Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1897-12-30


pathetic dignity, 'sho ninds me nc
more than those boya who call me
sOld Winker.' He tslks about
moral honesty and trash Of that
sort instead Of paJing attention "a
nay behests. So a. tkis Il the case
aud il don't do 70 IS boys' edu.
cation get on ike . steam engine
| will dismiss him-.and--this very
morning. True, / must give some
equivalent, as our arrangement was
q months notice on either side and
gratis board and lodging during
the winter vacation. But better q
lost pound than that this evil
should make further head"
ga pound! We sdall save dou-
BILE that in the fellows board.
Why! it wants yet FIVE weeks to
the end of vacation, aud this--say
nc ten shillings q week--will be two
pounds ten. Go and do it at once,
DR.. Tubbs, whilst | dress for
church. And make haste; we can
drive of, and be spared the non-
sense Of 'good-byes.' On my way
upstairs, doctor, / shall counter
mand the suet-dumpling.''
Not without some little hesita-
tion when his wife's eye is of him
for his conscience. scared as it
is points how base his conduct is
to one like Robert Gray-Dr. Tubbs
draws certain sovereigns and shil-
lings from his private drawer, and
goes forth TO the school-room,
where by most economical scrap
OF IRE, sits the gentlemanly usher.
His slippered feet are on the hob, q
little pocket Eschylus in his hand.
a short pipe in his mouth |; behind
him lies the wide high school room,
beyond that the bare windows and
the snowy Yorkshire landscape Of
wooded heights and barren moors.
"Fangh! smoke-smelling like
travern ~ are Dr.. Tubbs' intro
ductory words and then, taking a
distant chair, he proceeds to bust
ness. 1t is soon effected--as most
base things are-and to his infinite
but secret chagrin, for he expected
demur and entreaty, bis usher's
manner expresses a sense of relief
and release. True, were the pom.
pous pedagogue a reader Of human
hearts he might have detected one
vibration of desolate despair cross
the clear. bright manly eye when
the first words Of dismissal came,
but is gone like an electric flash,
and he sees nothing before him but
the serenity of self-reliant man
hood. Hurrying over his gruff
adieu, pocketing his receipt and
basely oblivious of all Gray's noble
efforts TO increase bis school, which
when be came year ago was sink
ing to the verge Of ruin, the POM
pous and shallow pedagogue makes
his exit, to 60 to church, hollow
conventionalist, not sincere wor-
shipper.
Resolute and brief as young men
are, Gray gathers mp his few books
from OF the school-room shelves,
hastens upstairs, packs his port
mantear and directs il to the near
est railway station, puts the rest of
his things in knapsack, and then
going downstairs he scatters q few
shillings among the servants, visits
che old yard-dog in his kennel, gives
one look round the playground
where he has passed so many sad
and weary hours, and then goes his
way, his knapsack on his shoulder,
q good oaken stick in his hand.
There are some worthy souls to
speak to, in this primitive York
shire village-the parish clerk, the
cobbler, the carrier then he hur-
ries onward with q brisk step to-
ward the moors, which lie so high
and far away. They must be cross
ed to reach the railway by which he
intends to go.
Turning, byandby ont Of the more
beaten highway, he proceeds down
Q lane with high banks and hedge
rows on either side. 1t lies deep ir
snow, though traversed by recent
wheels, aud winds away presently
towards woodland and river scenery
OF exquisite beauty, though wreath.
ed in. snow and crisped by frost.
Here is q cottage, old fashioned and
substantial, an exquisite garden
round il, and clothed with a glow.
ling pyracanthus- The. berries are
massed in corOnals: the leaves liz