IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) V /. // *^o [/ (/a 4' :A -^- 1.0 I.I 1.25 ilM ilM IM |||||Z2 i^. 12.0 1.8 lA mil 1.6 V^ dSs <^ ^ /a V ^. C/y. s^ ^''s //A %> 0>^ Photographic Sciences Corporation ^ iV N> ^\^ V "^'f-, . 'S^ ' 6^ 'n. ^^ 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. MSBO (716) 872-4503 (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les images suivantes ont 6t6 reproduites avec le plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition et de la nettet6 de l'exemplaire film6, et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. 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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 li (K <^ \ 'k ^ I' "A (lever Story; ii Mate for ' /'o>n Jhoivn's SrIuwUavs: " /•'. 11'. .1/. / Jiekling's Experienee: A REMINISCENCE OF ETON IJFE. Edited by J. Robe"r't$:p->x Will. 1 )!->•;<( l.'ilt« iS: C«). MONTREAI . 1896. 1 *i il )1 i^l ler^. l-.hii-iranil eij^ht hundnd and ninety-six, l.y Rev. laini-s KolierlM.ii, in the i.tticf c.f till- Minister of Ayricidturt- at ( )ttaw a. Edi yout ( (7/i JlOW nobi ivork t'Hcr- imfr liki'i Hi) II the Eiigi mid ( Edi/i Iciiirt hin^t (aim ' kind M, PREFACE BY THE EDITOR. I ( aii.id.i in i Kolierisoii, The ^to^■\■ (i)n/(ti>iai hi ///,■ lul/t>:viiij^ f>,ii;(s limi its first appcarinur in " /'//,■ Cornlnll Mninis,il, it connmudid itsrij to /he pnsciit Editor us wortliy of scf^inntc pi,blini/io>i, it is hrrr rcprodiia'd. The slorv iidmirahly sets forth the iiiflneiue lehieh one youth ■ possessed hv ,i hii^h mid worthy ideal of life xvill almost certainly exert over another ivho has no ideal at all . and shows how a wild and lawless nature may he subdued unto higher and nobler purposes. If IS not Religion alone, as eoninionly understood, that worfcs e/iange for i^ood in human hearts. The divine spirit and eneri^y has many and diverse methods of operation ; and, not unfreqiieufly, ways which to our narrow vision seem most un- likely to attain the end desired are, by the spirit's power, made potent for i>ii(id. lint whether one considers the moral of the story or not, no one ca>, read it without perceiving fhe forcible charm of the writing, the ncnunis energy of the style, the clear, terse English idioms employed, and the fine power of portraiture and description here displayed. /''or reasons that have seemed sufficient to him, the present Editor has somewhaf condensed the story from its orioi„„l length and form ; bul all the main features of incident and language have been carefully preserved : and the hope is enter- tained that it may be perused with interest and pleasure by all kind readers into whose hands it may conn: .Montreal, Xmas, /(S'9,-. J. K. v fii til w. \o th .11' Ih pc ca at u. Ull Ic; of oil sn JICKLING'S bXPHRIENCES. A RCMINIsrhNCh Ol hi ON I II H. I. AT the tiiiio whon Vaou ScIiodI iu>t haviiii^- as yet s\\iillcn to its prosent hulky pro- portions citiitaiiiod onl\- six luiiiJivil aiul lilty Icllows ; aiul Marrow, its arcli-rival, si^iiu'- tliiiij^- like half that nimihcr ; I, tlie present writer, was sent to I'lton ; and heeanie, at'tei- the usual tortnii^hl's oraee, the fao" o\ Asheton - a t'ellow in the ('//,'/// in the uppi-r division of the lit'tii form and eaptain ot ni\ tutor's hmise. I think it better to say rii^ht here, however, tlial lliis tale is not desij^ned to eoinmeniorate ex- |X>rienees ot" niy own, hut those o( a leUow-rau- called Jieklinj^ ; Jickhn^, who had alread\ been at seliool a year w lien I arrived there, and who was, by eoninion ei>nsent, aeeounted the iiK>si idle, unkempt, incapable, ami, in a i^eneral ua\-, the least proniisins^- aniouL;- the six hundred and fit't)- ot us. it is a paint'ul thino lo sa\ , but nobod\' es- teemed Jickliui^. I lis house-teliows were ashamed o\ him and reoartled him as a black sheep in their small and eminently titl\' told. Our tutor, alsi>. J ii klini^ ,v /i.xfuricm IS. \"K-\\L'd him with .1 1.00I aiul (.•.iii-f'ul (.-no. If th».' t|uostii>n h;ul boon put to ;inM>iK' in th«.' s,.hi>ol, who was thi' loast ik'siiah!*.' loIKnx to iiicss w ith, or iiulceil, tt> ho intiiiiatolN asN(>ciat«.'il with, in any ua\ , iho answer wmikl i\'athl\ liaw hi-cn **Jick- hnjL,'^; ami this atlvorso opinion oi him wasclouhly hc'Ipeil aIi>n]L,'' h\ the c\ nicism, not ti> sa\ I'tVront ers , with w hich JicUhni^ Intrc ott liis shortci>minLjs, lor i>t shamo at his i>w n unworthiness, Jicklins^ possc'ssetl none. Iluis, I'or instance, I had not hcon live minutes in his comjtanN on the ni^^ht ot nn airival, hcli^re he ink>rmod me. ni>t a little \o my eonslernatii>n when I understi>od what he meant, that he " ex- pected \o he s-iCis/ici^" the ver\ next mi>rniii,i,^ for haviiii;^, in the train di>w 11 from l\iddin|L(tiMi, hk>w 11 a mouthful oi peas into the taee o\ an eni^ine- ilri\er, and been " itaiLd" in the act b\ a master who had j^'ot inti'* the carriai,»-e next his at kialino. Aful this comnumicalii>n was quite o\ a piece w ith JickliniLf s habitual confidences re^rardini,'^ himself. He was i>nc i>f those unfi^rtunate boys who seemed pre-doomed to i^'-o w ri>nt,'^, 'i"hout,''h pro- \ iileil with i^i'ootl clothes enoui^h, his dress was alwa\s shabb) and ill-matched the trinisers o\ i>ne suit di>ini,»- duty with the waistcoat of another ; and thouj^fh he was supplied with money sufficient and nn>re than sufficient for all his needs, yet he ne\er had a sixpence, ami was ah\a\s in debt. Desperate passaj^es oi arms wmdd take place between him and Spankie, the lartman, as he en- deavored \o i^lide unobserved past that wurthv at SV. ii I '% school hours, anil !U>t i>nl\ wi th S pankie, but wUh Jf( ^\'^fii.ii >> IC.\f>cricin\ V. 5 O. If I ho U' s».lu>t»l, lu'ss \\ ith, til. ill any en "JiL-k- as ik)iihl\ .\ c'lVront tCi>niinj^s, Jicklinir .' mi nil (OS al, holoro .tornatit>n ho " ox- 111 ino^ for >n, hK>\\ n ' eni^ino- a mas(or t I'^alinu-. ioco with hi 111 so If. oys who .ii,''li pro- ress was iisors o\ mother ; "iuffioiont L'eds, yet in debt, ko plaoo Ls ho on- oitliy at hut with all llu' ot'ior l.irl-nK'ii, Spaiikios (.\>IIoai^uos, wlu> liiK'J llio low wall wliioh hisools tho oollejLjo part ot liii^h Stivot aiul tonus a hnUvark to tho sohool-\ aid. .No si>oiior, inilood, (.lid Jioklin^- hoavo in slight with his nooktio all aw ly, his hat hi iishod tho wrons^ way, aiul his piK'kols Inilj^-in^- i>ut with fivos-halls, slumps o\ hall'-oaton pears, and ink- hlotlod manusoiipts than Spankio himsoH", rod- laood Johio, tjroN -coated old l^rian, and oortain oihor desiilton vendors, who si>ld apples poripa- tetioally, would sot up a ohorus itf howls and ap- peals, that urenorally lasted .ill tho way till tho oolk'i^o i^i-ato was reaohed, shrilly oalliiis^ upon Jioklint^'^ for penoo lono- merdiio. /// sohool, Jiokliiii^'- was as iinsatist"aoli>r\ as oiil ot it. When called up to oonstrue, he never know whore ti^ i^'o on ; c>iw\\ ho had brouj^'-ht the wiDnjnf book ; ant! somohi>w, ho almost alwavs oontrived ti> t^-'el himself sentonood to write out and translate tho lesson bofore ho had fairlx entered i>n it. And when ho //^/^/ started, w lu> shall desoribo the torrent oi solecisms, falso quantities, and hidoous oriiM-s oi translation that flowed impor- turbably from his lips? With a coolness uttorl)- and uiU|uestionably !io\c>nd rivdIiiijL| ho would de- clare that/;/.v was tho dative plural ^^i has, and sum the accusative sinoular oi siis ; and that the cor- rect rendorino- oi ''basis virtnltini constant i a '^ was " Conslancx is the basest of tho virtues." Sometimes indeed under immediate and for- ciblo threats of condign punishment he would .so tar prepare his losson as ti) l»-o throuu-h it twice () //'( k/iuji^ 's I:.\/)cf/cii(i\s. altc'iitiw'K with *' a irih' l>i'f'oi\' |')roc\'oilint^' into scliool ; aiul o\\ siiv.li occasitnis liis moiiuny not hoin.L! wry rctontiw Ik* uonki jL,''*.'norall\ ti\'at liis Iicaivrs to sonKiliins^ in tliis stylo, ivailini^' first tJK- Latin liiK's in a his^li-pitclK\l nioniMiMK'. " Nu\ oi^o juncta \i;L' cnni sim sino criininc vita, A popnKi saxis pr.L'tcrcuiile pctor," etc., « which Ik- wmikl proceed to construe as foJKnvs: .