Evening journal., 1905-04-10
CHAPTER XII

~ - died Of consumption, having
szSS borne a lingering illness with
great forutude ]. who had come there
q homeless orphan in basket and who
with the God given eloQuence Of child
hood had brought them TO take me TO
their hearts and the old man that was
with me as well, was now the only son
LETT to Elizabeth and David Brewer
There We're those who cSlled it folly
at the time they took us in. ! have
heard, bun he who shalA read this his
tory to the end shall see how that kind
OF folly may profit one or even many
here Ia this hard world
1t was gloomy summer for all Of
us The Industry and patience with
which Hope bore her trial night and
day is the sweetest recollection Of my
youth. it brought 10 her young face
tender soberness OF womanhood-a sub
tie change Of expression that made her
all the more dear to me Every day,
rain or shine. the old doctor had come
to visit his patient sometimes sitting
an hour and gazing thoughtfully in his
face occasionally asking a question or
telling q quaint anecdote. And then
came the end.
The sky was cold and gray in the late
autumn and the leaves were drifted
deep IN the edge Of the woodlands when
Hope and I went away to school to-
Rether at Hillsborough. Uncle Eb
drove us TO our boarding place I'm town.
When we bade him goodby and saw
lf,. T-f-f,e s,.l,.s alnp, fr, fIo ,.ra a,y,
we hardly dared look at each other for
the tears ia our eyes.
David Brewer had taken board for us
at the house Of one Solomon Rollin,
universally known as Cooky Rollin
That was one OF the first things learn
ed at the academy. It seemed that
many wears ago he had taken his girl
10 9 dauce md offered her in lieu OF
supper cookies that he had thoughtful
~ brought with him. Thus cheaply he
had come to lifelong distinction.
''You know Rollins ancient history.
don't youg the young man asked who
lsatwiih nie at school that first day.
rnffaye Il at home" / answered. ITS
hnve volumes"
II mean the history of Sol Rollin, the
tman you arc boarding WITH" said he.
smiling az me. and then he told the
story Of the cookies
The principal Of the Hnsborough
academy was a big. brawny bachelor
Of Scotch descent, with a stern face
and cold gray. glaring eyes When he
stood towering above us on his plat
form IN the main room Of the building
wherc = SIT nhere vas an .aiettness in
his figure and look Of responsibility
IN his face that reminded me Of the
pictures Of Napoleon at Waterloo He
always carried a stout ruler that had
bistcfed q shank Of every mischievous
boy In school As he stood by the line
that Caup lnarcilhg IN 10 prayers every
morning te would frequently pull out a
boy administer loud whack or two.
shake him violently and force him into
seat
The day I began my studies at the
academy I saw him put two dents in
tie wall with the heels Of young man
who had failed I'm his algebra. To q
bashful and sensitive youth just out OF
country home the sight Of such vio-
lence was appalling My first talk with
him. however, renewed my courage. He
had heard was a good scholar and
talked with me in a friendly way about
my plans. Both Hope and / were under
him in algebra and Latin / well re-
member my first error in his class. /
had misconstrued Latin sentence. He
looked az me- a smile and a sneer
crowding each other for possession OF
his face. In a loud. jeering tone he
cried. "Mirabile dictur'
looked at him, in doubt Of his mean
ing.
.Aiirabile dictul" he shouted, his
tongue trilling the T.
I corrected my error.
"Perfectr' be cried again. "Puer pull
chrel Nextr'
He never went further than that with
me IN the way OF correction. My size
and my skill as a wrestler that shortly
insured for me the respect Of the boys
helped me 10 win the esteem Of the
master. ] learned my lessons and kept
out Of mischief. But others Of eQual
proficiency were not so fortunate. he
was apt TO be hard on a light man who
could be handled without overexertion.
Uncle Eb came in to see me one day
and sat awhile with me in my seat
awhile he was there the master took Z
5oy by the collar and almost literally
hwipe0 the blackboard with him. Theri
twas a great clatter OF heels for a mo
ment Uncle Eb went away shortly ant
was at Sol Rollins when 1 came - din
ner.
Powerful man, amt heg" said Uncl,
Rather" said.
Turned that boy into a reglar horsl
auddle" he remarked. "Alust ave unso
Ibis reason"
Unnecessary" I said.
eRemiaded me O. the time at Til
tTaylc got his tooth pulled" said he
"Shook i'm up so at he thought he,
had his neck put out O. j'int"
Sol Rollin was one Of my studies tina
winter. BE was a carpenter by trad,
and his oddities were new and delight
full he whlsted as he worked. n
whistled as he read. he whlstled rigl
merrily as he walked up and down th
streets. a short. slight figure with
round boyish face and a fringe Of iro
gray hair under his chin The littl
man had one bis. passion-that for ge
ting aud saving. The ancient thrift {
his race had plnched him small an
narrow as a foot is stunted BY a tigf
shoe His mind ruuo a he ,,,+ - -.