The Storyteller

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVI, Issue 25, 25 June 1908, Page 3

The Storyteller

TWO SCHOOLMASTERS

The only fault to be found with Dr. Hertford's school was, that it was -too comfortable. It was " Harlow, more than any other fellow in the school, ~ who- brought to Dx. Hertford,' the inadequacy of his discipline. -

But ;when Sandy Mcßean presented himself, the -doctor's heart sank a little.

When Sandy announced one day that any boy receiving a certain number of demerits was to get a flogging, the " whole school went in a body to lay -the matter of flogging before Dr. Hertford. " ' _

'. G-entlemen,' said the doctor quietly," when Harlow had, stated the case, ' I have engaged Mr. Mcßean as vice-principal, and justice toJiini demands that his system be given a fair trial. He has not flogged any of -you yet, and it lies entirely with you whether he ever does.'

'In that case, sir,' said Harlow, 'we will bid you good-evening.'

- Within two weeks a crisis came. One" day upon'dismissing his classes, Sandy Mcßean remarked dryly : ' Mr. Harlow, you have this 'day, by insubordination, earned enough demerits to make ,a hundred, and, consequently, sir, I shall be pleased -to see you in the empty ,coal cellar at four o'clock this afternoon.' Harlow's face turned a deep red, but' he bowed coolly. As the boys marched- out of the Sandy saw rebellion in every eye. He suspected that Harlow had forced the fighting. At four o'clock precisely, Sandy Mcßean appeared in the coal cellar with something concealed under his coat —and within half a minute Harlow showed up in an old tennis suit. ' Glad to see you, Mr. Harlow,' began Sandy,- but by the time the words out of his mouth, Harlow rushed at him like a battering ram, and before he knew what had happened, he was spra\vling on the floor. He was taken completely by surprise, and. Harlow, .having knocked him down unaided, thought it no disgrace to accept the services af a dozen boys, who came dashing- into^ the cellars The scuffle^ „ though terrible, was short, and within two minutesiA^fe schoolmaster was bound and. g,agged, and the boys Vere yelling like Comanche Indians, and having a war dance around him. At seven o'clock that evening the boys wereh all assembled around the tea-table, when the door flew open and Sandy bounced into the room. He was the most .appalling-looking object that could be imagined. His red hair was grimed with coal dust, and his freckled face was as black as an African's. His coat was half-torn off of him, and one eye was swelled to twice its natural size.

1 Dr. Hertford,' he bawled, ' I hae come, sir, to resign my place. I wadna leach them for a -hundred pounds a day.' The doctor, stared in amazement, ' but when he saw the infuriated Scotchman dancing about in his rage, waving his arms around like a Dutch windmill, he said: ' Mr. Mcßean, you shall be sustained, if every young gentleman in this school has to be expelled ' 'D'ye think me a fule ? Answer me that ! ' ' You shall have my full authority in the matter, Mr.- Mcßean.' , 1 Gie "me my wages and let me go ? ' howled Sandy. In vain the doctor implored and protested. The I schoolmaster's blood was up, and he departed. The doctor turned to Harlow for an explanation. 1 Mr. Harlow, as the ringleader .in this affair, I must vhold you responsible.' At this Binford rose and said that the plan had been made when there was the - first talk about flogging, and that they were all as much responsible as , Harlow.

The doctor thought a moment, and then spoke with quiet decision : ' I shall deprive the whole school of the Saturdayholiday during this . month, and meanwhile I shall make every effort -to supply Mr. Mcßean's place with as thorough a scholar and as strict a disciplinarian as I can find. You arc dismissed.' About a week after this, one day, as the school was aihout to be dismissed, Dr. Hertford said in his blandest manner : • Young gentlemen, I have the pleasure to inform you that I have secured Mr. Arthur French, an'accomplished scholar and a perfect disciplinarian; ..as vice-