\'//A- Ci^o I a nut ; jiiinta via' jtiineJ to the roail\\a\ ; i uin siiii sine cr/ni/iii' since I am with- out crime ; piior am soui^ht for ; prfr/vrc/mU' as I o'o l>)' ; (>/>it/(> s(i.\/s hy the S.iaoii pei>ple I . . . And so on, until pu!! 'il up h\ a tlismaN'eil howl iVom the Master, ami enjoined to write i>ut 0\id"s " Medea to Jason," in a lei^ihle hand, and hrint; it the next da\' at i>ne o'clock. So there was Jickiin*^, at the very hi>ttom o\ his ilixision a Inn o\ ahc>ut iweKe, with lank hair i^t a muddy flaxen coK>r ; fini^^ers permanently ink- siainei.1 ; Ralmoral boitts that were never laced ; and a curious, icliitc face that lookeil iiujuirini^l)- at \ (.Ml, out i>f a |iair oi eves so w ilil, shit"t\' aiul de- fiant in their expressiiiii, that it was a wi>nder Nature had iu>t taken them to put inti> the head of a pi>lecat. Now, that jicklins.,'' slunild have IliUirished in our midst was a circumstance asttMiishinj.^ enoui»-|i, seein*^' that i'»f all the staid and proper younj^sters I have ever met with, we, IUi>nians, were certain- ly the most exemplar\- ; hut that he should have been the fai^ of such a fellow as Ashetoii was a ■¥>■ /it /x'ilNll ^ f''\pc>'ic'ii n Ik-iiiiL; captain of the lu>nse, aiul entitled to loui' lat;s, inii^ht ha\e eliosen anyone he pleased, and was uiuler no eoin- pnlsion \vliale\er ti> sdeel lieklint,'', who burnt his toast kn- him, spilKnl tlu' jLjravs' ot' sausas^es over his trousers, and who when sent ti> earr\' a note inv.iriahly ioi>k it \o the w rom; plaee. There eouhl ha\ e hv-en lu^ >.o!iimunit\ of tlu>ui^ht or sympathy between \-'ielon ami lieklin*^, lor the two were simply as .j^posite to each iMher as white is to blaek, (>reoa! to sui^ar. What |ieklins^ iliil wroiiL;, AshetiMi i lil Wvll; a' I what AsluMn iliil well, jiekliuL; wasnuirally certain to ^o wroiim. Asik'ttm was a i.|iiiot ami lii'sheil t\pe of that elass ol" hoys win at bJiMi ;ue termed "swells" a subtle ilesionation, theexa' meaniiii,'' ol'whieh it is not \ery easy to expl.iin to outside; '. A bm was not a suoll because he ilresseil well, i>r played erieket well, or was hioh up in the school. All this ha(.l to be toucheil off, witli certain si^cial tpiali- ties, ami a oreat I was .LToiii!^* to sa\- "almost e\a_L,''j^''erated " air ol personaWlis^nitN- berv>re the " swell " was complete. .\\n\ AshettMi was a " swell " ncni. con. He was not surpassino-ly excellent in aiuthint;-, but he was i^nod at everythinj^' ; ami mii^Hit be relied i>n in exerxthiiii^-. Mo pulled a capital oar, with- out i^nvat ilash, but conscieiitiinisl\' ami in fine fi>rm ; at cricket and Iincs and football he was also counted ainono- the first ; but in these ami all other pastimes the o-peat merit o\ him was that his play was sure. .As he pla\ed ti>-day so uouKl he play ii>-morrow ; there was m>thini; unequal in 8 //( kiino's R.\f)C)ic)u\ .v liini, no wavcrinj^-, lU) uiicx|X'Ctctl liivakiiiL,'- clown at a nionicm when ail the hopes oi his'tVieiuls were eentred on liis performance. Per.si>nall\' he was neatness itself. About eiiL^hteen years old, liurhtly built, and rather above middle wei^,--!!!, he had a handsome aristocratic face of essentially l^iii^Hish mould, thous^Hi perhaps a little too serious for his au-e, and a fio-iire thai was htl)- set ofif by the absolutely faultless st)le in which he dressed. When I have added that in his school-worU .\shett>n shone iirettx' much as he did in athletics that is unif"orml\- and moder- atel\- tit//, without any startling- brilliancy I shall, I think, have said all that is needful to fill up his portrait. \o one would have said o'i Asheton that he w as one oi those fellows who blos- som out into Pitts, or Canninj^rs, or Wellino-toiis, but he was a boy who mii^ht develop when the season came, into an irrepre^achable M. P., or, if he took to soldieriui^-, into an officer, who in vic- tory or defeat, would make an unllinchini; stand with his men ai^ainst quintuple odds, and die, firm to his post, with cool intrepidit\. II, Havintj- said this much by way o{ introducing the two chief characters oi my story, Jickliiit^- and Asheton, I take up the thread oi my narrative at the point where, liavinj^- just arrived at Eton in the month o{ September, 1S50, I learned that '%:■ .1 H'kliiii^ '.V E.xp cnciiics. kiiii^ clown his tViciuls f. About tlier above iristocratic fh perhaps ii^>'iire tlial 'ss style in .\\ tliat in nuieh as nd moder- illiancv I Jdt'ul to fill ve said of 1 who blos- .^llin|L,^toiis, when the .P., or, it" vho in vic- lint,*^ stand d die, firm itroducing :klint^- and arrative at t Eton in rned that iintid\ JiekliiiiL,'' and I were to be " t'ai^-niates " to Asheton. It was not Jieklins^ himself who bioui^>-ht me this piece oi news, but Stumps minor, brother to Stumps in the l^leven, who entered my room on the next morning- but one, after my arrival hokliiii^' a eopper kettle in one hand aiul a plate o'i mulTins in the other, and said : " Rivers, \oure to eome di"»\\ n with me to .\sheti>n s room." I cannot saN thi: . cannot saN tiiis summons caused me an\' thini,'' like pleasure ; tor, at the private sch ool w whence i came, the word "fajL;" had been held up /// fcrrorcm over me b\- ever\ bod\' who had ever pronounced it. Certain oi \w\ fellows, amiably jealous no tloubt o\ m\ ,i,''i">inj4' to luon, had j^'iven me clearl)' to understand that as a preliminary to all further relations w ith me, \w\ fai^-master would be]L,nn b\- havini^- me tossed in a blanket, and Jicklint,'', who had apparently divined the exis- tence oi my fears, had taken benevolent pains to develop them, and he was in the verv course oi i,>-loomily relatini^r to me, how this very Asheton had once "fa^i^ed him to i^o to \.\\\ ' Lonj^ Walk " a distance >.-){ four miles and a half walkiiiij- all the wa)- on his hands, lej^'s upper- most," when he was severeU' interrupted by Cirees^'-leb)-, four foot hii^h, but irascible and the protector of the weak, who joined us on the pavement outside o\.w tutor's house, and cried ow\ indijL,»'nantl\' : "Shut up, Jicklino- ; its a stupid shanK\.;'7-r(V/- itiii' new fellows." " If I waited a week he wouldn't hKignt'iuibit\" 'A lO Jickliiig' \s Expert ones. answered Jiekliiio-, eoi>!I\- ; and sa\injL;' this Ik- turned i>ne of the pockets oi his trousers inside out, and proceeiled to renuive a piece o{ l^verton toffee that was sticking- in a corner thereof, and added, wliile suckintf the toffee, " New feUowsare like puppies they don't hes4"in to see clear till the ninth day." '' Don't mind what he says, F^ivers," exclaimed vouiu'' GreeL''lehv, loftiK', " nohod\- pays an\- at- tention to him. " " No, nobody, concurred youni;' nia/;epole, whose head was like an orange-colored mop, and who leanin<^>' ao-ainst a doorpost, was irravel}- ct>unt- inj^»' what remained of three pounds he had hroni»'ht hack with him after an etjuilahle settlement of all his debts. Vet somehow, these assurances must have left me not altOi,»'ether convinced, for it was with somethino' ver\- like a feelint^ of beini^'' about to suffer tribulation, that on the morniiu^- in question I obeyed the summons o\ Stumps minor, and followed //////, and the colfcc-kcttle^ and the imi(Jlns, dow n to the room w here Asheton Iodised. I remember this room as if I were standing' in it now, ow that brioht September morning,'', with my heart i^oino- "thump-thump " aj^ainst my brown waistcoat, and m\- cheeks flushed with anticipatory emotion. It was a lar^-ish room, with two win- dows, curtained with some warm crimson stuff, which I took for silk, and hlled with pictures, and stuffed bird cases, and flower-boxes, Lrlowini»" with scarlet geraniums ; and other knicknacks in such Jii kliiig '.V Expci icmis. I I :,>■ this Ik- crs iiisido Kvertoii reof, and L'llow s arc ar till tlie ?xclaiiiicd s ail)- al- 5Ia/:opole, iiK>p, and L'ly count- .1 broil I,'' lit lent oi all list have * it was of bein^- moriiiiijL,'- Stumps hr- kef tic, ) Asheton aiidiiii'' in ", with