The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-08-14
BY THOMAS HUGHES

Just as Tom was swallowing his
asst mouthful (three o'clock in the
morning., winding his comforter
round his throat, and tucking the ends
into the breast of his coat, the horn
'Tally-ho-sir,' and they hear the ring
and the rattle of the four fast trot-
tiers and the town-made drag, as it
dashes up to the Peacock.
Anything for us, Bob?' says the
burly guard, dropping down from be-
hind, and slapping himself across the
chest.
Young genrm'n, Rugby answers
hostler.
Tell young gent to look alive
says the guard, opening the hind-boot
and shooting the parcels in after ex-
aiming them by the lamps. Here.
shove the portmanteau up a-top-Ill
fasten him presently. Now there, sir,
jump up behind
'Good-by, father-my love at
home A last shake of the hand. Up
goes Tom, the guard catching his hat
box and holding on with one hand,
while with the other he clasps the
horn to his mouth. loot, toot, toot!
the hostlers let go their heads, the
four bays, plunge at the collar, and
away goes the Tally-ho into the dark
ness, forty-five seconds from the time
| they had pulled up"
So Tom Brown started to begin his
school-days at Rugby when William
the Fourth sat upon his throne. Squire
Brown had meditated something as
follows the night before Shall tell
| him to mind his work and to make
| himself a good scholar? Well, but he
isn't sent to school for that-at any
rate not for that mainly. I don't care
straw for Greek particles, or the
digamma. no more does his mother.
What is he sent to school for? Well,
partly because he wanted so to go. If
he'll only turn out a brave, helpful,
truth-telling Englishman, and gentle
man, and a Christian, that's all
want" Upon this view Of the case
he framed his last words TO Tom. And
now, Tom, my boy, remember you are
! going at your own earnest request, to
j be chucked into this great school, like
young bear with all your troubles
before you-earlier than we should
have sent you perhaps" (Tom was
nine) IF schools are what they
we're in my time, you'll see great
many cruel Backyard things done,
and hear a deal of foul bad talk. But
never fear You tell the truth, keep
a brave and kind heart, and never
listen, or say anything you wouldn
have your mother and sister hear, and
you'll never feel ashamed to come
home, or we to see you"
Toms father was a great asset to
the boy For though he belonged to
what is called the upper middle class
the opinion which the squire loved to
PROFOUND above all others was the be
lief that a man is to be valued wholly
and solely for that which he is in him
self, for that which stands up in the
four fleshly walls Of him, apart from
! clothes, rank, fortune, and all extern
ais whatsoever. He held further that
| it didn't matter a straw whether his
son associated with lords sons, OF
plowmen's sons, provided they were
brave and honest. SO Tom hao a
merry and right democratic time with
the boys of the village, and learned
much that stood him in good steac
when he got to Rugby, among othel
things to value man or boy wholly fol
what was in him, whether 1t was
Harry Winburn, the quickest and best
boy in the parish, who taught him the
turns and holds which later carried
him through his great fight with the
bully of Rugby; or poor Jacob Doodle
calf Gas the boys nicknamed him)
in whose hands everything came te
pieces and in whose head nothing
would stick, or Job Rudkin whose
scandalized mother demanded, on the
occasion of visit from Madam
Brown. JOB, Job, where's thy cap?'
What, beanie on ma head. moth
} err replied JOB, slowly eXtricating one
hand from a pocket and feeling To-
the article in question; which III
found on his head and left there, t
his mothers horror and Toms grea
delight.
Rugby was a new world for Tom. HI
was a sturdy and combauve urchln
able to fend for himself on his owl
heath; yet it was a great boon for hin
that he fell into the hands of DO,
Of his own age, but bit ahead
| him at Rugby. The first sight he en-
countered on his arrival was a lordl,
-, crowd of youngsters who looked quit
these young heroes ran out from tn
rest and accosted Tom. Il say, yol
fellow, is your name Brown"
Yes" said Tom, in considerable as
constituent, glad, however, to hav
, lighted on some one already VIII
, seemed to know him.
"Ah, I thought so; you know m:
old aunt, Miss East; she lives some
5 where down your way in Berkshire
|, She wrote to me that you were comin
today, and asked me to give you
: lift. You see,' said his friend, as the
strolled up towards the school gates
"a great deal depends on how fellow
cuts up at first. If he's got nothin
odd about him, and answers straight
forward and holds his head up, he get
: on. You see I'm doing the handsom
thing by you, because my fathe
knows yours; besides, want to pleas
the old lady. She gave me half-a-so,