The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-10-06
The Two Scholars OF Westminster.

During thc Wars between Charles l. and
tnc Parliament, aud when the cause VI the
latter was triumpbins in every direction over
that Of the roya,ISts, SIR Patrick Newcastle
was one OF the magistrates specially comml,-
stoned to try, a rebels, all prisoners taken
with arms III their hanis. lie was man Of
strict moral character aud undertaking inte.
gritty, based on the only stable foundation,
tue religious principle. y constitution ma
tprally feeble and sichly had not permitted
him TO serve in the army but he powerfully
aided the Parliamentary cause by his great
talent and SQUAD Judgment, aud not only
distinguished by Cromwell with peculiar ia.
vor, but generally respected and esteemed
as the most active, intelligent, and equitable
magistrate in the country.
One evening party of friends were as.
sembled at his house in honor of his birth
day, and Sir Patrick was ga.ly supping
with them and him family, when body Of
soldiers brought in aroyaIiot whom they had
just taken prisoner,
1t was an officer, who after the defeat Of
the Kings troops, was endcavoring to maxi C
his way to the coast, IN the hope of escaping
to France. Sir Patrick ordered him TO be
introduced into the room, and a cover to be
placed for him, courtconsly inviting him to
take his place at the board,
"Ihis is my birth day. he said, "and
must not have its good cheer marred by be-
Ing obliged to enact the part of judge
VIII you, sir, for few hours try aud forget
you are not a voluntary guest"
And it seemed as if the prisoner had
caught up the good knight tone and willing
to play his part, both in the good cheer on
the board and the hilarity around 1t ; for he
addressed himself to his supper with appe-
tte, and to his host and guest with cheer
iul courtesy.
Sir Patrick now resumed the subject from
which he had been diverted by his Interrupt
ton. "As ! was saying, at fifteen | was
such poor, puny creature, that every one
either dcspsed my weakness or took adya E
tage OF it 10 trample upon me At home, |
was exposed to the harshest treatment from
arelative and, between my chool-icllows
and severe master, ! was little better Oft
when went to Westminster school. Cour.
age in child is generally little more than
the consciousness of his own strength, and
my weakness rendered me n coward, SO that
] literally lived in a continual terror of the
brute force that in some form or other, was
perpetually assailing me ! became daily
more sensitive to pain, and that to such a
degree that perhaps not one here could even
conceive. The masters formidable rod had
rod had already twice left me almost without
power t. use my hands and SO terrible was
my recollection Of it, that the mere thought
Of being again exposed to lis chastsemcnt
mad" me trcmble from head to foot
81 tod you vas a pupil at Westminster.
lntg .dOol room the classes were divided
mercy Dy curtain, which We were positive
~ iorbiddcn to touch One very hot Sum
mer S day sleep completely oyerpowcred me
while listening to lecture on some passage
IN Aristotle from one OF the masters and
was quietly doing on the form, when sud
Gen movement in the class awoke me. |
started, and was about to fall forward, when.
to save myself, ] caught at the curtain and
TO my great CONSERVATION, tore it down the
middle.
FOR some moments the teachers and the
boys IN the two classes, now no longer diyi.
ded, stood gazing at each other through the
rent. Suspicion at once fell upon me and
another boy, AS being nearest the curtain
when the mischief was done but my couiu.
-ioi' -.- TOO oS'aootto aiisn nm v doubt as to
the culp'it and was angrily ordered to the
middle OF the room, and desired 10 hold out
my hani ior dozen Saps
staggered forward as Il | were drunk
III "a! rI,eN ,uo KING together and the
o. q. ,.r-i ."rI.n Tr i'm. down mv fro,
T'H." terror so para y2.l NY tongue thlt
SheU / "og., haze begged ipr pullpn.
.f.u.I not
AIDED instrument OF punishment upiiitcd
"nen heard the cry of "hoId do not touch
MN; | cannot let him bear the punish.
mcnt.' The speaker was the lad whose
place III the class was at the other side Of the
curtain. knew not whether the master
was indifferent as TO who the real cu'prit
was, provided he had some one upon whom
to lnilct the exemplary punishment but
certain 1t is, that my deiverer was brought
up and received around dozen.
My first impulse was to own all, and to
arrest the unmerited punish nent; but my
courage failed me, and having once alloacd
the iirst blow TO be given, | was ashamed to
speak. How false that shame was, how
great my moral cowardicc, now see, my
friends, as clearly as you do.
"After bearing bravcly the penalty Of
fan't he had not committed, the generous boy
as he returned TO his place, passed close to
lne, and while my eyes were riveted on his
poor wounded hands, he whispered, with
smile ! shall never forget: "Do not be
caught meddins with the curtain again nv
little man; for can tell you the master hits
hard when provoked"
81 fell on my knees, and sobbed till / was
sent out OF the room. From that time forth
! became so ashamed of my cowardice and
nervous weakness that determined to make
every effort to conquer it; and | trnst, by
the blessing Of God, have at length succce-
dcd."
"And I think you told us" said one Of the
guests, "that you have never seen the noble
and generous boy since,'
Never, am sorry to say. lie was not in
my class, and ] almost Immediately after,
and very suddenly, removed from Wcs,min-
ster. assure you, my friends" continued
Sir Patrick and as he spoke the tears were
in his eyes,-"l assure you, my friends,
would give up much of my fortune to be
permitted to see him once more. | trust |
may yet have this happiness"
At this moment the royast prisoner said:
81 assure you, your memory fails you
for it was not one dozen, but a
good two dozen that the master gave me-
got it on the double allowance for not com.
ing for it at once"
at is quite truc--I remember It wcll,'
said the magistrate. "But can it indeed be
possible that at length behold him whom
have SO much longed to seeY Yes, yes, it
is he; recognize the features; nay, the
voice seems scarcely changed. But in what
position do l behold your In what uni.
form ?"
'ln the uniform Of my king, Sir Patrick,
and in the position prescribed by my duty
as subject and best beiitting a gentleman
and a cavalier. followed my father to the
camp Of Charles; and my father died in his
service. lf n similar fate be mine, it is on
", think, as il ought to be-"
And so saying, the officer resumed the
seat from which he had risen to make him.
self known to his host, and quietly wen, Oh
eating his supper.
During the remainder Of the evening Sir
Patrick was absent and absorbed in |
thought and that night he left the castle