The Washington herald., 1919-08-13

lighted on someone already who
seemed to know him.
All. I thought so; you know my
old Aunt. Miss East: she lives some
where down your way in Berkshire.
She wrote to me that you were COM
ing today. and asked me to give
you a lift. You see" said his friend
as they strolled up towards the
school gates, "a great deal depends
on how a fellow cuts up at first
IL he's got nothing odd about him
and answers straightforward and
holds his head up. he gets on. You
see I'm doing the handsome thing by
you. because my father knows
the cid lady. She gave me halt-a-
SOW this half. and perhaps'l double
t next il keep in her good boz ks"
Thus began a friendship which
lasted through all their school days
and meant much to both of them
Friendship and loyalty and good
craftsmanship arc great features
in this hook. which shows an in
sight into the brain and heart Of a
boy. which is just as wise in the
year OF Oh. Lord 1919 as it was in
the days of William ". Tom and
last " FlF lb5 tNllfl III EdtueS. IN
mischief. in lights. in good deeds.
or in doyiltry. as they were in in
Eenious syndicatinE methods Of
working out the mysteries of the
Greek and Latin languages And
years later, when the wise Doc
tor" Arnold of Rugby decided that
Tom was headed toward destruc-
ton. it was by means of friendship
for a weaker boy who needed his
protection that he rescued him
What was the marvel Of the doc
/ tors power over boys? We
couldn't enter into half that VIC
heard; We hadn't the knowledge Of
our own hearts or the knowIcdgc
Of one another; and little enough
Of the faith. hope and love needed
to that end. But we listened. as
all boys in their better moods will
listen Caye. and men. too. for the
matter of thaD. to a man whom
VIC felt to be, with all his heart and
soul and strength, striving against
whatever was mean and unmanly and
unrIEhteOus in our little world. 1t was
not the cold clear voice of one giving
advice and warning from serene
heights to those who were struggling
and SHINING below, but the warm Iiy-
ing voice Of one who was fighting
for Us and by our sides. and calling
on US to help him and ourselves and
one another. And so. wearily and
little by little. was brought home to
the young boy. for the first time, the
meaning Of his life: that it was no
fools or slugEard's paradise into
which he had wandered by chance,
but a battlefield ordained from of old.
where there are no spectators, but
the youngest must take his side, and
the stakes are life and death And
he who reused this consciousness in
them showed them at the same time.
by every word he spoke, and by his
whole daily life, how that battle
was to be fought; and stood there
before them their fellow-soldier and
the captain of their guard. The true
sort of captain. too. for a boys army,
one who had no misgivings and gave
no uncertain word OF command. and.
let who would yield OF make a truce,
would fight the fight out $50 every
hoy felO to the last gasp and the last
drop OF blood"
And so Tom lived his life the first
green days to the last memorable
night when he was "chaircd" round
the quadrancie by the eleven. shouting
in chorus. For he's a Jolly good fel-
low" himself as great a boy as all
the rest despite the passage OF the
years and his dignity OF captain 1t
is a story of humanness, with all its
good points and its fraflties, but es-
pecially of loyalty and of friendship;
Of games, so much like our own in
spirit, and yet SO different in details:
Of East and Arthur. of the brutalities
Of the old tagging system. the school
bully and Toms classic fight with
him, of the final war of Independence
against what was mean and sordid.
I want to leave behind me" said
Tom, speaking low. the name OF a
fellow who never bullied a little boy,
or turned his back on a big one
And then I would sooner have the
Doctors good opinion Of me as
really am than any mans in the
world"
The Boston Pust) Ctr9rEht in tie United
T-ndsncics, under the copyright act by the
Fnst FAuhltsh:nR 90. Boston. Mas. Q. s A
Al rizhts rpsc-Ted
Mcclure Newynpr Syndiats All rights re-
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