The Morning herald., 1878-04-15
THE vILIAGE4AUTOCRAT.

~ Recently, in looking over an old volume
of Parliame entary reports, Icame across
sppesecch made by member, from Liverpool
named Wallace. With degree of se,f-
complacency that was truly refreshing lie
rropounded the following bit Of logic by
way Of proving the general superiority of
England:.-- ''"' '.'..'.,, ~" Ulg
''It has been truly said that he who COM
mands the sea commands the commerce of
the world; that he who commands the COM
merce Of the world commands the wealth
of the world; and, surely, he who can COM
mand the wealth Of the world must COM
mand the world itself. I venture to say no
man will dispute that England command7
the sea-" u.
smiled as I read, not SO much at the
bold logic Of Mr.. Wallace as at the memory
of an incident which his argument recalled
to my mind. ...
Years ago, an old pedagogue named
Kelly, kept the village school at Yagger,
thriving manufacturing settlement on o
tributary of the Androscoggin River, in
Maine. In the village was large new
hall, of which the citizens were very
proud, and which they were determined
to preserve from rough and wearing uses
The time came when Thespian club
wished very much to use the hall for
series of dramatic entertainments to erect
stage and put up scenery, &C.; but their
proposition to the trustees met with stern
and uncompromising refusal. Said old
Kelly, when he heard of it,
II think 1 could get the hall for you,
that is if you will promise not to drive nails
into the wall or to otherwise mar or dis
figure the property" This the COM
mittee of the club promised most SOL
emnly.
But they had little faith in the ability
of the supplemented pedagogue to accom-
plish the end he had undertaken. What
influence could he have with the stiff
necked trustees?
Attending the village school was GER
tain little Bobby" Shaftwell, so called, a
bright faced, forward, precocious hero of
six years, whose mother literally wor-
shipped him, and this boy regarded his
teacher as very monarch. BY one OF
those peculiar psychological aAinities for
which there is no accounting, little Bobby
had come to worship his kind old teacher
almost as ardently as his mamma worship
ed him.
To little Bobby the pedagog1e appealed.
Really, my dear boy" he said, II should
like to lave you see the club perform the
drama of William Tell know it would
please you to witness the performance, and
believe your good mother would enjoy Lot
OILY pleasing you but also the play it
self" ...
He ventured no further, and there was
no need Two days later the chairman OF
the Thespian Club Committee was informed
that he could have the use Of the hall; and
two weeks later still the club performed
"Wiliam Tell, Hero Of Switzerland" upon
spacious stage in the grand village
hall. no
Goodness, mercy, Mr.. Kelly, how did
you do it?" asked one of the Thespians.
Upon the promise of strict secrecy the
pedagogue elucidated as follows
my dear young friend, the whole thing
is very simple. govern the village school,
and in doing that govern an only son who
completely governs his mother. The
mother, in turn, as with rod of iron,
governs her husband; and this husband,
being the wealthiest man in the place-the
leading spirit in fact-regulates and con-
trolls the affairs of the town and of the
parish. Ergo-I am Autocrat of the Vii
lage! Don't you see ?"
Ths Thespian saw, and was thankful it.
vas so.-Readiag Eagle.