be the price?" I asked. the shoulder, and, whirling me "about face," said: "Here is a car." We were aboard and en route in less time than it takes to tell it. Heaven bless the man who invented the open or summer street-car! Though it was oppressively warm outside the shadow of its roof, the fresh breezes we gathered within as we bowled along West Walnut street, free from dust, with the delightful water airs from the Schuylkill when cross "What say you to seeing scores of maidens coy, ing the Chestnut street bridge, made the ride to all dressed in spotless white ?" "Ah! that is cool and refreshing. What else?" "Why, we shall have a good deal that is poetical, some little that is philosophical, with a modicum of the politico-economical, and as our old friend Polonius might add, 'considerable of the historical, a measure of the original, and much of the quotational.'"' the West Chester depot both pleasant and agreeable. "Just think of it," remarked my friend, "in a few weeks more you can take the Philadelphia and West Chester trains at Fifteenth and Market, and go whirling out to your country home over the elevated road. Won't that be a grand and decided improvement?" "I have solved your riddle," I replied. "It's I thought it would, and so expressed myself. a college commencement. I see it all before me- It is very evident that before long the impetus a fresh and charming scene-proud fathers-fond which rapid transit will give to improvements and mothers-admiring friends-everybody happy, es- settlements along the suburban lines of our railpecially the graduates. I am with you, and ready roads will be marked. There will be springing for the ride." up around every station along these lines a multiMy companion almost instantly caug ht me by tude of little villas and unobtrusive shade-shel laid with a double track of the best steel rails. This is owing to the fact, as we are informed, that a new and liberal policy has been inaugurated by the new management under whose control the road has lately passed. "Do you know of any group of buildings which combine more beauty with commanding effect than those?" asked my friend, pointing to the University buildings on the right, as we passed out from the depot. "I cannot say that I do; yet, when I look at them, their mere beauty is lost upon me, for I look through them, as it were, and find myself pondering over the mighty forces of usefulness that are generated within their walls," I replied. "There you are mistaken," I said. "It is true that the several departments are designed mainly to give that comprehensive and liberal culture, and to secure that mental training and discipline, which was until recent years the sole aim of the best-known American colleges. The methods by which these objects are sought have been enlarged there by the adoption of a carefully arranged elective system, by the introduction of new subjects of study (notably the modern languages), and by giving greater prominence to certain old ones. But especially in all departments of science there has been as much improvement in methods' in the art of instruction as in. other useful arts. New methods have given |