Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1873-01-10
THE WORLD OF NUMBERS.

THE WORLD OF NUMBERS.
4 IL a bad boy could have been q posi-
bility in such model village as Hayling-
ton, Tommy Spratt would have been that
boy; but, as it was, overawed by the
vicar, the wears wife, the wears three
strong minded daughters, the schoolmas.
ter, the schoolmistress, and the six pupil
teachers, the natural wickedness of his
disposition only displayed itself in an in
tense hatred of study, especially of that
division of tho "three RS" known as
arithmetic.
"I hate fggers, I do; / wish they was
blewed," soliloquized that hardened
youth of ten, as one arithmetic afternoon
he set eff foI school. AS support for the
outer man during the fatiguing journey,
he carried in his right hand sodden
piece of gingerbread, while with the other
he restrained by a string a half-penny
air bail, colored orange, destined to be-
guile the tedious hours.
Tommy Spratt left his home with no
other intention than that of going straight
TO school; but Tommy Spratt was mortal,
and as onehot, dusty lane led to the school
room, where a grimy slate and scrapy
pencil awaited him, while the other me-
andered through green fields, he did not
even neSltdl6, DuJ luIutu at OhOO lhlO
the shady paths of temptation.
He cast himself on the grass, and pre-
pared TO take an invigorating taste of the
delicious though crumbly refreshments
he had provided, having first carefully Sc
cured mis- air ball to the leathern belt,
which, fastened by brszen buckle in the
shape of an uncoiled dragon, gathered his
Holland blouse into graceful folds. Now,
whether Master Tommy's dereliction
from the paths of virtue rendered him no
longer amenable to the laws of gravity,
or whether the air.ball was endowed
with supernatural powers, it is impossl-
BILE to say: all that this veracious chroni-
Gle can tell is, that instead OF Tommy
keeping the miniature balloon down on
earth, it, like Mr.. Dryden's Timotheus,
"Raised mortal to the skies"
"Hulop he cried in alarm. 81 don't
like this. Let me 60"
"But by degrees he grew accustomed
to the sensation, and rather enjoyed it
than otherwise; it was so pleasant, it
soothed him to slumber, a slumber from
which he was aroused by violent con-
cussion of his head against corner curb
stone.
How long he lay in state of semi-in-
sensibility he never knew; but at last he
struggled and sat upright, finding him
self, the air.ball still attached to his belt,
in a crowd of odd-looking creatures.
They all Of them varied in size, but they
were as a rule below the stature of human
beings, the most remarkable thing about
them being that every one, like the sand
wich men of London, carried board on
which was inscribed every description of
number,
When they saw Tom open his eyes,
there was one universal question: "Who
divides him?"
y "Ohl please don't" said Tommy, in
mortal dread. ~ ant at all good TO eat,
but this here is" rendering them the re-
mains of the gingerbread, which had been
reduced to a shapeless mass during the
perils of his journey.
No one seemed to take any notice of
Master Spratt's suggestion, but one stout
old man bearing the number 441 asked
with dignity;
Are You even or uneven"
Tom scratched his head, unable to re.
q ply, and second broke in with:
whats your numberS"
-"16," replied Tom, readily, that being
the numberin Balaclava cottages, Victoria
row, where Mrs Spratt had lately taken
up her humble abode.
"That you ain't," cried an indignant
voice. and a short, fussy gentleman burst
from the crowd, and pointed to the lie.
eend 16 inscribed upon his board. Here,
3, 81"
In obedience to his call, three numbers
bowed humbly before him.
"Chastise that fellowr'
That's mean, "blVbbered Tom. "Thre6
upon onel Yer ought to be ashamed OF
Yerselves, yer ought. Give me a hand
mp, one of yer"
The cry again arose: "Who divides
ysuH" and the first stout man added, with
some contempt:
II 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 begar
promptly: "3, depart and seek for /, >
when the hurried entrance of new
conner rendered the dispatch of the mes
senger unnecessary.
He was jaded, harrassed boy, whose
countenance might have been pretty, bu
for certain strained look of attention
His whole body appeared worn out will
fatigue, as he feebly gasped;
where's 81 I've been all over thu
town looking for you, s." he added, re
proachfully, as the other drew near. '"Tht
y
immediately started of at a rapit
pace, while 16 said:
Come, look alive help that youngstel
out of the gutter"
l meekly obeyed; but when he eaugh
better view Of Toms figure, he answer
ed, Indignantly:
''He hasn't got number. don't Sc,
why I should wait on him any more thar
the others"
''But, my dear l." murmured 8, in
tone of cutting contempt, "you know
you divide everything"
And so saying, the crowd moved on
16 having first ordered 2, 4 and TO Gu
away the air.ball from Tommy's waist
At any other time Master Spratt woul
have bewailed the loss, but that momen
1t passed unnoticed as he was intent up
on his new companion, who inquired o
8 what he was to do with this WRRun
6ered boy, the adjective being uttere,
with as much contempt as an inhabitan
OF this world would throw into the tern
unlsttered.
"Take him TO the king to be regis
tered" retorted 8, and flew off to answe
a hasty summons from "a.
"What place is thisY" asked Tommy
,noakiv