Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1873-01-02

Tom scratched his head, unable to re
ply, and second broke in with:
"What's your number 2"
"16," replied Tom, readily, that beine
the number in Balaclava cottages, Vic
toria row, where Mrs. Spratt had lately
taken up her humble abode.
"That you amt" cried an indignant
voice; and short, fussy gentleman
burst from the crowd, and pointed tc
the legend 16 inscribed upon his board
Here, 2, 4, 81"
In obedience to his call, three mum.
bers bowed humbly before him.
"Chastise that fellow r'
"That's mean," blubbered Tom.
"Three upon oneI Yer ought to be
ashamed of yerselves, yer ought. Give
me hand up, one of yer"
The cry again arose: "Who divides
your" and the first stout man added,
with some contempt:
81 must. 2, run and fetch l."
Fetch him YOURSELF" retorted 2. ~
don't divide you"
AL cast an anxious glance around
then, catching sight of 3, he began
when the hurried entrance of a new
conner rendered the dispatch of the mes
senger unnecessary.
He was a jaded, harassed boy, whose
countenance might have been pretty
but for certain strained look of atten.
ton. His whole body appeared worn
out with fatigue as he feebly gasped.
Where's 5? I've been all over the
town looking for you, S." he added, re-
proachfully, as the other drew near.
The army want you to black their
boots"
Immediately started off at rapid
pace, while 16 said:
"Come, look aliveI help that young
ster out of the gutter"
l meekly obeyed but when he caught
better view of Toms figure, he an
swered, Indignantly
"He hasn't got a number. don't
see why should wait on him any more
than the Others"
"But, my dear l." murmured 8, in a
tone of cutting contempt, "you know
you divide everything"
And so saying the crowd moved on,
16 having first ordered 2, 4 and s to
cut away the air.ball from Tommy's
waist.
At any other time Master Spratt
would have bewailed the loss, but that
moment it passed unnoticed, as he was
intent upon his new comp nion, who
inquired of what he was to do with
this ,rrnum6ered boy, the adjective being
uttered with as much contempt as an
inhabitant of this world would throw
into the term lnLettered.
"Take him to the king to be regis
tered" retorted s, and flew off to answer
a hasty summons from "a.
"What place is this 2" asked Tommy,
meekly.
Multiplication lane, and that's Rule
of-Three market" returned his COM
panion. "But come, now, what is your
number?"
Tommy felt ashamed to confess he
didn't know; he thought he'd like to
be No. l.
"Don't you p' replied the other, mis-
anthropically. "1'm l."
"Can't there be another 2"
"I wish there could,' retorted his
friend.
Tommy ventured to ask, " Why2"
because it'd d vide the work, but
nothing can't divide l..
"But what is all this about division ?'
inquired Tom, whose escape from the
afternoon lesson had led him into far
wider field of figures.
Why, don't you know that every
figure may order about those that divide
it? They're his slaves. 2, 4, and 8
have to wait on Is, and 16 has to wait
on 80, and they all have to wait on 81.
Some of them may have many servants,
some have but few, but they all have
me-"
There was a world of pathos in his
tone.
"Of course" said Tom, 81 divides
everything"
Yes, everything, even 2 and 8; and
they're the hardest masters of all; they've
0fr To 10 hr1f ch
most of it on to me. But here we are
at arithmetical progression"
What's that?' asked Master Spratt.
"The kings palace, of course. Stop
q moment, though" And l drew re-
spectfully back, as an elderly gentleman
with a large board, on which was in
scribed 482964, stopped up the doorway.
"Where are you going, l, the indiVis-
ible?"
l grew red at the taunt; his weak
point was his indivisibility.
Il am going, many-fgured 482964,
to the king, and bear with me the un-
numbered boy"
4S2o64 drew back his skirts to let
them pass, and the boys hurried on
through a long line of soldiers who,
tiples of 5. On his requesting an ex-
DldndllOu VI t11153 6eblO.
They're the army all the SIS are
soldiers, and all the rs are sailors. and
where the two meet, as IN 81 or 1O5,
they serve as marines on alternate
days."
hOhl" said Tommy, and the matter
dropped.
They passed on through the outer
courts into an inner chambe:, where a
large and merry party were assembled.
In one corner a group of princesses, the
very lowest of whom was at least mil
lion, were playing at "buzz," with such
rapidity and precision that Tommy's IS
head swan with the effort of following G
them. In another portion of the room
little princess (whose number termi-
mated in five noughts, such being the
royal prerogative) was doing her sums
by means of her fathers subjects, who
stood on one another's heads, and
whirled in and out in a manner incom.
preheneible to ordinary mortals, accus.
toned to the comparatively tame use of
slate and pencil.
The king reclined upon couch, dedi
eating a new novel, entitled "Comic
Sections" to four secretaries at once.
Whence comes this Lumberless
! creature? And /, too l, how darest
thou intrude within the groves OF, arith,
1 nyg