The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-01-01

n0NASSsp LII WHICH l. pOlIllOO oIt W CAACh
that the duty of each was to beat the
other; and that, as every man IN the
grown up world was trying to get as
much of the luxuries and honors as he
could, SO each boy would try to gain for
himself a: large a share as possible of
the marbles, toffee, and other prizes,
which l should from time to time offer.
They heard me with the greatest gravity,
and our opening day was a decided sue
cess. I soon found, however, that my
prize system was failure, since as my
students always played together, they
cared not a jot who won the toys, which
they enjoyed III common; and as to the
taffee, they both suffered SO much on
the first prize-day, that Jessie put her
veto on that form of reward.
'' After this I determined to substi-
tute pennies, and for a time thought
L had effected my purpose. Tommy
grew wonderfully industrious, and in
spite of my strict impartiality accumu-
lated a vast store of copper. Week af
ter week he drew on me with papers
and marks, which were duly honored,
until [ saw myself in days to be the
aged father of the first of the gentle
hnanciers. He should direct the appli-
| cation of his neighbors' fortunes, specu-
late in IA gigantic war, become Baron
Thomas at his own. My dream was
rudely dispelled. One day my small
nephew came to me in great glee.
Uncle Septimus,' said he, do you
know that this is my birthday Yes,
l replied, and Tommy's birthday too,
although you certainly gained an advan-
| tage over him, for which no activity
on his part can ever compensate.
And please Uncle Septimus,' con-
| tlnued Theodore, do look at the pres
ent which Tommy has given me- and
he held up highly decorative whip
and scarlet reins. It was but too clear
cumulated by his industry, had been
expended in a present for the defeated
candidate; and when questioned on
the subject, the young prodigal at once
allowed that this had been the sole mo-
tive of his extraordinary devotion to
study. While [ was trying to impress
upon him that if the triumph of the
successful resulted in the gain of the IN
successful competitor, emulation was
impossible, his mother came in with a
rush and hugged him. Jessie is apt to
act from impulse; as almost all women
are. When pointed out to her, on one
occasion, that unless everybody is al
ways trying to get as much of every
thing for himself as he can, the most
valuable laws of political economy are
false, she said she did not care if they
were, and that she knew that it was better
to help another than to help ones self. -
Here [ could not help interrupting
my friend Septimus with the remark
that there was no better way of helping
ones self than appearing as helper of
others, if you knew the right moment
at which to leave them; and that some
| ha6 .e,-l1 IL, IL
manner.
Septimus seemed to think ny remark
irrelevant, for he took no notice of it,
! but continued his story.
You may suppose, he said, '' that
IN choosing a school for my boy
| should be greatly influenced by size;
| for if competition be a good, the wider
the field of competition the better. I
sent him off to Eaton with copy of
Mr.. Smiles stimulating work on Self
Help, and manual of political econ
omy, to which his mother added large
hamper and Bible. His school career
was fairly successful, and would have
been brilliant but for that moral obliqui-
ty, of which, alas there was no longer
room for doubt. There was no limit to
his generosity, which was constantly
developed by an ever-growing popular
lty. There never was SO popular boy.
The masters could hardly find fault
with him, and his school fellows made a
hero of him, as was natural, indeed, for
he could refuse them nothing. His
gaiety, which never tagged, grew
rioutous when he was conferring a
| favor. He was the author of more
Latin verses than have been left to us
| by the poets of Rome. and never DASH
ed eff his own copy until he had wooed
| the MUSES. to the side of Tompkins,
| Brabazon, Jones, Montgomery and a
host of others. Again and again L told
him, both verbally and by letters, that
| popularity is the reward of those who
are the gulls of society; and there is no
current coin Of 50 little value; and that
! the only real proof of a mans success
Is the jealousy which he excites. He
now not only neglected my advice, but
even respectfully contradicted me; and
| it must be confessed that his answers
had a great look of brilliancy, for he
was an unusually clever lad, and might
now be anywhere If he choose.
| ought to add that he never grew angry
| in argument. He has his mother s
sweet temper, which is a very good
| thing IN woman.
ssPerhaps you think that I have given
| undue importance to trides; and in
deed 1 made light of them myself until
my son, IN great cr1sls OF his career,
behaved In manner which 1 could not
misinterpret, though am thankful to
say that I could pardon it. He was
now eighteen years old when he and his
greatest friend, boy of the name OF
Dart, entered together for scholarship
at one of the Oxford colleges. 1 will
not linger over the story; indeed, if you
will excuse me for a moment, 1 will
fetch my sons letter, from which you
will learn the catastrophe at a glance.
while I shall be spared the pain of re
citaI."
/ Septinlus, who had risen slowly while
he was speaking, crossed the passage tc
his study, and came back with the fol
lowing note, which he placed in my
hands:
i 90 OXFORD, -, 1S-
NY DEAR FATHER.-I hope that you won't bt
| awfulIy sick at what lave done; but an
afraid that you won't like it. thought of yol
la great deal before made up my mind, but
don't know what else / could have done
i There is q fellow up here called Mills, who il
just going to take his degree, and is very thicl
with the dons. He was 1t my tutors when
first went to Eaton, and was very keen that
ST stild get one of the scholarships here Some
how or other he found out from one Of his dol
friends (Which of course, he had no busines
to do1, before the first day of the examination
IN A1l e. A<Nrk