Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-01-26

ones at yoi!r SCHOOL,
MIR, Rugman smiled contentedly
"H'm,' he said, with modcsty. Their
are many boys quite as kind to the younS
,'crs rs | was
He paused, for . sudden hush had fallen
upon u large group sitting near them
And mt that omc another voice began
clearly. dccisIvely:
"Whcn WAS junior master at a public
school
His words had boon spoken t. be heard
by all. Mrs. Arran looked up to listen.
and MIR. Rurman turned to see who hal
interrupted him.
1t was the professor.
when | was iurior master at n public
school, - be ropcateu, al incident occurred
which gems to bear upon this question
1t was a decidedly unpleasant case
Everybody was listening now, for the
professor had been known to tell "A story
well.
There was a boy in the school whom
we may call Smith" resumed the profess
sor, apparently unconscious of the general
interest. He wa in the sixth form, tall,
strong and athletic, "a leader in all sports
tiiNi p'ti 10 vNhiS vi hGts = was an
other boy whom will call Brown. lie
was a little fellow of IL. quick and clever,
but delicate and shy. He was remarkably
good at recitation"
During the last few words the story tell
err had glanced casually at Master Jack,
who was now standing beside his mothers
chair.
This Smith" continued the professor,
twas "a very eccentric fellow and remark
ably fond of amusement. His amusement
consisted in t%ormenting his young school
fellow, Brown, II some of his methods
were as unique as effeCtual. He did not
stop short of'-the professor paused to
give another glance around; then he con
Cluded the sentonce-''rcdhot from
Some one gave u little exclamation.
Smith" tho story went on, would
heat q poker in the classroom fire. Then
he would follow Brown around the play
ground, ~ponning him up at last IN the cor
ner between two walls. There, holding
the poker well advanced, he would compel
the boy to %recite, with suitable gestures,
long passages from Shakespeare. If he
proved obstinate, the poker was moved
forward, ard he always gave in. AS |
have said, he was a shy and delicate boy
of 49,"
The professor paused again.
ut went on for n long time he then
said soberly. Little Brown never said n
word at home, though no spent all his
holidays, all his leisure time, in getting
his Shakespeare by heart. His condition
of mind MAJ be easily imagined. Their
was no humor in it for him. One day 1t
came to an end. 1t appears that he had
recited all that he knew and was still or
dered to 40 on. 1t may be that he pressed
forward, it may he that the poker was ad
vanced a little too far; it is probable that
he was desperate; it is probable that tho
brute who tortured him was reckless
There was n shout, u sudden scream. Tho
iron, fresh from the fire had touched his
cheek"
"A nasty incident" said one after a
long pause. "Of course the brute was eS-
pelledY'
He left Mt the end of the term, - replied
the professor.
You called him Smith" cried Bar
rington. Have you forgotten his name
tho u~nspeakablc bully"
mo-" said the professor slowly, II have
not forgotten his name"
He looked up once more. His eyes
passed around the circle, resting for a mo.
''i'e tl'ii 80 ~ az o'iNA' ''lAAi
angry still, and then moving to another
face behind her chair.
That was II critical moment, the last OF
the passage at ariAs. The bold eyes of the
man from Africa did not fall at tlrst
though the tiorid face had palcd and Tho
strong hands gripped the chair rail con.
vulsively. Bat the professors look waN
cold, unilinching, threatening.
The man from Africa bent to whisper a
word in the widows ear, She Wa sur
prised, but had no opportunity to say So
There was "a movement of the door cur
tains, a heavy but haSty step in the cor
ridor. Mr.. RugInan had deserted the com
pany without even saying good night,
81 have not forgotten the name, " 70
pcatcd the professor calmly, but it would
serve no purpose to mention it now.
And he surveyed the circle with hat lc
nign smile which his friends knew so WEI
Some time later our geologist, drawing
on his gloves in the hall, was joined by Il
small boy, jubilant and eager.
"Oh," he cried, I'm glad you told tina,
story, sirl Mamma heard every word OF
it"
Jack" said Professor Herne, 'you
ought to be asleep"
Pm going, " replied Jack, "But have
you any moro tales like that? Because II
Mr.. Rugman comes and talks again to
morrow
The professor smiled and gently pinchcd
tho boys ear. "Don't worry" he salt
1T Is not likely that he will come tomor
row"
Mrs. Arran, descending the stairs h.
hind, saw the action and the smile. PEI
haps she heard the words, too, or 1t may
be that she had already guessed the truth
1t is my suspicion hat she had never real
ly wavered In her loyalty to the professor
but had wisely used the visit of Mr.. Rug
mar as u means of bringing her too fog
getful scientist more certainly to her sido
Chambers Journal.
Hz'~