my 11 y brown ticipatory two win- ;oii stuff, ures, and .vinj^- with s in such abundance as lo make the room seem almost alive with comfort, and color and cheerlulness. I nder a set t.)f branchiiii^' antlers which were placed hii^h above the mantle-|^iece, were three ribbons, scarlet, and dark blue, and li.L;ht blue, and lettered respec- tivel\-, " Saint Georux'/' " I^rittania."' and " Vic- tiM-\-," the names oi three boats io which Asheton had in turn belonj^'-ed ; and holdiuL; the post of honor was a picture, i">t no i^reat merit in itself, but a picture of a countrx -house of home ex- ecuted b\ a mother's or sister's hand the first thiiii^ that struck \ou as \ou went in, and the o/ic towards which the eye most oladly returned after roamiiii^ over e\erytliin<^' else. 1 took in all this at a s^lance, and 1 had leisure to examine the \\holeri>i>m in detail, while .Stumps minor and Hlazepole were layiniL^ the breakfast thiiii^s. For Asheton had not turned round on our entr\-, but was seated at his bureau readini^^ up his seventx' lines o( I K^-ace li>r eleven o'clock school, b\' the aid of Smart's translation, and as Stumps did not see fit to call his attention to my presence, neither of course did 1. At last, the I'lreakf'ast table liavini;- been made ready by the united efTorts of Stumps and Hlazepole, his at- tention was directed to it, and it was then his eyes lit upon me. "Oh, I beil Nour pardon," he said civilly ; "I didn't know you were in the room. Why didn't \ou tell me, Stumps ; " and then seatini,'' himself at the table, he continued: " \'our name is Rivers," I believe? " Xorthamptonshire or Som- ersetshire, Rivers ? " Jichliiio '.V /ixpcricutis. " Si)iiKrsclshire, I aiisucivcl, tcclin^;' very imicli like adtliiij^ " Sir." " Ami in what form are you placed?" "In lower fourth, I replied, unable to take m\ e) es off him, as he ate a muffin, waitini^" till the mustard had arrived, which Hla/epole had for- s^otten. " '* Well, \ou are excused from fat,'^L|inj^ till next Thursdax- week," he rejoined, "and after that you'll fao' for me alouL,'' uith Stumps, Rlazepole antl Jicklmj^. I^ut, h\- the way, where is Jick- liiii^'^ ? 1 las he shirked fai^L,''in]L;' ? " And Asheton looked u|"» from his plate and nniiul the room in- quirinq'h . Stumps did \\o{ immedialelN answer. lie had uo respect tor JicklinjL;", personally, hut he did re- spect those time-honored principles that prohibit tale-tell in*,'' ; so, with more solicitude tor the in- terest oi these principles than tor those of abstract truth, he proceeded to invent an excuse for his absent faj^^-mate, not knowini^ more than the man in the moon to what that absence was due. " I think m\- tutor sent for him after pravers," he said. "What about ?" said Asheton. "Probabl)' for noi beiii_i,''al pravers," responded Stumps bravely. " Hut he 7<.'(is at prayers," remarked Asheton. " Then it must have been for siimethini*" else," saiil Stumps perplexed ; but he was spared the trouble of drawiui^' further on his ima_i^ination, for at that moment there was a precipitate shufflintj of feet in the passai^e, antl a double entry Blaze- /ii/xlini^- 's IixpiiioK cs. 13 IMP' vcrv ? tt> tako aitiiiiL,'' till l' had tor- ^ till noNl iftor that Rla/epi>lc AS Jick- Asheton room iii- Ho had ic did 10- t prohibit •r the in- f abstract e for his the man e. prayers," esponded Asheton. nj^'' else," tared the ition, for uffliiii* o^ Blaze- pv^lo with the mustard, and jieUlinL; hiniselt, with nothini^". It was the hrst time Asheton had seen Jieklin^' that term, si^ he held out his hand. " I low ^\o \ou ^\o, JiekliniLT? he said. " How ^.\o, Asheton,"' mumbled Jieklin^', ex- tending a dusky paw . " L.'ite, of course, ' pursued .\sheton. " N'es," returned Jicklini^', withdrawing the paw, and thrustiiit;' it deep into a tri->user pocket, where, (indiuL; some coppers, he bcL^^m to rattle them. " And what's this I hear," asked .Asheton, helping" himself to the mustard, and speaking- with- tnit a smile, " that \ou'\e already been nt\i^»'t,>'etl b\- way i"»f bei^'innins^- the term well ? '* N'es," said Jicklin^^, i^'-loomil\- ; "I had seven ' swishes. " b'or shootini,'' peas! was it not?" inquired Asheton. "They were small peas," remonstrated Jick- lino ; " Besides, I don't see what rii^ht a master has (v> "iinil' me when I'm in a colored tie. I was in the train hadn't \et reached lUon, nor put m\' black tie on. The train stops at Hanwell. 1 fish out a pea-shooter, and let 11) at the ens^'ine-driver of a nei^'hborinL,'' train. /\ master pokes his heail out of the next carriaj^'e window, and sa\s, "What's Nour name ? Where do you board ? 1 shall com- plain i>f \ou. " " I call that snobbish, " ended Jicklino-. " What do you call shootinij the peas?" asked Asheton quietly. Jicklin^' stared ; but after turn- «4 Ji( Iding s Expcyicnccs. ''5^ iiii^ llic iiiatlor over in his iiiiiiJ, dccliiicil to take ai)\- notice oi this ijucstion, and re-coninicnccd to rattle his coppers. " Ah I lliat reminds nie," broke in Aslieton, " hefi>re you've spent all yi>ur nione\-, please to pa\- nie \our football subscription. " JicUliuiL;' made an excessi\el\ \\\\ tace. \ol so Slumps minor and I^la/.epi^le, who with the alac- rity oi habit, and without beinj^ asked, tlrew out their purses and laid on Asheton's table the sum oi three shiHini4"s and sixpence. Jickliui^- in the meanwhile had rummajLied in his pockets and pro- duced a sovereii,ni, which he j^a/.ed at with an eye cii affection as apparent l\- his last. Then after a i^ood deal more fumblinjLj' he manai^ed to scrape to^etiier the requisite smaller sum and laid it on the table. Asheton, who had been quietly proceeding" with his repast, now looked up fixedb U Jicklinj^-, and saiil, "lIave\ou paid all yt>ur debts, Jick- linL*" •'' asked Jicklini^', sulk\- and - What debts ?' embarrassed. " Vour " ticks" to Spankie, Jobie, and the other men at the wall ; \'OU owed them all somethinjL^"." " Yes, " s^''rowled jicklinj^-, more and more .sidk)-. "Then, \ou owe no i>ne aiuthin^' now ? " " Nothint^," answered Jicklint,'', with a sullen manner, and a morose look that bore an economy of truth on the face oi them. "Well, then," returned Asheton, either believ- ing or pretending to believe, "you are free to I Ji( kltiigs E.xpcriciu cs. 15 ctl tii take iicnccd to Ashoton, please ti^ \ot so the alac- tlrew out c tlic simi iiii,'' in the > and pro- ith an e\e len after a to scrape laid it on roceedini,'" I JicUliniT, >bts, Jick- ulk\- and 1 the other TietliiiiiL^". " md more 1 a sullen economy ler believ- "e tree to make a fresh slarl wow , and to turn over a new leaf tor the tuture and you must ti'\' and do it iov Nour own sake. I don t want to sa\ an\ thini^' un- pleasant, mind yiUi," he added, in a xniee which I think look us all s|->y over you, or pry about vou, or an\- thino oi that kind ; but I shall make an attempt to render you tit for somethiiii,'', as \i>u"ve hitherto been tit t"or nothini,'-. Last half, and the half he- tore, you never played, and never worked, \ou spent your time moonins^>- abiiut, with \our t'ace unwashed, \'our lessons unlearned, aiul no sort oi object in life but to catch tlies, count the doi^s in l^'isher — the birdman's yard, rim into idiv^ic mucks and i^et swished. That won't do. 1V> an\ thint^- \ou please, pla\' cricket, or boat, or stud\-, init be sonicf/iino: Cu>in_i^- on as you are doino-, \ou"d be a contirmed muff, and perliaps a lei^-, b\- the time \ou're twenty; and then, of course, \o\\\\ lav it half to me, and say that if Asheton, who was your fajL,''-master, had done his dut\', \ou would' nt be where )ou are. .