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

my sister called my attention TO tbs
fact that the boys OF the Fifth Form
were present after all. L had noticed
al tea that Cissie was I'm confidential
| communication with DIR. Searson. and
had sufficient belief In my sister.
| powers OF persuasion 10 guess that n
she took the matter in hand, the Doc.
| tors somewhat hasty decree WOULD
| probably be revised. Her whispered
communication now proved that my
anticipation had been justified.
| Il persuaded DR.. Searson to let
them comet seemed such a shame
to exclude the whole lot like that
| but ne is "A very obstinate man. anC
Tor quite long time ne absolutely re-
i fused to go back on his decision. II
was only when 1 enlisted the services
| OF Mrs. Searson, and made the Ques-
ton a matter Of personal favor &c
myself, that between US We at las;
persuaded him to relent."
Here a bald-headed old Colonel in
front of Us, who pretended that he was
following the Greek. turned round in
! silent rebuke Of Cecilia's distractins
chatter, and she had to hold her peace
But It was not long before she again
found an opportunity to whisper:
And isn't IT Interestingly Chanler
ttao mas promised to solve the mystery
| OF those things that were stolen; he
declares that before he leaves the plat
form tonight he will hand over the
guilty boy to the headmaster. am
dying 70 see how he can possibly do
For myself, I was seriously dis
turbed BIZ my sisters communication.
| L thought from the first that Searson
was q little indiscreet in making
\ known at all the unfortunate occur
renee; q wiser and calmer man would
have dealt with the difficulty private
/ ly without troubling any of his guests
with an incident that was certainly
not altogether to the credit of his
school-though that. of course, was
nus own business But II was a very
different matter for Chanler Rao, IN
his capacity of public entertainer, to
| deal with the affair on the platform
II seemed absolutely incredible that
q problem which had baf1ed the expe-
rtence OF the headmaster himself could
really be solved at all by this Eastern
charlataDts and 1 trusted to an early
realization OF his failure, rather than
| to his discretion, to preserve us from
the unplensantness threatened by his
determination.
AS I Tejotned my sister. DR.. Searson
| was ma king his final speech. He ex-
planned that in the ordinary course OF
| things they would now have completed
their usual Speech Day program, but
that, owing 10 the Kindness OF Colonel
and Mrs. Thornton. there was on this
occasion an additional entertainment
provided in the shape Of Chanler RAGS
| exhibition OF real Eastern magic.
a burst OF cheering from the boys
at the announcement caused my sister
some embarrassment. and effectuallS
checked the Doctors tendency to en-
bark on 4 scholastic disQuisition on
| the antiquity and development OF In
dian magic.
He cOntented himself instead with n
brief acknowledgment that he had
himself witnessed Chambers perform
ances ia london, and was cOnvinc ed
| OF the genuineness OF his claim and
the clcverness OF his legerdemain. lie
was sure that the present company
would find the exposition most inter
esting in itself-and even valua ble
from an educational point OF view as
an authentic example OF the magic
practiced from early time by this an
cient people who formed so impor-
tant part OF our great Empire.
Then the stage was cleared for
CHAMBERS performance. while the audi
oncc settled themselves down with "a
genuine expectation OF being enter
tained-vcry different from the polite
! pretense of being interested which had
characterized their reception of the
earlier portions OF the program.
Now / must confess that from the
moment CT Chanler'S appearance on
the platform, a great deal of my anN-
| iety vanished at once. our Hindu
/ friend, as I have already limited. was
rather an embarrassing acquaintance
/ in private life-yOu were never quite
sure what he might be doing next. or
how far his imperfect familiarity with