The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-03-23

why, he bungled the matter righf
away by proposing TO search the Who'll,
company at once-a proposal hotly
resented by everyone. And then wher
he got back here ne let the boys loose
while he came to report TO me-giv.
ing the culprit just the opportunity hs
required TO hide his spOils. II is really
astounding how incredibly stupid some
people can be. And OF
course. the investigation is quite hone.
less. 1 have been lecturing the whole
form for the last half-hOur without
the slightest result.
Every boy stOutly denies having
touched the things-most of them
with great indignation. and all OF
them with prOtestations OF, innocence
which suggest that the thief, whoever
he may be, is no novice at this work
OF deception.
"Of course, II is almost inconceiv-
able that I'm a crowded shed any one
boy could have done this unnoticed by
all his fellows; but even that consid-
Grafton is no real help. for as you are
probably aware the schOOlbOy code OF
honor does not allow anyone to tell
tales. So that j have been reduced to
the necessity OF furnishing the whole
class by detention, and excluding them
entirely from today's proceedings, IN
less the culprit confessee."
II do not know anything Of school
discipline" said Chanler, in his quiet
leisurely fashion, but 1 thought j did
know something OF the English sense
of justice. And IL cannot be just to
punish the many when only one is 10
bieme-especially when II Is so easy
TO discover the real offender"
DR.. Seareon gazed at him with DO
lite incredulity. He was beginning 10
enlarge still further on the peculiar
difficulties of dealing with boy-nature
when the arrival OF a fresh group OF
cd
with an apology he hurried of 10
greet them.
Here" continued Rao. lis the sim
plest OF all possible problems: a thief
to be selected out OF a very limited
mum Der Of ndividuals-6fteen.I think
DR.. Searson said. The time, place, and
manner OF the robbery are all known
the articles are well-defned and
easily recognizable. And the culprit
is q mere yOuth-a lad who. even II,
as our excitable pedagogue hints, ne
has been guilty Of similar small pill
ferings on former occasions, can hard
~ yet be really sufficiently expert in
deception to hide his wrongdOing ef-
fectively.
And yet this learned Doctor Of
Laws, who is supposed to -s sufficient
ly clever 20 Toe intrusted with the
training Of your boys. is so absolutely
blind that ne can only confess his
helplesSnesS and lock up the whole
form. BAH ne is not fit for his work.
this Doctor OF Noursi"
Chambers criticism Of our host was
growing so uncomplimentary that my
sister feared lest people round about
might overhear it-particularly as the
appearance II our Hindu friend in mis-
gorgeous native costume was attract
ing eVerybody's notice. She therefore
endeavored 10 change the subject by
an attempt TO interest him in the
game we were watching.
But I could see that. all through,
his attention was divided. Again and
again. ne returned to the subject OF
DIT. Searson's stupidity and injustice.
And. as l moved away to greet some
friends whom I recognized on the
other side OF the ground, l heard him
declare emphatically:
Il shall not perform tonight unless
those poor boys are allowed to be
present"
need not describe in detan the
events of the day. II passed of much
as such Speech Days do. The cricket
match ended as usual in a big victory
for the school; the old Boys, sum
moned from Office and counting house
and law-court were hopelessly defeat
ed by these youngsters who stin en-
joyed the advantage OF daily play and
constant practice together. The tea
which followed on the lawn was the
usual scramble. in which one had
either 70 starVe or else to run the risks
to a middle-aged digestion involved in
the consumption of any rich cakes
within ones reach.
II was during the Greek play that