Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-05-11


dark to cut the bell-rOpe. Tozer ceased to
fog and stopped the half holidays for the
remainder OF term. We bore this for a
fortnight, thinking to tire him out; but
he stuck to his ground and we saw that
unless a compromise could be effected we
must lose the best football matches of the
season. For week we came down to
prayers at seven to the moment, and then
went to him in a BODY and offered an I'M
conditional submission. He relented and
the sentence was committed into one of a
thousand lines of Greek for the whole
school. The victory was Tozer's all along
those lines.
V.
While Tozer was in his prime the insti-
tuition of swishing-bOth as regarded
birch and cane-had flOurished finely; but
increasing years had brought with them a
diminished vigOr of arm and limitation
of range, and at the time of which | write
his style was not what it had been in his
palmy days. 1t was cramped where it
had been eXuberant; it wanted breadth
and freedom, and showed altogether de-
plorable absence of finish. The last time
he operated on me 1 could hardly repTess
feeling of pity, so sadly had he declined
from his old splendid form. Moreover,
the performance was no longer public, for
TOZer was far too conscientious an artist
to submit his falling powers to be criti-
cised by those who had seen and remem-
bered him at his best.
The bOot-roOm was now the scene of
every swishing Of Importance; and almost
the sole circumstance of interest that re-
manned for the general public was the
procession Of the accuser, the condemned
and the eXecutioner from the schOol-rOom
to that apartment.
The preliminaries were as follows Pike,
let me suppose, has a grudge of long stand
ing against Wilson DrtmuS of the lower
third. On Monday, when the registers
are examined after early school, he pre-
sents himself at TOZer's desk and a NUT
tered cOllOquy takes place, during which
Tozer rubs his palms together, straight
ems his right arm and glances hungrily
over his glasses to where Wilson sits,
three places from the bottom. in the lower
third. Wilson, to whom, through con-
slant repetition, this kind of thing has
become little mOnOtOnOus. exhibits
sublime Indifference, and in an audible
tone makes wager with Teddy. who sits
at the bottom of the fourth, that he Will
get fifteen cuts this time instead Of ten.
''Do you think, Mr.. Peach, that this IS
case for an imposition"' says Tozer in
an undertone to Pike, neither of them
having the smallest intention to forego the
chance of swishing Wilson prin,US.
81 am afraid that the case would hardly
be met by an imposition answers Pike.
"Ah! just as l feared" says TOzer.
''WilsOn primus," he continues, eleyatlng
his voice, ''stand out. Your master has
again complained Of your continued care
lessness and INSTRUMENTATION. l regret
that it should be necessary so often to
proceed to eXtremities with boy of your
age and abilities, but l Will have no care
lessness or INSTRUMENTATION in my school.
You will remain behind at twelve O'Clock"
After twelve, when the others have been
dismissed, there is a procession of three
from the schOOl-rOOm to the bOOt-rOOm.
Tozer leads the way, Pike follows, and
Wilson prinuS with the birch-the fine
points of which, if opportunity be given,
he will nip of and put in his pocket
brings up the rear.
These were the preliminaries and be-
yond these, in the days which followed
the abolition of public executions, there
remained to us nothing but to gather
about the bOot-rOOm door and listen for
the impact of the swish, the grunt of sat
isfactiOn with which ToZer accompanied
each stroke and-in the case of a young
ster-the smOthered eXclamatiOns of the
sufferer.
But there was one distinguished occa-
sion on which TOZer went far to recover
the brilliant reputation of his early days.
The sWishlng OF Davis made an epoch in
the term in which it occurred, and is since
fOndly remembered as ToZer's last great
performance III public. Davis was at the
bottom of the upper third and had held
that position during the recollection Of the
oldest ToZerite. He was of the tadpole
build, with big head and irresponsible
legs; and when he walked he gave you
an impression that he was not quite sure
where he was going, or whether he would
ever get there. We all hated Davis, for
he was a fellow of small meannesses,
who at breakfast or tea would direct his
neighbours attention to imaginary spiders
on the wall and drink his tea when his head
was turned. He funked at football and was
an inYeterate mutf at cricket. You felt
an irresistible longing to kick at him
when he passed you in the playground,
and no one was ever known to withstand
the temptation of holding his head under
water when an opportunity offered on
tubing nights.
The antipathy of Tozer for Davis was
something positively abnormal. HIS fin
gers itched to be holding some sort of
weapon whenever Davis went near HIM,
and he would whack him upon prOVOca-
ton smaller than that on which he
whacked any other fellow, Teddy not eX-
copied.
Three several circumstances-the ex-
tempOre and essentially public character
of the performance, the scope allowed for
artistic effect and the exceeding unpopu-
larity of the victim-cOmbined to invest
with a high and special degree of interest
the particular swishing Of Davis to which
l am about to refer. 1t happened on this
wise:
The fourth and the upper third amalga-
mated for Grecian history, and TOZer was
holding forth to them one afternoon on
the subject of Marathon. He left the room
in the middle of the lesson to fetch a map
from his study, putting his black velvet
skullcap to mark his place in the book.
To-day, who was sitting near Davis, bet
him pint Of nuts that he wouldn't hang
the cap on a peg high up on the wall over
Tozer's desk. Davis, who, to give him
his due, was ready for any species of dew
iltry, accepted the bet in a moment, and,
snatching the cap, climbed on Tozer's tall
stool, and lodged it on the peg.
He was getting down when Rogers, at
the top of the form, jerked the stool from
under him, and in the course Of some
what rapid descent to the floor, Davis
was caught by projecting nail, at about
the third or fourth button of his waist
coat, and suspended in mid-air.
Enter, at that moment, Tozer, who took
| in the situation at a glance. A look of
such intense satisfaction as never re-
member to have seen there before or af-
terWard stole over the old mans cOunte-
nance, and purrihg softly, he skipped away
| to select new cane from bundle which
had come in that morning.
sTake me down, you fellows" shouted
Davis, who was caught in such a way
that he could not release himself; but not
one of us budged.
sDavis," said Teddy, ''you haven't had
a hanging this term, and you're getting
cocky. Besides, the sports are not three
weeks of. and you're so beastly fat you
don't stand chance to win anything un-
less you go in training. Tozer's going to
train you now; keep still, Davis, it's all
for the best"
Then we heard Tozer shutting along the
passage, and in he came with a cane in
each hand.
The old fire shone in his eye, and he took