\nd that's tiue. If I had a brother here, I should'nt let him follow the road you're treadino, so I don't see w h)- I should allow you. I'll say more, I dor't think it woidd be honest or fair to allow you. And now that's enoui^h," concluded Asheton, quietlx' pouriui^' himself out some tea ; "you may run alon^- all o'i \ou ; and i6 //(■/i'/iu^o-'s JixpcricNCi's. as for you, >iniiio- man," (tiirniiiL,'' liis c\ l-s on iik-) "bear ill mind what Ivo just said to Jicklint^-. Ho soiiiti/iino, o-jvo \oursolf an aim ; and if it's an honorable one, \o\\ won't be sorr\ tor it b\ and by." In another minute we were all siandini^- out- side Ashetons door, and I (whom his tew wi>rds had impressed more than any pulpit sermon 1 had ever heard) drew a sit>h oi relief {o think what mv fears o'i the morninj^- had all come to, and what manner of fellow it was I was i^foino to serve. " Is he ahvavs like that ?" I asked o\ liekliuij-, witii some emotion. " Yes," answered Jiekliiiir, in huoe indii^na- tion ; " he's always fond oi jawini^-. What busi- ness has he to question me about m\ ticks? Thex don't concern him. And why does he sa\ that he will spy and pry into me all this half? He has'nt the rii^-hl to i\o it. Xo, he has'nt. And its hate- ful snobbishness of him to pretend he has." Whereupon Jicklinj^" turned round faciiii^' the door, and raisini,>- his hand to a level with his countenance, made, I rej^'-ret to state, with his dis- played finjL,aM-s, that i^'-esture which, in all times ami in all countries, has been expressive of con- temptuous deliance. III. Our life at Hton was by no means a mono- tonous owQ, and a new fellow especiallv had so many thin_i;s to visit, to be initiateil in, and to J i( kihti^ '.V /Cxpci/ou cs. L'S on IlK') 1 J ids I i II j^-. I it" it's an it by and itlino- oiit- teu \\i>rcls noil I had ; wliat m\ and what servo, r JicklinjL,'', ' iiulii^iia- 'hat husi- kj Thev ay tliat ho lie has'nt .1 its hato- is." acino' I ho with his th his dis- all times ve ot oiin- a in on o- ly had so n, and to marxol at, that his fust iniMitli was a sc^rt o\' hono\- nuion, \oi-y diffoi-ont tVoin the lirst month at oidi- nary sohoiils. My oonn-ados also i|uiokI\ induotod nio into the science of takins^- thinj^'s oas\ with lo- i^ard to schoi>I-wi>rk ; ami Jickhn^;- wlio was an ,ipt teacher that w a\ . wouki have had me adopt the same spirit in all the other businesses and oh- lij^atit>ns of our small wiM-ld. Somehow he had taken a fancy to me, had Jicklino. It must have been m\ nc^vncss that did it, and alsi> the circumstance that we twn were noio-ldiors which alKnved him, by the wax, to bear down upi>n me at all hmirs, and boirow articles oi n\\ properl\- which he scrupu lousl\- Ibr- t^'"i>t to return, Jicklino- was not only one oi tlu>se Ih>\s who are bent upon .i,''oinir w ron_i>- themselves, but he ilearl) lo\ed to tlrai^" others into scrapes w ith him. I was warned o\ this fatal proponsitx on his part both by C'.reoi^loby and Blazepole ; Stumps minor also conveyed a friendly admonition to me on the subject ; and Asheton one morn i no- sent for me on purpose to say that I must be more careful when Jicklino- was by to advise me. |-?ut these counsels, thouj^h they kept i7ie from fallino into any o\ Jickliuir's more danj^orous snares, did not remove him from my ct^mpany. He was alwa) s with me ; he ack no wled^red with a candour that ilid him honor, that he " liked fellows whom you could humbug till all was b/itCy" and on mv s'oli- citini,^ an explanation, he abruptiv and oravely asked me when my next birthda\ was? "In October,"" I answered naivelv. iS Ji(kling '.V K.\f>crii'incs. '4 I "Next iminth?' said ho. " Well, it's tii hi hoiioii (aiul his c\cs glared o\\ iiK* halt" intiniitla- tiiii^dN) it's to ho iiDpcd thai ymi'll \\o what's usual, and not be mcau and shahin- as stMiie new lelK>ws are. I'^ven' new tellow \\ lu) s W(.>rth his weii^i^ht in raja's, .i,''i>es to the head master, Or. Goodlbrd, and asks him to .irive the wlu^le school a holiday on the hrst birthday he spends here, oiiiv the rule is, to ask a nu>nth in advance, so as \o prevent mistakes, and allow doodtbrd time to order the fireworks." "What fireworks ?" 1 inc|uired. "Wh\ the hreworks that are let otT in the playini»--tields on a new telKns's birthda\,' an- swered JickliujL;'. "And then there's the j^''in.l|'er wine. After the fireworks, i,''ini|er wine s haniled round, and everybody has a i^lassful ; fifth form, two tjlasses full. Wni'll have to see to all thai, he added impressively. Now there was nothiiii^ improbable in any of this to my fresh and unsuspectini,'' mind. At m\ private school (we had numbered just twelve there) every birthday had been an occasion for festivit) , and jL,nni4"er wine had always formed a prominent feature in the day's entertainment. Accordingly 1 saw no reason why it should not be so at liton ; nay, I considered that Hton, beinj^- the worthier place, would probably hold the more strenuousl\ to a worthy custom. So, that self-same afternoon, I stood, by Jicklin^f's direction, under the colonnade of the school-yard, in the presence of Dr. Good- ford and oi all the school praepostors gathered together, as was the rule, to deliver their bills o\ J ii hliih^ 's /C.\/>ir/\u( fs. 19 , it's {o 1)1 I" iiuimitla- ilo u hat's sonic new worth his aster, Dr. u>Ie school ends here, ;iiKe, so as .)rcl time to lift' in the lula\," an- the j^'int^vr le s haniled fifth form, .) all thai,' .' in any ot tl. At my elve there) ir festivity, prominent Lccordin^ly o at lUon ; e worthier trenuously afternoon, .' colonnade Dr. Good- s j^athered leir bills ot absentees, or o\ hoys on the sick list, after three *i'cIocl\ ciiapel. Dr. (.uH>dtord, seeing,'' me stand beside him, with m\ hat on, bejLTan b\' askin*^' me, with statelv courles\ , whether 1 " had a cold in in\ heail." 1 was about ti> answer that "a tiresome coKl, which hati afflicted me some six weeks befiMc liail ha|ipi!\- ilisap|")earetl, and ti> thaid< iiim fi^r so kiiulK iiu|uiriiii4" after it ' when an ojiportune muli^rc from a praepostor ou the rijL,''ht, and a cavernous whisper oi " take off \i>ur hat I" fri>m a pr.epostor on tiie left broM|L,^ht me to a vajL,aie sense o\ tile situation. 1 uncovered, reddenin.i,'' ; and Pr. Cioodfi>rd then, (with the same stately politeness as before), bci^'s^a'd to know ti> w hat he w.is indebted for the pleasure oi m\ \isit. I spoke without a shadow oi ililTiilence, and asked "for a holiday a iion ch'cs for the whole school (Jicklini^' had t'urnished me with the precise words) in honor o\' m\- birthday, w hich fell on the twenty-fifth oi October, and which was now near at hand." 1 have not f"or_iri)tten to this da)-, the intermin- able laus^'^hter that followed, nor the convulsii>ns oi one particular pr;i.^postor aj^-ed eleven, and habitually mournful w ho rolled about again-^t the colonnade, holdinj^- his hand io his waistband, and shriekiniLT "Oh my I Oh my I" from the in- tensity of his feelings. I was known b\' the name of '' Xou IJivs " lonjr afterwards, and Heaven itnlv knows what .,»# 20 //(/x'/if/i; s /C.\piriiiin\ . iH'wi-L'iulinj^ Juki's this Inst siKWssliil aiul ciiul "hoax 4>t I'kUlinj^ s oiitaikHl upDii iik-. Aslu'tDii was tlu- iMily i>ik' who ilici luu laiijL,'li a( it ; aiul as lu' hail si-iioiisl) svi hiinscit to \\w rt.'jL,'','iH'ration (>r Jickliiis^, he tokl that Mnith rmiiul- I\ aiui tiniilx, at raj^jLlini^'- noxt inoinin);, that hi- meant In haw an imuI oi this. Jickhns^ sulked. |{\er sinee thai clisajLfivcahic nn>niin]Lj when Ashetnn haJ hinted at the neces- sity i>r (ieklini^ tninini^ iiver a new leaf, JiekIinjL,»''s life hail nut been a hapjiy one. .Asheton insisted upi>n his washinj^ iiis hands ami taee pi*i>peil\ , hfiishinjL^ his elothes, and keepini^" his roiim in order ; ami mMhiiiiL;' could ha\e been iiumx' ilislaste- ful ti> Jickliiii,', who bei^an to see that a rniii hand was exercisiiij^ its s\va\ over him. /\sheton even went the lent,''th ot seeiujL; for himself every evening" thai jickliiijL; learneil his lessons for the next ilay, and ilid uol |-»ass his time tracim^ pat- terns of-^ his bureau, with a red-hot jioker, as he much preferred to i.