The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1869-07-23

THE scHoo1MAsTER OF BoNcHuRcH.

Bonchurch, in the Isle of Wight, is a
picturesque village on the upper cliffs of
Ventnor. Here, some years SINCE lived o
poor schoolmaster, who rented q cottage
OF two rooms for dwelling, and barn for
the school. He was self-educated in the
common elements of knowledge, and had
made the human heart his study; and it
was his delight not merely to teach the
mechanical parts of reading, writing and
arithmetic, but also to influence the moral
and intellectual powers of his children, and
to strengthen, elevate and purify them
In this aim he had but one text book-the
Gospel of the Great Teacher; and in this
he learned one lesson in especial-that at
is good to seek to save that which is lost"
Like all of his order the master, in his
school, had to contend with boys who
could not learn, and boys who would not
But the boy who gave him the most trou-
BILE could and did learn; only he was so
intractable in his general conduct, and
such an imp of mischief that it was a
ceaseless perplexity with the good master
what ought to be done with him. The
master had no worldly motive for reclaim
ing so difficult charge since he gained
not a penny by it; but he felt Christian
yearning toward the lad, who was an Or
phan, and was not without promise of bet
ter things.
"Harry, Harry, look in my face, sir !''--
exclaimed the master, one day, in his very
sternest tones.
Harry lifted up his bold, handsome, and
always dirty face, surrounded by tangled
mesh of dark, curling hair, and made a
comic grimace; but when his bright eye
met that of his master, he glanced aside, as
if something panied him.
Harry Bonner, you were last night
stealing neighbor Watson's apples"
"Was l, masterg"
city excited sudden laughter in the school,
and the frown Of the master could scarcely
check it.
eyes, you were, sir; and I tell you, Har-
ry," said the master solemnly, eff you go
on in this way you will come to some sad
end"
II hope not, master"
A stout leathern strap was produced
"Hold out your hand" said the master.
"No, thank you, sir"
"Hold out your hand"
"Rather not, if it's all the same to you,
sir"
81 insist"
The hand was held out very firmly, Har-
ry winking hard; the strap descended and,
then, with an affected howl, ending in the
laugh of a young savage, the culprit went
back to his form, only to plan new often
ces.
II feel this is not the way to reclaim
that boy" said the master, after school
hours, to his sister, an invalid dependent
on him, who sat all day in an easy chair,
generally employed in knitting dappled-
gray worsted stockings; '.yet what else
am to do with him. he is excessively
hardened, full of courage and cunning;
never met with boy SO precociously
wicked everybody prophesies evil of his
future life. He deies restraint. In any
quarrel all the boys fear him; but he fears
no one. He invents wild fun enough for
all the mischievous boys in England. He
has robbed every orchard within ten miles;
and, really, often fancy he does it out OF
mere love of adventure and peril"
"Your strap will do him no good" said
the sister, quietly.
"What then will 2"
Patient kindness, and instruction, and
time" e
"Why, does he not know that / have al
most paid his uncle, the blacksmith, to let
him come to school that send him veg
etables out of my garden, every now and
then, to keep him in good humorG"
Harry knows you are his only true
friend, and thinks more of one gentle word
from you than of all your blows with your
strap. He has far too much of violent
usage at home" egr
"That is true; you are right"
One afternoon, Harry Bonner left his seat
at the head of the high form, flung his
book aside, and planted himself at the
window; whence he enjoyed view of the
sea, and of man-of-war that had APP
preached near the shore, in order as Harry
had heard 1t rumored, that its crew of sea-
men for the French war might berecruited
by forcibly impressing men along the coast
Harry was engaged in easy contempla.