The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-03-29
A DROPPED LETTER.

David Elliott was what is called
good boy. He thought it was wrong to
crib and would not for anything have
opened his Homer during Rep"
though if the fellow next him hap
pened to have loose leaf On his knee
that was another matter, of course, and
he saw.no harm in taking a glance at
that Just before getting on his legs. He
had hatred of bullying-especia
when he first went to school-and was
always most kind to the small boys.
Everybody knows that a certain amount
of discipline is good for them, and that
If they become arrogant the truest kind
ness is to show them their real position
in society, and this David always did
by moderate and judicious use of the
middle stump. He was never cruel to
dumb animals.
Cats, by the way. are not dumb an
finals, as everybody who has ever bro
ken a cats leg with stone well knows;
indeed they are really beasts OF prey.
so that chivying them Is nothing but
tiger hunting on n small scale. Above
all, he never told lies. He was always
strictly accurate in his statements, and
If people sometimes carried away a
wrong impression after asking him
question il was always because they
had not put it properly.
In the midsummer vacation, when
David was u. he went TO spend a week
or two at Ingleby manor, where his I'M
Gle, Sir Walter Elliott, lived. He was
much better off than David's father.
who was the youngest son and clergy
man, and from whom David had learn
ed his love of truth.
Now Ingleby manor was very nice
place for boy to spend his summer
holidays in. 1t stood in a large park
with lake in it, in which there were
quite a number CT fish. A punt was
moored in one corner of the lake, and Il
stream ran out of it in which there were
delightful little pools for bathing and
plenty of water rats that were always
ready for a romp with the terriers. In
the house We're a billiard table, with
whole set of pool balls, and room full
of guns. In the stables there were six
or seven horses, and number of dogs
lived in different parts of the place.
There were also a skttle alley and
large Kitchen garden. In fact, 1t was
a perfect paradise. and like every other
paradise it contained an Eve-and a
serpent-both cousins of David. The
Eve was named Lucia. She was year
younger than David, but she always
showed promise of growing into-what
she now ts-the handsomest woman in
the county. She was an orphan and
spent a good deal of her time with her
g., ..f lnr in
deed was everybody else.
David fell in love with her at once,
and the more he loved her the more he
disliked his other cousin Hughie- He
also despised him and considered him a
scug, which is rude word and one not
TO be used to- anybody who Is big enough
to punch the head of the boy using IT.
Indeed, though Hugh was not altogeth-
er a gentleman; still less was he alto
gether a cad. He was a very handsome
boy and gentlemanlike enough in some
things. but he WAS not dressed quite
like the boys at David's school. and Ire
did not know Low 10 treat servants.
Worse than all. he dropped his h's-nOt
always, but only if he got excited about
anything.
David will never forget the look that
came on his uncle's face when, as they
were watching "A county match one aft
ernoon. Hugh cried out, We'll 1T, sir
well 1T indeed!'' He turned quite
pale and said. very quietly, Come,
boys. 1 think we've seen enough of
this, and they had to leave the ground,
although the second inning was only
Just beginning. But. in spite of this.
Lucia liked Hughie much better than
she did David. When she climbed a
tree, il was always to him that she
called to help her down, and when they
played cricket she never cared how fan
she had to run after the ball if Hughie
had hit it. Once-it was a very hot
afternoon, and David couldn't get
Hughie out-he called out for fun,
We'll 1T, sir. indee1!' Hughie only
turkey cock and walked off into the
house, leaving David TO field as we'll a:
bowl. She and Hughie used to go of
for long walks together, leaving David
to lounge about by himself and wisf
that his uncle would send Hughie baCl
to his mother, little knowing that th'
time was close at hand when he woulC
be very near to being sent home in dis
grace himself.
Now, tie uncle of these boys was
man who thought great deal abou
eating and drinking. Indeed b.
Thought of little else, for he was to
Lazy to walk and too fat to care abou