\o. One morning- about this time .Asheton caujLfht both Jicklinj^ ami nuself in the ver\ act of bolt in_i^- up llii^h street, when we should both have been u|ion the football |L,''round. " jicklintj-, KH>k here, exclaimed Asheton, '* \ ou're teachinv,>' Rivers to be as disreputable as }ourself ; ' and then turniiii,'' ti> me, he demanded, " What are you doint,'' with JickliiijL;, Rivers?" " He wasi>-oimj' to shi>w me a di^tTi I stam- mered. " A manias brute \ou swore you had ^ot riil oi at the end oi' last half," said Asheton indij^*^- i aiul cTiul not laui^li oir to iIk- nil n>iiiul- L^, tlial Ik- ^a^nvc'al)lc the iK'ces- Jickliiii^'s • n insistcil pit>pcrl\ , riHMii in J clistaslc- it a rirni /Xslioton self every lis lor the icini; pat- ker, as he n cauiiht .)f bi>ltin^' ave been Aslietoii, iitable as ^Miiandetl, Rivers ?'" I stani- d ^ot rid >n iiidii^- //( /(•////;' \ /:"\/). •//,•// •<'s, II naiitly to Jiekliny " \\)u I'll be boiiiul m>ii ineaiil Rivers to buy ibis dos; of vdu. Didii'l be, Rivers- 'lell ine the iriitli, Rivers;-'" I lining m\ beail and was silent ; s/n// was in- ileed the objv-el o\ our e\peditii>n. jieklino had bari|aineil lo soil nie a moiii^iel ^'wv uhieh I diil'iit want, nor he either tor lifleen shillings aiul sixpenee. lie had assured nie thai it was part of established and unsin-nuuiniable usa^Lje to pi>s- sess a ^\o^^, and that by not h.ivino- i>ne, I should be holdini^ myself up as an objeet ot' seorn and derision to the ei>ninuniity We were i>n i>ur wav to the bird-taneier's, where JieUlin^ k,.p| tlu> bruti', when Asheton met us. Ashelon i^iiessed miieh ol' this b\ ouv faces, aiul thoui^j-h we were st.indini^ in the most fre- t|urnted pare o( the street, ami thoui^h it was iu>t his habit lo take the slioJi(...s( notiee o\ a K>wer box in publie, he dealt Jiekliiiir such a box oi\ the e;u- as almost sent him backward into a shop- window. " A (ellow who will sell a worthless di>i,'- to a credulous scho.il-tellow at twelve, will sell spavined horses at twenty, and be kicked of{' race courses at twenty-live," he exclaimed, pale with aui^er. ''.*^^'^\ ^i" aloiii,"- both of \ou in front o\' me to iMsher's, and I "11 follow. U'e'll just see into this matter." The pair o\ us trooped ot\ to^-elher without a word Jicklin.s^- doj^u-od and sullen, but notcrvino-, for he was not the fellmv to shed tears at a slap 'o{ the face, or indeed at any other pinsical mishap. Asheton walked at a saf'e distance' behind near ■'■^ 22 [l( k I iii^i^- \s E.xpcrioiCL 's . enoujLjh \o jTrocludo all idea ot escape- cm Jicklins^'s part, tar eiiouirh not to lot it ho scon that ho hati us both in cusioel\-. In this \\a\' wo roachoti a small and dark hird- caj^o shiip, which wo entered, and so passed di">w ii a lono- and narr(.n\- passai^o at the back into a yard, which was like all birtl and doi,''-ranciers" yards flllotl with curs chained t(.) keiniols ; plainti\e tei- riers which hail their ears cropped and weio whin- inj^ shivorin^K' ; wot)l-stuffod and pin-trussed bird skins set up in the sun to dry ; nielanchol\- rabbits in hutches, and so o\\. Jicklino's do<^', conspicu- ous b\' a total absence o'i breed and b\- deficiency Krsi hair, was seated ow liis hind quarters, and set up a dismal nuisic at our approach. There was an old man, with a weather-beaten hat, _i,»'ivino' a pupp\- milk out of a broken saucer. He looked up, expect! n^' to see some of the lower bo)'s, who wore his nu^st constant customers, but ow catch iiiij' sipht o'i a follow in the cii^'ht, he rose from his stoopino- posture, and fim^orod the brim of his head-dress. " Fisher, which is Mr. Jicklino's doi,''?" asked Asheton, bruscpiel)-. The man addressed as Fisher pointed to the beast, and added apparently for his own private satisfactii>n, for ho could scarcelv expect that any- body else would concur in the remark, " And a andsome dawj^ too. " " Is he paid for?" continued Asheton. F^isher i,''lanced at Jicklins^- as if to know what this meant. Jicklin^- wore such a hang'-doi,'' ex- pression that there was no making" out. Asheton 4 ""i Jii • k ling s Expert Old 's . 23 I Jicklinj^'s lat ho had dark hinl- ssod dt^w n ntoa yard, rs' yards aintivo ler- kvore whin- ■ussed bird o\\ rabbits conspicii- dot:L'iciK"\' rs, and sol hcr-bcatoii :cii saucer, the knvcr >mers, Imh '//, he rose d tlic brim ,»■ ? " asked ited to the w 11 private t thai an\- ok to licklini^"" antl then said : '* \'es, sir, but there be t\\el\e shillini^s owin' fiM- the keep ami ckictorin" lU" him. \'er\ ill that daws^- has been took more than a bucketful o^ plnsic last holidaws I"' And as if t(.> assent, the cur raised his head and piped the most doleful notes. " Did Jicklino- tell \ou there were twelve shil- liniL^'s ou iiii,'' ?" intjuired. /Xsheton o'i me. I shook my head. jicklino' seemiui^'' to appre- hend a sect^nd edition oi the box ow the ear, backed to a prudent distance. But Asheton sim- pl\' said : "it kH)ks, JickliiiiL,'', as if you had meant to sell Rivers this doo- without tellinL,'- him that he was virtu illy in pawn, and leaviui,'' him to find it mit tor himself after he had paid \'Ou the nn>ney ; but as this prett\- transaction was not completed, you are entitled to the benefit o'i the doubt." " \ow, pa\- 1^'isher." In sulky silence Jicklinq' fumbled for his purse, and presently muttered that there were only six shillinos in it. /\sheton looked for himself, and then said he would pa\' the other six shillings, and did. " And now, what's the sum you were to i.i'ive Jicklino-, Rivers?" proceeded he, lookin^j^ hard at me. " Fifteen-and-six," I answered, piteousK'. "What a muft' you must be I" he rejoined with a half-smile ; and then turning'" to jicklini,'- he said : - 24 //( /cl/iiii-s /Cxpi'rh 'iii\ '.v. '• Well, Ii».klinjH', I shall buy \i>ur iloi^- ofMMi, you iiia\- consiilor that I in\o you niuo-aiul-six. " "A ancisoino dawu-, sir," repeated l^'isher w illi suppressed eutinisiasm ; " What s to he ^o\\^ wiih him ?" " Sinee \ou admire him si> mueh, \ou ma\ keep him, answered Asheton. " .\iul now , you two," he ci^ntiuued, he l^aek w> collei^e, and |ljo oii to the toothall held. " \'our nine and six, )iek- linjL;', 1 shall i^ive to Spankie. \'ou told me at the bei^innini^ of the halt' that \ou owed him nothinj^. I'\e learned that \ ou never paid him at all." "I did pay him, ' j^rumhled Jicklini^'. "Spankir has told \'Ou a lie." But as it to render the discomfiture of Jiekliiii^ complete that mornin*^', uv were no S(,H>ner out ot I'ishers shi^p than who should come waddlin^ down the pavement hut this verv Spankie, whi^ immediately made a wheezy dart towards Jicklino-, and spluttered, in the fat va\- pecidiar to him, "Ah, Jicklinj^', sir I' \oure a bad lot, sir I Owed me ten bob, you did, sir ; and never thouj.,^hl oi s^ivin.t;' me a sixpence oi it. No, sir I not \'ou, sir I catch you, sir I "'Inhere is no reason to excite yourself," said Asheton ci>ldl\ ti> Spankie foi^ he evident!)' dis- liked \o see an l*!ton fellow insulted in tliis pitiful way by the tart-seller and he handed Spankie a half st>vereij^'n. " This," said he, in a dii^nified tone that quick- 1\' broui^'ht Spankie's s^Teasy hat from oft' his venerable head, " this is money I owe Mr. Jick- linj^-, and he has requested me to pa\- you. But for the futmv, mind you, whatever Mr, JicklinL; //( /x'////i>'s /f.