The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1874-05-01

fort, the contrast was indeed great when
appeared at the Bel Air Academy, one of
the smallest boys there, and subjected to the
taunts and butfettings of every larger boy
than myself in the institution. My father
little knew what agony it cost me to be
made man of.
| am not certain that the good produced
by such academies is equal to their evils
[ remember well for two or three nights af-
ter Prettyman laughed at me, that 1 crept
into bed to say my prayers, and at last IN
der this ridicule-for he practiced his gift
on me every night not only neglected to
say them, but began to feel angry toward
my aunt that she had ever taught them to
me, as they brought so much contempt on
me. Yet such is the power of conscience,
at that tender age, that when I woke in the
morning of the first night had not prayed,
| felt myself guilty and unworthy, and
went into the garden and wept aloud, tears
ofsincere contrition.
Too often, in public schools, the first
thing youth learns from his elders, is to
laugh at parental authority, and to exhibit
to the ridicule of his fellows the letter of
advice which his parent or guardian feels
it his duty to write to him, taking care,
ey they send, with an air of insipient pro-
fii9acy, which any one may see will soon
not only be rank but prurient Such "A
moral contagion should be avoided and l
therefore am inclined to think that the
Catholic mode of tuition, wi ere some one
of the teachers is with the scholars, not
only by day but by night, is preferable.
And in fact any one, who has witnessed the
respectful familiarity which they teach their
pupils to feel and exhibit towards them,
and the kindness with which it is met, can
not but be impressed with tue truth of my
remarks.
There were nearly one hundred pupils at
Bel Air, at heperiod of which l write, and
the only assistant Mr.. Sears had, was a
gaunt fellow named Dogberry. Like his
illustrious namesake in Shakespeare, from
whom l believe he was Legitimate, de-
scendant, he might truly have been pritten
d0,cn an ass
The boys invented all sorts of annoy
ances to torture Dogberry withal. A IA
vorite one was, when Mr.. Sears was in the
city, which was at periods not unfrequent,
for them to assemble in the school before
Dogberry came, and, setting one by the
door to give notice when the usher was
within few feet of it, to begin as soon as
he appeared in sight, to shout as with one
voice-tirst Dog and then, after a pause,
by way of chorus, berry,
AS soon as notice was given by the watch
er, he leaped to his seat, and every tongue
was silent, and every eye upon the book
before it.
The rage of Dogberry knew no bounds
on these occasions. He did not like to tell
the principal; for the circumstances would
have proved not only his want of authority
over the boys, but the contempt in which
they held him.
A trick which Prettyman played him,
nearly caused his death, and, luckily for
the delinquent, he was never discovered.
Dogberry was very penurious; he saved
two-thirds of his salary, and as it was not
large, he had of course to live humbly.
He dined at Halls and took breakfast
and supper in his lodgings, if he ever took
them, and the quantity Of dinner which he
made himself the receptacle caused it to be
doubted. His lodgings were the dormant
story of a log cabin, to which he had en-
trance by rough flight of stairs without
the house and against its side. Under the
stairs was large mud hole, and Prettymau
contriyed one gusty night to pull them
down, with the intention of calling the
usher, in the tone of Mr.. Sears (for he was
good mimic), and causing him to fall in
the mud. Unluckjly the usher heard the
racket without, and not dreaming it was
the fall of the stairs, he leaped from his
bed and hurried out to sec what had caus-
ed it. He fell on them; and though no
bones were broken, he was laid up for sew
eral weeks The wind always had the
credit of this affair, and Prettyman won
great applause for his speedy assistance
and sympathy with Dogberry, whom he
visited constantly during his confinement.
ITO be continued.)