principal of the school. lam assured that Mr. French can enforce his own rules, and he shall be supported by. my influence to the extent of expelling -any scholar who is insubordinate:'- , % _ The boys exchanged glances— and in the gymnasium ' afterward Harlow spoke up. . " 'Let Mr. French try it. We made the school too hot to hold Sandy Mcßean and maybe we can do the same for Mr. French.' - - . On the Sunday, at dinner, Mr. French appeared. He was a slight, delicate-looking young man. It was a week or two before Mr. French made known his new, code of rules. There was to be no flogging — but when the limits of demerits was reached expulsion was to follow. In. his classes Harlow went his way, winning demerits with all the. carelessness in the world. Mr. -French could not • have had a more dangerous rebel -among, the boys than Harlow. Every week the demerits were read out— and every week showed a startling increase in Harlow's number. ■He was not actively insolent. Insolence, he declared, was only fit for cads. He would make the issue with Mr. French without saying an uncivil wordr— and he did it. As it was merely a- question of mathematical progression when he would receive the maximum of ,demerits, Harlow figured out that the second week in April would bring the crisis— and so it turned out. One afternoon, therefore, early in April, Harlow was .summoned to Mr. French's room by a polite message. He sent an equally polite reply, but he did not move until he had finished the Chapter he was reading in ' The Three Musketeers.' Then, with a conscious swagger, he went to Mr. French's study and tapped on the door. '-Come in,' -said Mr. French. The vice-principal' was seated at a largo table, and wore a perfectly calm and business-like air. Harlow expected to- appeal to his feelings, and had prepared a speech of defiance and an impassioned appeal to Dr. Hertford. But apparently . there .was no room for either, as • Mr. French merely handed him a slip of paper, upon which was his record — one hundred demerits. ' One hundred demerits,' said Harlow, calmly. ' I believe that means expulsion, sir.' * It does,' answered Mr. French coolly. There was a pause. Apparently the conversation was closed on both, sides. ' Well, Mr. Harlow,' said Mr. French presently, in the same business-like voice, ' I think it would be well for you to make your preparations to leave. I have no wish to hurry you, but your position here must be an uncomfortable one after this.' ' I should like to communicate with my father first, sir,' said Harlow, after a moment. ' For money, I presume— but that you will be provided with. Your father has already been communicated witji by Dr. Hertford himself. I myself will write to your father also. It will give me pleasure to say that, although your insubordination makes your presence undesirable in the school, that I have never known you to be guilty of lying, or personal insolence, or any of those things which put a young man outside the pale of gjentlemen. Your train leaves at four - o'clock, to-morrow afternoon. You will be released from all studies and rules in order to prepare for your departure. I regret it, but I can say no more. . Good afternoon, Mr. Harlow.' Harlow found himself standing in the corridor, lie knew not how. Here was promptness with a vengeance. He turned over in his amazed mind what he was to do ; and there was nothing left for him to dp as far as he could see, except to pack his trunk and" leave. However, he went into the gymnasium andtold the news calmly enough to the other boys. . The effect was stunning. Harlow was their pride, their pet, their leader— and as Dr. Hertford had carefully instilled into them certain notions of honor, they all felt keenly the disgrace that was about to befall Harlow. The world would not know what he was ex- • pelled for— it- might be suspected that it was some--thing actually disreputable, instead of mere insubordination. Harlow looked around the familiar room and- at the friendly, boyish faces, _and then he went out, .ostensibly to get his things' together. • : v - A blank silence fell upon the boys left behind. Binfotd, who was notoriously level-headed, said after a while : . " - • ' ' < ' When a fellow is expelled from school it follows him" to college, and follows him in his profession or His business, and is always -raked up against him.' "Here little Maitland spbEeAip"- . r 'Maybe if .all. of "irs were to go to Mr. French and beg. tor ..Harlow Tie' a listen \6 us,*

A howl of derision went up from all except Binford, who quietly remarked : ' Maybe the kid's right after all.' It was finally agreed ,that they should' go in a body to Mr, French, unknown to Harlow, and intercede. After supper, therefore, in their recreation time, the whole school marched- in a body to Mr.- French's study, and on being as&ed their business politely, Binlord made a calm but telling appeal for Harlow. He reminded Mr. French that Harlow had not .lied or deceived him in any way or taken of a classmate. Mr.^ French at <once acknowledged that>there/ was a wide difference between disobedience and kna- ™ ry Vr~\ But he said ' tJ call y° u all t0 witness if Mr. Harlow did not have ample warning as to where his course would lead him ?. '

'He did, sir,'- answered Binford for the boys. - - '-Then,' said Mr. French, 'in justice to those who made an effort to obey the rules, Mr. Harlow oueht to go.' - 6 - -This was. received in silence, as everybody knew the truth of it. •• - ' But,' said Mr. French after' a pause, ' thereis one condition upon, which Mr. Harlow may have another chance. It is this— that every one of you, including Mr. " Harlow, will agree to obey' the rules "as completely and as faithfully as possible, from now until the end of the session.' The boys looked at one another for a moment, and then walked solemnly two by two into the next room". There was a subdued sound of voices for a few moments, and then the door opened and the. boys filed in gravely, with Binford as spokesman at their head. Binford's "answer simply was : "' We agree, sir, to the conditions you propose.' ' Then, gentlemen,' said Mr. French rising, f all we want is Mr. Harlow's consent, and we will have him here in a moment.'

Harlow walked in, looking very pale, but unflinching.. As Mr. French told him of the effort of his schoolmates his face changed. A deep flush of gratitude came into it, and in spite of his usual self-con-trol he was so nearly overcome when he made his part of . the promise that Mr. French, jwith much tact, proposed that they should ratify the agreement before Dr. Hertford.

The doctor was sitting in his library trying to read, tut in. his heart troubled and distressed about Harlow. Mr. French stated the case. When he had finished, Harlow, who had recovered his composure, spoke. ' I don't know how to express -my gratitude for what my classmates have done, sir, but I can never forget it.'

' You never should forget it, Mr. Harlow,' answered Dr. Hertford, gravely.

' I think, Mr. HarloV, as it is a, very serious, promise, that we will poll the school,' said Mr. French— and every boy was asked separately if he understood his promise and would observe it individually. Each one answered promptly ' yes.' And their promise was kept.—' The American Boy-