\/»(77(7/r V. aiul-six. " I'^isluM- with he tloiu , you nia\ 1 iun\ , you and oo oi'i .1 six, jick- d iiH- at the in lunhiiii^. all." "Spankic o( Jickliiii^ oner mit o\ ? waddlino mkio, wild is Jicklinu-, to him, d lot, sir! er thoup-ht sir : ni>t "self," saiil deiitl\- dis- tills pitiful Spaiikio a that qiiick- m off liis " Mr. Jick- you. But r. Jickiiiio takes of you will lie paiil toi" ilure .lud tlieii, \ou uiulerstaiid." Spankie either diei, or didn't niuierstand, Init lie made a pfotonnd inelinatii>n otthe heat.!, sa\ in^- : " ^ es, sir; ol course, sir; I .d\va\s knew I could trust Mr. jickliui^-, sir. Ave a apple, .Mr. jicklino-, '{"hat's what I've just been to \\'indsor about, sir, to buy apples at the market, sir, a line l\ihsti>ne penny a piece, sir pa\ me when you please, sir." Habit was sd inveterate in Jicklini^ tiiat des- pite ever\thino- he had just s^one through, he ac- tually stretched out his hand on hearin_o- that a new credit was opened to him, and would have taken tiie forbidden fruit had not .Asheton pusheil him rouo-hly In the shoulder, exclaimiiio- : " \ ou incori-ioible younir beoii-ar, \ou I I de- elai-e there s uo trusting- you, even in one's siirJH. Xi>u rim off, and if I don't find you at footliall when I ct>nie, \ou'll see what will liappon. As ior you, .Spankie, I warn you that if\cni trust Mr. Jicklino- ao-ain, 1 shall forbid him to pa\ you. Whatever lie owes you I shall i^>-et from him.'and hand over to my tutor to put into tlie poor box. \ ou know i keep m\- word." We played footiiail, Jicklinu and I, that ilay ; and were kept severel\- to tiiat pastime on every subsequent holiday or half-iioiiday. Ashett>n rea'- soned that while pla\ in_ir football' we were at least out of mischief. I^ut Jickiiui,'- was not reformed hv anv means ; and, before this could lie effected, he had still one qua.irmiry scrape to wade throuuli, which, whilst J 26 //'( k/i/io ',v H \f)cr/ciucs\ it almost cut his caroor o^ scrapes shiirl to ctcniii\ , was indircctl}' the means of makiiij^ him turn over a new leaf, much more clecidedlv and definileh tlian Asheton or an\hod\- else would ever haw dared to hope. This scrape was hroutfht aboui hv Windsor I^'air. I\ . Windsor l'"air was an annual episi>de that en- livened the month oi October. It was a three days' vSaturnalia, during- which the roval horouji^li was turned upside down, and all luon kept in a state of adventurous eft'ervescence. liton boys were forbidden attendini^ the l^'air, owini;- to cheap q-amblino- that was conducted b\ means o\ low roulette tables in a spot called Bach- elor's Acre but like many other prohibitions at Hton, this one was made, with a ver\- complete knowled_u-e on the part o'i the masters, that nobod\ had the sliirhtest thouo-ht of payiniy an\ attention to it. Now it stood to reason that Windsor Fair should be to Jicklino- the one bri_i^»-ht date in the year's calendar. It was better than the Hton and Harrow match, and better than the 4th of June ; \ov you broke no rule by ^tj'oinj^'- to Lord's or to Surly Hall, whereas in the Windsor Fair there was first the fun itself, then the pleasure o^ beins^ vaiid\' chased by a master you hated, then the ineffable delii^'-ht o'i breakiui,*- rules all three rolled into one perfect bliss in sliort. Jii kling '.V li.xpcncmcs. 27 to oteniii\ , 11 lui'ii o\ei tl tlefiiiiloK evci" haw utflu ahoiii xlo that oil- as a three al liorouj^h kept in li,*" the l-'air, nducted h\ •ailed Hacli- lihitions at \'\ complete :hat nobod\ ly attention ndsor Fair date in the e Hton and h o'i June ; .ord's or ti^ Fair there re of beins^ 1, then the three rolletl it theretore tell like a thunderelap on Jieklin^' when, the exeniiii^' hetore the first da\' o{ the I^'air, A>heton said \o hini : " Mind, Jicklint:, I won't have ymi i^oint^ to the l''air, {o\- xcni'll he certain to come to Lj'rief in si>me way if you tlo ; and I \e made up m\' mind that " i^rier ' aiul \ou are to he kept apart this half. If I hear you \e been to the hair, \ ou shall have double f;ii^;L,''ini^ for a month, ar d somelhiiii^ else besides. ' XiU (^""o ti> the b\'iir I I{ven Stumjisand Hlaze- pt>le thoui^ht this a stretch o'i prei\\o'ative, and looked compassionatel)- on Jicklin|L;-, as thouj^'h he were beinu victimi/.eel. As for Jicklin^ himself, he said nothing- ; but I readil\- (guessed, from the expiession that stole mer his stubborn face and flashed out oi his shifty e\es, that to the b'air he meant to i^-'o, all prohibitions notw ithstantlino-, nor was I wroui^'. Ihe next morniiii^-, which was the first morn- iui^- of the Fair, at about half-past ei^ht, that is after first school, I was eiy'^aired in takiiij^-a "bun and ct-iffee," at Browns, the pastr\-cook"s, in the midst of a cnnvd oi other hunj^rv bows, when I felt an arm laid upon my sleeve tui^'-s^ins^'-lv, and I recojL^nized the vitice. it was [icklinii's, and he said : " 1 say. Rivers, I'm i^''oing to the Fair. Will you come ? " " And fao-jrinir?" I asked, astonished. " I'm i^oino- to shirk it," said Jicklini^. " \w^ l^raxers ? " " I shall shirk them, too, " was his answer. 28 J ickliiii^' '\ I'l.ypcriciK cs. " 1 il.iro lit. " I ojaculatoil, timiclK. " llu'n, \\>u"ix' a t'liiik, " i\'S|-)oiuloil [ickliiii^, with i^roai cmUonipt. " 'I'his is just tlic timo toi the I'air. All the iiiastci"s aic l">us\ between niiu ami eleven ; there'll he \.\\o at the most there, pro- habl\- oiilv one ; anJ \\e'\e uc>t two whole lu")urs antl a halt before ele\en o'clock schoi>l. I'm l,'■oinlL,^ whether \ok\ do or not ; but, I must sa\', I shouki ni like to funk a ' swishino- ' as \o\\ seem to cK\ sneered Jicklin^'', with iliabolical dei'ision. " I don t funk a swishinj^,' I protested, blush- iiii^" up to the roots o{ \w\ hair. " 'I'hen you funk a licking from AshetiMi tor shirkini,'" fai^'s^'ino', " railed Jicklini^'', waxinjLj more diabolical ; " 1 don't care (lint for /Xsheton," he continuetl, with a snap K^i his tinj^-ers, "and I'm just .iLj'oino' to the l^'air wow on purpi")se to spite him, the brute." Some more conversation ensued between us ; importunateh' temptiui,'' ow his side, feebly resist- iiii^'' on mine ; and the upshot oi it was that, several other bo\s ai^reeiui'' to join the part\', I no Ioniser had the moral courai^-e to hold aloof, aiul in another ten minutes I was crossing Windsor Rridi^e with a beatini'' pulse, throbbini^ heart, and e\es strained to see if the\ would not behoUl a master spring.'" up, like a jack in-the-box, at the next street corner. At Bachelor's Acre lay the focus of the Fair, there were the circuses, shoot! ni.j'-jLialleries, skittle- allies, Aunt-Sallies, loulette tables, and all the fun that is popularly described as "fast and furi- •i'tus. " One could buy i^»-ilt i^'^intferbread there, es a'' se P' th th ^. Jit k/iiigs /Cxpcric/K L\s. 29 ~\\ Jickliiii^, he time i'oy etuccn niiu the IV, pro- vhulo hours I 111 i^oiiiir^ I sliDulcrii! em ti^ tlo," 111. sted, bkish- Vshotoii i'ov i\\n^ more iheton," hi , " and Till ise to spite >U\veeii us ; eb!y resist - lat, several irty, I lu^ aloof, ami i> Windsor heart, aiul 't behtld .1 ox, at the f the Fair, es, skittle- id all the and furi- ead there, flashy porcelain, talse nosos, masks, and other iiiter- esliiii^' iWijects, and indulge in sueli cheap i^amhlinj^' as may be afforded l>y bettiiii^^ pence on marbles, set to race down an inclined plane studded witb pins. it you wanted excitement, youv \\a\- la\ to the Acre, and thither, of course, we all speel. Hy this lime we had forointen that such peo- ple as masters existed, aiul a little iiitc>xicated b\- the beatino- oi' drums, the squeakinu- of pandean pipes and the bra\ in*^- of horns, and the noise o\ the merry-oo-rinmds, we turned a ready ear to the blandishments of a ci>stermono'er, who had behind his barrow i^ot a roulette table, screened b\- a kind ot sackcloth contrivance oi' poles and ropes, and warranted to be " safe as the Bank." Jicklino-, who had i^-athered practical experi- ence of Windsor Fair the year before, was up to a o-ootl mail) moves on the board, and his hrst step, uheii behind the sackcloth screen, was to exclaim in his quick, wild voice, as he laid a shil- liiii^-'s worth o\' pence on the table : " Now, lu-i master ra// see us here ; so if this fellow or anybody else cries out 'beware,' it'll be a talse alarm, mind that. " I suppose the words could hardh h.ive been out of his mouth, when, withtnit the sliijhtest warniiii^r^ without a siiii^Ie premonitory iiidic;ition of peril, the visai^e of the Reverend Mr. Jones, a stern master, intruded itself behind the canvas screen, and froze us all, includiiii^- the costermoiit^er- cnnipier himself, I think, positivel\- breathless with astonishment and terror. Mr. Jones must ha\e seen us at a distance, 30 Jick/ings Expcn'ciiccs. before we liatl p.issetl behiiul llie eaiuas, and lu now contemplated ns with the calm, sure, and sar- di")nic e}e o'i a sportsman who has oot all his hsh in the net and need not lunT\ himself. In his rij^>'ht hand he carried a pocket-hook, from which he proceeded io draw the pencil, read\- to write our names down. The