Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-06-19


These attachments, and the taste for polite
learning which, as these pages must tes-
tify, have never ceased to cultivate, owe
rather to the prediction which he had for
rae than to my own gifts; which, indeed,
though doubtless 1 was always boy OF
some parts, l do not remember to nave
been great at the first. Sub ferula, how
ever and with encouragement. SO far ad-
vanced that he presently began to consider
the promoting me to the place Of usher
with cane in commendaIn; and doubtless
would have done it, but for the mt that
took him at the first news of the Rye
House plot-which a friend fmprudently
brought to him when he was merry after
dinner-and at one and the same time car
ried him on, and deprived me OF the pest
of pedagogues.
After that, and learning that his success
sor had a son whom he proposed to pro-
mote to the place l desired, returned TO
the school no more, but began to 1--we at
home, at first with pleasure, but after no
long interval with growing chagrin and
tedium. Our house possessed none OF the
comforts that are necessary to ldleness,
and therefore when the east wind drove me
indoors from swinging on the gate. OF sulk-
ing in the stack yard, 1 found in it neither
welcome nor occupation. My younger
brother had seized on the place OF assistant
to my father, and having got thews and
experience ambulando, found fresh ground
every day for making mock of my useless
ness. Did 1 milk. the cows kicked over the
bucket, while 1 thought of other things;
did ploy, my burrows ran crooked; when
I threshed, the fail soon wearied my arms.
In the result therefore the respect with
which my father had at first regarded my
learning wore of, and he grew to hate the
sight of me loafing in the doorway, my
sleeves too short for my chapped arms, and
my breeches barely to my knees. Though
my mother still believed in me, and occa-
sionaliy, when she was In an ill-hunor
with my father, made me read to her. her
support scarcely balanced the nelghb)rS
sneers. Nor, when 1 CHANGED to displease
her-which to do her justice was not Of
ten, for 1 was her favorite-was she above
joining in the general cry and asking me,
while she cufI.d me, whether l thought
that cherries fell into the mouth and meant
to spend all my life with my hands in my
pockets.
To make long story short, at the end of
twelve months, whereof every day Of the
last ten increased my hatred of the home
surroundings, the dull strip of common be-
fore our door, the duck pond. the horizon
ard the twin ash trees on which had cut
my name 50 often, heard through a neigh
Dor that an usher was required IN school
at Ware. This was enough for me, while,
OF my family, who saw me leave with
greater relief on their own account than
hope on mine. only my mother felt or af-
fected regret. With ten shilltngs in my
pocket, her parting gift, and my scanty
library of three volumes packed among
my clothes on my back, 1 plodded the
twelve miles to Ware, satisfied the learned
Mr.. D. that I had had the smallpox,
would sleep three in a bed, and knew more
than he did. and the same day was duly
engaged to teach in his classical seminary,
In return for my board, lodging, washing
and nine guineas year.
He had trailed a pike in the wars, and
was an ignorant, but neither a cruel, nor,
save in the pretence Of knowledge, a dis
honest man. 1t might be supposed. there
fore, that, after the taste Of idleness and
Independence had had, l should here find
myself tolerably placed and in the fair way
of promotion. But presently found that I
had merely exchanged q desert for q
prison, wherein had not only the shep-
herding OF the boys to do, both by night
and day-which. In a short time, grew in
conc eivably irksome, SO that I had to
choose whether 1 would be tyrant or slave
but also the main weight Of teaching, and
there no choice at all but to be a drudge.
And this without any alienation from
weeks end to weeks end, either at meals
or AT any other time; for my employer
vile had high notions, and must keep q
separate house, though Eext door, and with
communications, sitting down with us only
on Sundays, and then at dinner, when woe
betide the boy who gobbled his food, or
choked over the pudding balls. Having
satisfied herself on my first coming, that
my father was neither of the quorum nor
OF the Justices kin. and a mere rustic no.
bcdy. she had 10 more to say to me, but
dressed herself solely to one of the boys.
who. by virtue of an uncle who was q
canon, had his seat beside her. Insensibly,
her husband. who, at first, with an eye 10
my knowledge and his own deficiencies had
been more civil to me, took the same tone
and not only that, but. finding that I was
to De trusted. he came less and less into
school, until at last he would only appear
for few minutes In the day, and to carve
when we had meat and to see the lights ex-
tinguished at night. This without any
added value for me, SO that the better ]
served him-and for year I managed his
school for him-the less he favored me, and
| at last thought q nod all the converse he
owed me in the day.
Consigned to this solitary life by those
above me. 1t was not likely that SHOULD
fnd compensation In the society of lads tf
whom stood in an odious light, and OF
| wnom the Oldest was no more than four
teen For what was our life? Such hour,
as we did not spend in the drudgery o,
scnooi, or In our beds, we passed in yart
| ON the dark side OF the house, a CRASHES
pif ce. overshadowed by one skeleton tree
muddy In winter and dusty In summer, ant
wherein. since all violent games and sport.
were forbidden by the good lady's scruple.
savor1ng OF popery. we had. perforce, to oc
| cupy ourselves with chickering's and com
plants and childish plays. Auditing on thu
garden OF her mousse, this yard presented
on every SIDE but one near prospect o.
water butts and drying clothes. so that t.
this day profess that hold 1t in greater
/ that school -
1t Is true we walked out In the countr,
at rare intervals, but - fhyeS sides of thu
town were forbidden to US by great mar
whose property lay IN that quarter, and
who Feared for Ills game, our excursions
were always along one road, which afEordet
nesther change nor variety. Moreover.