Port Royal standard and commercial. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1876-11-16

be happy with such preceptor, buff I
must speak plain-you must be aware
as we'll as am that the maternal fond
ness Of Mrs. Easy will always be bar
to your intention. He is already so
spoiled by her, that he will not obey !;
and without obedience you cannot In
culcate."
"I grant, my dear sir, that there
is difficulty on that point; but maternal
weakness must then be overcome by
paternal severity" .,
"May I ask how, Mr.. Easy3 for it
appears to be impossible"
Impossible ! By heavens III make
him obey, or I'll - Here Mr.. Easy
stopped before the word fog was fairly
out Of his mouth-"l know the rea-
son why, Dr.. Middleton.
DR.. Middleton checked his lncllna-
ton to laugh, and replied "That you
would hit upon some scheme, by which
YOU would obtain the necessary power
over him, I have no doubt; but what
will be the consequence The boy will
consider his mother as protector, and
YOU as a ty rant. He will have an aver
sion to you, and with that aversion he
will never pay respect and attention to
your valuable preeepts when he arrives
at an age to understand them. Now it
appears to me that this difficulty which
YOU have raised may be got over. 1
know q very worthy clergyman who
does not use the birch ; but l will write,
put the direct question to him, and then
if your boy is removed from the danger
arising from Mrs. Easy's over-indul'
pence, in short time he will be ready
for your more important tuition"
"I think, !" replied Mr.. Easy, after a
pause, "that what you say merits con-
sideration. acknowledge that in con-
sequence of Mrs. Easy's nonsensical In
diligence, the boy is unruly, and will
not obey me at present; and if your
friend does not apply the rod, 1 will
think seriously of sending my son John
to him to learn the elements"
The doctor had gained his point by
catering the philosopher.
In day he returned with a letter
from the pedagogue in answer to one
supposed to be sent to him, In
which the use of the birch was indig-
nantly disclaimed, and MIR. Easy an
nounced to his wife, when they met that
day at teatime his intentions with re-
gard to his son John.
"To school, Mr.. Easya what, send
Johnny to school! mere infant to
SCHOOL,"
"Surely, my dear, you must be aware
that at nine years it is high time that he
learned to read"
"Why, he almost reads already, Mr..
Easy surely can teach him that. Does
he not, SarahG"
"Lord bless him, yes, ma'am, he was
saying his letters yesterday"
"Oh, Mr.. Easy, what can have put
this in your heads Johnny, dear, come
here-tell me now what's the letter A
You were singing it in the garden
this morning."
"l want some sugar, replied Johnny,
stretching lis arm over the table to the
sugar basin, which was out OF his reach.
"Well, my love, you shall have a
great lump ii you will tell me what's the
letter A." -.
"a was an archer, and shot at frog, "
replied Johnny, in surly tone.
sThere now, Mr.. Easy and he can
90 through the whole alphabet-can't t
he, Sarah 2"
"That he can, the dear-can't you,
johnny dear ?"
"No," replied Johnny.
Yes, you can, my love yon know
what's the letter B. Now, don't you =
eyes," replied Johnny.
"There, Mr.. Easy, you see what the
bov knows, and how obedient he is, too.
Come, Johnny dear, tell uswhat was B r.
"No, won't" replied Johnny, 81
want some more sugar ;" and Johnny,
WHO had climbe / on chair, spread him
self over the table to reach it.
"Mercyl Sarah, pull him of-hell
upset the urn," screamed Mrs. Easy.
Sarah caught hold of Johnny by the
loius to pull him lack, but Johnny, re-
sisting the interference, turned round
on his back as he lay on the table, and
kicked Sarah in the face, just as she
made another desperate grasp at him.
The rebound from the kick, given as he
lay on smooth mahogany table, brought
Johnuy's head in contact with the urn,
which was upset in the opposite dlrec-
ton, and Notwithstanding a rapid move
nlent on the part of Mr.. Easy, he re-
ceived sufficient portion OF boiling
LIQUID on his legs to scald him severely,
and induce him to stamp and swear in
very unphilosophical way. In the
meantime Sarah and Mrs. Easy had
caught up Johnny, and were both hold
ing him at the same time, exclaimlng
and lamenting. The pain of the scald,
and the Indifference shown toward him,
were too much for Mr.. Easy's temper to
put up with. He spatched Johnny out
OF their arms, and quite forgetting bis
equality and rights of man, belabcred
hum without mercy. Sarah flew In to
interfere, and received blow which
not only made her see thousand stars,
but sent her reeling to the floor. Mrs.
Easy went off into Mysteries, and John
ny howled so as to be heard at quarter
Of a mile.
How long Mr.. Easy would have con-
tinued it is impossible to say; but the
door opened, and MIR. Easy looked up
While still administering the punish
xnent, and perceived DR.. Middleton in
mute astonishment. He had promised
to come in to tea, and enforce Mr..
Easy's arguments, if it were necessary
but it certainly appeared to him that,
u, tho arnnn,ent which Mr.. Easy was