space of awtul time that we stood lookint^ at ou\i another he, i^'^riml)- elate, we, speechless can scarcely have exceeded ten seconds, but it re- mains branded on my memor\- as if it had been ten hours. My sensations were as if the soles oi my boots had become oi lead and soldered me to the earth. rhen Jicklin^', who had inspirations of i»-enius in such moments, abrupt))- dashed his handker- chief over his face, and pulliniL,'' me by the hanil, shouted wildly : " Come ! if we bolt, he can't catch us all.' And saying- this, he dived throui»-h the aperture facini'' that where the master was standinj^-, and rushed out precipitately, forsaking his pence io their fate, 1 followins^' him, aud the rest pluno-ini; after us. Mr. Jones had made too sure ; he had paused just one triumphant second too lono- to consider his haul before callini*" upon us for our names, and here was the result. But he was a man oi eneri^v and quickly buckled to. Thouo^h all the nine o\ us had flown headlong and in different directions dexterously eludini>' the iJ^rabs he made to ri^^lu and left oi him he did not fors^et who was the -iiuthor oi this misadventure, and without a Jli/ilniil S IlApOlCIK IS. 3> \as, aiul lu ro, ami sar- all his Hsli .'If. Ill his from which to write oiii- •otl lookiiijL; pcechloss s, but it ro- il had beoii Lhe soles of lered mo to IS oi tfeniiis s handkei- )• the haiul, ch us all. he a pert u IV iiidinj^', ami s pence \.o it pluii*»-inu had paused to consider names, ami 1 o{ eneri^\ he nine o\ lirections je to rip-ht ho was the without a moment s hesitation slartotl aftoi' lioklini^ antl me, leaving the other sovon to jl;o ihoir \\a\s unliin- ilorod. Xo pair o\ i^azellos o\or ran as Jicklin*^' ami 1 wore tloinju. C>\oi' the rui^'j^od ups and ilow ns i^it Bachelor's Acre ^ve leaped and bounded, with our hair ll\ in*,'' to the winds, and ouv o\os startiiii^ out of their st^ckots at least, I answer for mine. Jickliui^', more coi>I, buttoned up his jacket as he ran, ke|")t his elbows well pressotl to his sides, and threw his head back to gi\e his lo_i,''s all their fair play. But, straiu-ht as the crow flies, the Reverend Mr. Ji^nes was bearing- down upon us our start ot him not beiiiir more than fift\' \ ards. The moment's ai^'oin' which burst upon us when we made this discovery may be readil) conceived. But it was no use feelino' aj^'-onized. "There's a passas^'-e down there which loads across Peascod Street to the Great Western Sta- tion," s^aspod Jicklini^. " Keep up. Rivers, don't bKn\- \ourself. ' Ami this was no vain caution ; for, short as the distance was uo had ci>vered, I alroad)' bos^an to feel as if I could luM j^'o much f.u'ther at this rate. 1^-ecisely as we reached the Station, a train cS old Htonians from Oxford and Cambridi,»-o com- ing;- to see the l^iir steamed in, and these, under- standiiiiT at a o-lanco what was the matter, when they saw Jicklinu- and 1 rimnini>, broke into shouts of laui,>-hter, and j^aily joined in the chase as spectators to see how it would all end. Anv disinterested straiipor who beheld the ;i-^ //< /x'/Z/ii^'s /i.v/>tr/'f//ct:s. i spurt thai follow iJ throiii^li \\intlst)r 'riianus Stivt't must have Ui^iulcivd at tho '^iiLffit. 'Iwo \\(.'ll-clrc'ssc'd bi)\ s, with strcaniiiiiL,'' faces, riiiiniiii^ at the [op o\ tlieir speed, as if they hatl been steal- iiiil spoons ; lift)' yards to tlie rear of them i eleri4\ man of the Church of \']n^\:ind, with a most unchristian s^Iare on liis countenance, also puttiui^ his best fi>ot fi>remost ; and around anil behind tlic cler^'yman, the mob o\ I'niversity men unable \o hoki iheii' cij^'ars in their mouths from Iaui,''hini^. and doins^'' their utmost to impetle Mr. Jones' pro- jL,'^ress by i^eltiiii;^ in his way w henever he seemed to !x' i^'aininjL,'' tot) fast on us. There was i^ne Oxioril man especiall\' wliosc name I afterwards learned was Martintfale, l.orJ I'i MartiniJi'ale uhi> did us valiant service tl e wa^ an enthusiastic sportsman, and this "boy hunt was to him like tlrinkini^ fme elixir. Kacin|Lf alon«^ b\ our sides, with his eye-i^lass screwed in his left e\e, aiul his lavender-S:^''loved hands describini^ frantic j^yratii'ms in the air, he bellowed vociferous encouraj^ements to us in a turf voice : " Now- then, xouiil,'' "uns, i^''o it I I'll back you to win at five to one ! If \'oufe not caui^''ht, you breakfast w ith me at the ' White Hart ' to-mor- row, champao^ne and all the deuce and a five- pound tip for both oi you. Go it, I say, i^o it ! Ilis Lordships noise was so terrific, and in a j^aMieral wa\' the scene was so tumultuous, that ii broui,''ht out tradesmen to their doors; w indows w eiv thrown up ; some ladies paused on the pavement to look and exclaim pityin^'^lv, " What a shame il was to ciiase those poor bovs so ; dot(s began to iM. Jickling 's /Cxpcr/cna's. 3.^ l.t,-"!!!. 'Vwo cs, runniiii^r I hoe II steal- er them ;i with a most ilso putliiii^ I hehind the ■n imahle \o II laui^'-hiiijL^, Jones" pio- e seemed to illy whose ntfale, [.o\\\ He was ' hoy hunt aciiii'' alon;^ d in his lefl descrihiiii^ .1 vocirerf)iis 11 hack you ;aiii»'ht, you .rt ' to-moi- and a five- ay, ifo it ! ic, and in a j loiis, that ii ndows were e pavement : a shame it ;rs began to 1 hark, and all the lai^-raL,'' ami hoh-tail ot Windst^r scattered amonj^'' the I'air Innnhs hurried up hootinj^, and formed a hehistianed labhle that may have been two hundred strong; b\ the time we were at the bintom i>r Castle Hill, altera race that left Jicklinu-and me with hardl\ the w-liost o'i a breath in our bodies. It became urjL,''ent now to take si>me immediate resolutiiMi. W'e could not i^''o on lons^-er like this. It' Mr. Jones did not ^-ive up the chase as it was not likel) he would do with so man\- lookins^ on, and after the exasperation o\ a tall he had sus- tained we must inevitably be overtaken, iov our lej^-s were not of" a streni^'^th to cope with his. JicklinLj", untlaunted to the end, called ou me for a final spurt. W'e were now in the Hatchet Koad, close to the South-Western Station. In half a minute we had reached the dtnir and dashed through, ris^'ht into the midst of a crowd of people takino- tickets for the next train. A i,''uaril at- tempted to stoj-) us ; Lord Martinirale, who was runnino- by om side, pusheil him aside with an oath. Down the platform we sped, stumbliiijLf over luiriraoe, jostlini^- passeuL^^ers, and tramplini^*- an unfortunate ^\o^ undert'oot, amid pierciiij^'- shrieks from his mistress. At the extremity oi the platform Jicklinjj-, leadint,'' the way, jumped down ris^Hn in front of the ent,nne that was about to start, crossed the line in disrej^'-ard oi the chorus o'i shouts and im- precations set up by stokers and porters, ran for a short distance between the two lines oi rails, and then struck off towards some waste i»-round 34 /it kiiiiifs /ixf>cric>i(\\s. skirtiiijn (ho io\viii^''-p;ith by (lie livcr-sido Mar- tingale ami I cKisc al his heels. jiv this sharp iiune we stained iiearl)' five iniiuiles start oi Kev. Mr. Jones, who had to wail on the platform till the train had started ; Inii then there beint,'' no objection to his crossinif the line he took up the chase once more and fol- lowed the identical path that we had taken. The very s^cdlaiilry oi tlie sirus^'-jL|le we were making seemed to him the most ci^jLfeiU reason for brinj^- in^'' us to punishment ; and accordinjL,''ly as Jick- liiijL,'' and I were peltiui,'' alon^j^ the Imving-path at about half a mile from the Station, coni^''ratulatinjL; ourselves ou our escape, MartiniL,''ale looked round and suddenly exclaimed with real disma)- in his voice : " Hn Jove, he has stolen a march on us, niK^ hen' he is/ " Something" seemed to break inside oi me ; it was my last spring of courage giving way — we had run so desperately our hopes had so revived at the thought that by passing through the Sta- tion we had given our pursuer the slip that, to find all this was useless, and that we were on the very point of capture, was indeed cruel. M;?.rtingale, almost as much