Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1873-01-09
THE WORLD OF NUMBERS.

From Walters Sno,c- Bound.
THE WORLD OF NUMBERS.
If bad boy could have been 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 the ''three RS" known as
arithmetic.
81 hate figgers, I do; I wish they was
blowed," soliloquized that hardened
youth of ten, as one arithmetic afternoon
he set off for 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 string half penny
air ball, 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 one hot, 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 hesitate, but turned at once into
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 a brazen 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 impossi-
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"
"Hullo!' 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, 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 crowd of odd-looking creatures.
They all of them varied in size, but they
were as 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?'
"Oh! please DON'T" said Tommy, in
mortal dread. 'T amt at all good to eat,
but this here is," rendering them the re-
mains of the gingerbread, which had been
reduced to shapeless mass during the
perils of his journey.
No enc seemed to take any notice of
Master Spratt's suggestion, but one stout
old man bearing the number AL asked
with dignity:
"Are you even or uneven?"
Tom scratched his head, unable to re.
ply, and second broke in with:
whats your number?"
"16." replied Tom, readily, that being
the numberin Balaclava cottages, Victoria
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 to the lie.
eend 16 inscribed upon his board. "Here
;, 81"
In obedience to his call, three numbers
bowed humbly before him.
"Chastise that fellowr'
That's mean, "blubbered Tom s'Three
upon onel Yer ought to be ashamed OF
yerselves, yer ought. Give me a han6
up. one of yer"
The cry again arose: "Who divide.
your" and the first stout man added, will
some contempt:
81 must. run and fetch II
Fetch him yourself" retorted 2. &C.
don't divide you"
AL cast an anxious glance around
then, catching sight of 8, he bega1
promptly: SO, depart and seek for L.
when the hurried entrance of new
conner rendered the dispatch of the mes
senger unnecessary.
He was iaded, harrassed boy, whos'
countenance might have been pretty, bu
for certain, strained LOOK of attention
His whole body appeared worn out witt
fatigue, as he feebly gasped:
Where's 5? I've been all over tn
town looking for you, s." he added, re
proachfully, as the other drew near. 18th
army want you to black their boots''
Immediately started off at a rapi,
pace. while 16 said:
Come, look alive! help that youngste
out of the gutter"
l meekly obeyed; but when he caugh
better view Of Toms figure, he answer
ed, Indignantly:
He hasn't got number. I don't Sc
why should wait on him any more thai
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, and to Gu
away the air-ba1l from Tommv's waist
At any other time Master Spratt woul
have bewailed the loss, but that momen
it passed unnoticed, as he was intent III
On his new companion, who inquired {
what he was to do with this alnnun
bered boy, the. adjective being uttere
with as much contempt as an inhabitar
of this world would throw into the teri
unlehered.
"Take him to the king to be regi
tered" retorted 8, and flew off to ansW,
hasty summons from "a.
"What place is this?" asked Tomm,
meekly,