I felt that his little beady black eyes were examining me, but I would not satisfy him by looking up from my plate. What I mean is,' said old Cotter, 'it's bad for children. Let him learn to box his corner. Why, when I was a nipper, every morning of my life I had a cold bath, winter and summer. And that's what stands to me now.
Education is all very fine and large . . .
No, no, not for me,' said old Cotter. It's bad for children,' said old Cotter, 'because their minds are so impressionable. I crammed my mouth with stirabout for fear I might give utterance to my anger. It was late when I fell asleep. Though I was angry with old Cotter for alluding to me as a child, I puzzled my head to extract meaning from his unfinished sentences.