“SUFFERED UNDER SIMON JENNINGS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2866, 1 June 1882, Page 3

“SUFFERED UNDER SIMON JENNINGS.

Among the scholars, when Lamb and Coleridge a*tended school, was a poor clergyman’s son, of the name of Simon Jennings. On account of his dismal and gloomy nature, his playmates^called. him Pontius Piluro. One morning ho went up to his’master and said,- in his usual whimpering manner, l “ Please, doctor, the boys call me Pontius Pilate. ’ If there was onOj thing that Dr Boyer disliked more than :false ’quantity in Greek and Latin, it was the practice of nicknaming. Rushing'down among the scholars from his pedestal of state, wiih cane; in- ’ hand, he cried, 1 with his usual voice of thunder, “ Listen, boys, the next time I hear any’one of you say 1 Pontius Pilate ’l’ll cane you as long, as the cane will last. You are to say Simon Jennings, not, Pontius Pilule. Remember that if you value your hides?” Next day,-when tho eactfe class was reciting the catechism, a boy; of a remarkably dull and literal turn of mind had to repeat the Creed. He got as far as “ suffered under ” ■ and was about to pop on tho next word when the doctor's prohibition flashed across, his obtuse mind. After a moment’s hesitation, he blurted out, “suffered under Simon Jennings,’’ The rest of the sentence was never uttered, for'Dr. Boyer bad already sprung like a tiger upon him, arfd the cane was descending upon bis poor shoulders. When the irate doctor had discharged his cane-stoirn upon him, he said—- “ What do you mean, you booby, by such blasphemy ?”