Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-01-11
The World of Numbers.
lFrom Hoods London Comic, Annual.

SpfSU NDhiu nave bctn tnat boy, nut 4
Overswed By the Vicar, the Wears wife, tho
Wears three strong minded daughters, the
schoolmsster, the schoolmistress, and the six
pupil teachers, the natural wickedness of his
disposition only displayed itself in an intense
hatred of study, especially Of that division of
the q RS" known as 'rithmetic.
bowed" -oiloaui.ed mat hardened ' Youth ~S Of
ten, N one arithmetic afternoon he set of for
school; support for the outer man during the
sodden piece of gingerbread, while with the
other he restrained by a string half penny air
ball. eolOTed orange, destined to beguile the
Tommy Spratt left his home with no other in
teati0n than that of going straight to school;
but Tommy Spratt was mortal, and when he
csme t. v here the road divided, and one hot,
dusty lane led to the school room where a grimy
slate and scrapy pencil awaited him, while the
othe. meandered through green fields, he did
not even hesitate, but tur ned at once into the
shady paths Of temptation u
He cast himself on the grass, and prepared to
take an migrating taste Of the delicious
having first carefully secured bis air-baIl to the
leatheTn belt which, taste ned by bra zen buckle
in the shape Of an uncoiline dragon, gathered
his holland blouse into graceful folds. Now,
whether Master Tommy's dsreliction from the
paths OF virtue rendered him no longer amen
able TO the laws Of gravity, or whether the air
bah was endowed with supernatural powers, il
Is impossible to say; all this verac0us chronicle
can tell is, that instead of Tommy keeping
the miniature balloon down on Garth, it, like
Nr. Dry den's TimOtheus,
Raised mortal 10 the skies.
"Hu'c'" he cried, in alarm. II don't ike
this Lee me GO"
But, by degrees, he grew accustomed to the
sensati1I. and rather enjoyed it than others ise;
II wa pleasant, IL soothed him to siumber, q
sluhbef from which he was aroused by violent
CONCLUSION Of his head against a corner curb
stone.
How long he lay in a state OF semi-iusensibfli-
Nv he n.ver knew; but at last he struggled and
sat upright, finding himself. the air-ball still at
tsch6d 10 his belt, in a crowd Of Hooking
CTeatu:cS- They all OF them varied in size, but
they were a. a rule below the stature of human
being that every one, like the sandwich men OF
London. carried a board on which Was inscribed
every description OF number.
When tncy saw Tom open his eyes, there was
one universal question: Who divides him?"
=. Oh, please don't" said Tommy, ia mortal
drcs1. = amt at ali good To eat bat this here
A." rendering them the remains of the cinger{
brea1. which had been reduced to a shapeiess
mass daring the perils Of his journey. y,
No one seemed inclined to take advantage Of
Master Siratt's suggestion, but one stout old
man, bearing the number AL, asked with dig
Rity:
Are YOU even or uneven?-
Tom scratched his head, unable to reply. and
second broke in with 80.
Whats your number"
16.' rctOrted Tom readily, that being the
number ~ Baisclava Cottages, Victoria Row,
where Mrs Spratt had lately taken up her
humble abode.
s.Thst YOU amt cried an indignant voice;
and a short fussy gentleman burst from the
crowd and pointed 20 the legend 10 inscribed
upon his board. Here, 2, 4. ST.
In obedience TO his call, three numbers
bowed buinbly before him.
''Chastise that feIlOwi' 49,
sThst's mean" blabbered Tom. Three
upon one. Yer ought 70 be ashamed o. yer
selves, ouS ht. Give me hand up, one OF yer"
The cry again rose, ..Who divides yon?D and
the first stout man added, with some con-
81 must. 2,run and fetch l."
''Fitch him yourself" retorted q al don't
All cast an anxious glance around, then catch
and seek for ;" when the hurried entrance Of a
newcomer rendered the despatch OF the mes
he was . faded, Sarassed boy, whose counter
ance might have been pretty but for certain
peared worn out with fatigue, as he feebly
gasEsd,
looking for you, s." he added. reproachfully, as
the other drew near. 1.-The army want you to
black your boots"
5immediately started of at rapid pace,
Come, look alive. Help that youngster out
of the gutter"
view OF Toms hgure, he answered Indignantly:
He hasn't got number. I don't see why 1
should wait ON him any Inore than the others:
But, my dear L." murmured 8, in a tone of
cutting contempt, "you know you divide every
thing"
And 50 saying, the crowd moved on, Is having
Inst ordered 2, 4, and to cut away the air-bail
from Tommy's waist.
At any other time Master Spratt would have
bewaied the loss, but at that moment il passed
raniOn, who inquired OF what he was to do
with this ANNA ntered boy, the adjective being
uttered with as much contempt as an inhabitant
OF this world would throw into the term uales
tered.
"Take him to the King to be registered, - re-
tortered 8, ard hev of to answer hasty sum-
What place is this p, asked Tommy. maek,v.
multiplication Lane, and that's Rule-Of
Three Market, /" returned his companion. .'But
come, now, chat Is your number?
Tommy felt ashamed to confess he didn't
know' he thought he'd like TO be Number l.
Don't you y replied the other, misanthrop-
Cant there be another 1?D --.
wish there could, )" retor,ed his friend.
Tommy ventured to ask why ?r
can't divide l."
But what is all this about division - in
suired Tom. whose escape from the afternoon
lesson had led him into q far wider field of hg-
ures-
why don't you know that every figure may
order about those that may divide II They're
his slaves p 4, and :, have 10 wait 10, and IL
has to wait on 81, and they all have TO wait -.
Some of them may have many servants, some
gs; , nSi shsy :. ssys o Ms
"Of course" said Tom, @ diyiS-- every
thing"
Ives. everything. even and 3: and they're
waiting to do, but they SHIFT most of il on to
me. But here We are at Arithmetical Progress
siOn. .-.t..
What's thst?' asked Master Spratt
The Kings Palace, Of course. Stop mo-
nent, though And drew respectfully back.
an elderly clergyman with a large board ON
which was inscribed 4S296i, stopped up the door
dav.
: Where are you going. ], the IndiSisible?''
grew red at the taunt; his weak point was his
indfvisibility. r
II am going, o, Many-ngured 4slssi, to the
King, and bear with this unnumbered
boy" -...t...
4s2eSa drew aside his skirts TO let them pass.
sDst the boys hurried on through q long line Of
soldrrs, who, Tommy observed, were all IN
even multiples Of .. On asking an explanations
OF this. said: H. - a Ii
con- said Tommy, and the matter dropped
They passed on through the outer courts into
an inner chamber, where n large and merry
party we're assembled. In one corner q group
Uf prineesses, the very lowest OF whom MAS at
least a million, were playing at buzz with such
rapidity and precision that Tonmy's head swan
with the effort Of following them. In another
PORTION of the room little princess, whose num-
Ter ter minated IN hye noughts such being the
royal prerogative, was doing her sums by means
of her f.fher,s subiects. " no SfOod nm one an