concerned as we, crSed out, with something very like emotion : "Well, never mind, dash it I I'd rather do what vou've done than win the Oerbv. You're a pair of young bricks that's what you are I'll give my solemn word for it ! " But this was after all but cold comfort. There we were with the towing-path before us, an open Jiihliito 's /Cx/>criciitt's. 35 I lie Mar- icarl)' five ;ul to wail rtcd ; but ossiiijm" tlu- J aiul io\- \CM1. IMU' re inakiiii^ for briii^- y as Jick- ng-pv'ith ai p'aliilatini; >kcd rouiul nay in his oil us, aiK^ of mo ; it { way — u (.' so revived A\ the Sta- p that, to vere on the •net! as we, ition : I rather do You're a u are I'll ovi. There IS, an open space o\' nieadow to our rii^'ht, and tlie river rush- iui,"- in a broad swift stream to our left. Ivseape was inipossibk'. In this despairinj^ moment Jieklini^- turneil ab- ruptl)' ri>und like a youiii,-- eub at baN' looked at me with lire in his eyes, and in a voiee ot fren/y eried : "I say, can you swim?" A thrill seemed ti> shoot ihrouj^h Martin_o-ale ; he ^rjaneed at the river and then at me. "\'es," i oulped, with a o-,-eat dr\ sob; for, indeed, I roit/d swim, havino learned that aeeom- plishment at home. Jieklinj4-stri>ked the perspiration that was bath- in.s^ his forehead, looked huiun-ilv at me aij-ain, and m that moment his Ishmael countenance was r idiant. " But swim in \our c-c-clothes ?" lie stam- mered, ''^'in you? Will you take your outJ> you can?" ;uul he clutched me by the j.icket. "I'll take n)y oath I can, " I panted, with the amaziui,'- courage o\' fear and hopelessness. "Well, look here," said Jickling, darting a distracted glance behind him, " I'll "believe you, and we'll swim for it. Only, h-hark, if vou drown, I'll drown myself too; and if I do that (there is no depicting the solemnity with which he pronounced the next words) ;;/_;/" father, w/io is comtii^i^r /ionic from India next Christmas, ivill icntc to ' The Times' and say it was your fault. '^ I think I felt the terrible weight of this threat, but Martingale, who apparently saw nothing to laugh at, turned round and made a sudden and ] 36 Jicldiug A Experiences, violent use of his haiulkercliief. When he showed us liis face ai^ain I coiikl have sworn his eyes were not clear. " \'ou sha'nt drown, I'll swear that I "' he said eneri^''eticallv ; " not unless I do so too. ' "We had scramhled down the bank b\' this lime and were holdini^' on bv some tufts of o-j-ass. The water was quite deep under us, and turj^'^id, and rapid. Opposite to us la\' the Hton playin_i^'--fields. JicUlini^'' shivered ; but 1 cmdd see it was not for himself, but for me. He looked wistfully to see if the Master would \\o{ !L;i\e up the pursuit ; then, seeiiijL^" that Mr. Jones (who. of course, could have no idea o'i what we were i.,''oini^- to do) was close upon us, he muttered : "We can't let ourselves be taken, ' and floun- dered /leadlof/o ill. I^ven before I had risen to the surface, after followins^" JickliuLi', I could hear the tremendous upri>ar of astonishment and consternation and withal oi admiration that arose when Mr. Jones and his companions perceived what we had done. 'I'he thronj^" of til d luonians, roughs and street boNs that had escorted the master, crowded on the bank, straining their e\es with jL,*'enuine anxiet\' to see what would beciMiie o{ us, and surel\- think- ino- that we were not s^'oini^ to rise as^j^ain. But when it was seen that we not onl\ rose, but struck out for the oppc^site shore, as well as ouv water- filled cK)thes would allow us, loud cheers burst forth and rose in peal upon peal to encourai^e us. Mr. Jones, who was iiot, at heart, a hard man, aiul whose sense oi humanitv was now pettiiiii" the I ^ /i( k/iiio-'s Expcr/ciircs. 37 le sliowcd eyes w ere he said k by this ; of i^rass. jr^''id, and in (^'■-fields, as not for dly to see nit ; then, ould havo was close and /7r>////- faee, after eniendous tion and Mr. Jones had <\ov\c. and street ded on the anxiety to rely think- ain. But but struck our water- eers burst ourao-e us. hard man, >-ettinir the better of seliolastic considerations, ran in distnaN- up and down the bank, shouting- to us that if ue wvndd onl\ come back, he would not report us. l^ul wc either did not believe him, or did not hiear him, or thouu^ht that once in, it was as well to i^o the whole \\a\. J cklino- was swimmino a little in front oi me his tall black hat bobbinj^- ciumousK above the water like a lloal. As we reached mid-stream, however, he slackened so as to let me come up with him, and faltered with a sudden intense ex- pression which I shal' never fiM-s^et : " Mind yow swore you ci>uld swim ; so if anythiui^- happens, it won't be luv fault, will it, eh, Rivers?" " Xo," I o-asped, not immediatel\- understantl- ini; what he meant ; but then it passed through me with an instantaneous Hash that we had both oi us ONcrrated our siien_i,nh ; that, worn out as ue were, we were making- no headway ao-ainst the stream ; and that Jickiim-- had said'this, be- cause he telt himself sinkino-. He turned round once aj^'-ain, as if wantin^r ti> say someti'iinv , with a terrible expression oi an- i^uish in i\is eyes ; but his lips as thev opened disappea jd under water. 1 made i sort o'i un- conscious, cl Itch at him and he rose ; but with all the stre.iifih he had left, he sho > ..imself free, and ijasped as the strcrun bore him out oi reach. " iV'>, you II drown. '^ And then I remembei wo more for f sank /oo. 3« J ickliiio 's Expcrioiccs. V. It w.is laihor iiioiv than a imiiuh after this, tliat Jickhrio- and I weiv seated to ether in \w\ room in my tutor's house, lookin^j- rather cadaver- ous both of" us uitii our pale faces and close- cropped heads. W'e had been within an ace of drownintr. I^ird Martini^ale, and some other c^ld i'Ji.ni," iis, had sa\ed us; but brain fever had s' ,"er v-m ' d, and once ao'ain after escapino- a w,: ex £>■• avc we had seen death face to face. Iltnvever, it was all over nov . W'e were ~m\ the fair road to convalescence ; and Kc-xerend Air. Jones was callino- upon us every da\- to le;;. i how we wei^e, and to cheer us with a few UMiuites talk ; for he had a i^ood heart this Mr. |e.!ies and took a likino tc^ us after this terrible adventure ot which he was the unwilling- cause. It will scarcely be beliexetl that, ow recovering-, jicklini^ siiowed himself what he had alwavs btNM^ that is, much more delio-hted at the exceptio'M character of his last scrape, than thankful to \^ \-o- vidence for the wa\ in which he had come aii r;'' it. 0\\ the particular dav when we were -eated u' my i('om to^jether, as I have just saiil, he wa- charmino- the leisures t>f ciinvalescence b\- manu- facturing- a shor; paj^er tail, like a kite's evident- 1}' with the intention <^{ pinnins^ it to some com- rade's jacket, as soon as he should be well enough to o'o into school ai^ain. Asheton entered just as Jicklin^ was x. ririnj.' ■'« Jick/nio's Ii.xf^i. r/'i -nCiS. 39 after this. her in iin er cadaver- aiul close- .liriis, had /'M ' d, and iTavc we 'e were ^u ^erend Mr. leru I how luites talk ; e.in's and venture o\ •eeoxerino-, \\a\'s htHMi 'xeeptio'M fid to 'ro- .")me Hii rS e -eated \o lI, lie v\as h\- nKi.nii- i evident- some Corn- ell enoiii,*"!! as i^i-jrino on the paper-tail the words ''/Vr.'/.sr, /vV/- wr," s;iw the work, .>hot->k his he, id, and said, with a kind, hah'-pit\ ii;o- k'luoh : " Always the sanw, jiekhno-," jiekhno- th\l not Mke Asheton. Mo put away the paper-tail with a i^runihle in his poeket, as i'f he were afraid it was o-t)inL,>- to he taken Ironi him, and muttered : I didn't see an\- harm in that." "Xo harm at all," said AshctcMi kindl\-, "if it wasn t of a piece with so many other tricks o\' \ours, jicklinu-. Wm'll oi\e up those tricks now after .ill's that happened wi>n't \ou, \onno- man ?" And he laid a hand on Jicklino's shonldei\ "What's happeneil ? What tricks?" asked jicklmo- in ureal discontent, nunulilv tw itchino- his tluimhs. "Well," replied .\sheton, "you, anti I^ivers there, ha\e become //crocs, as it were; and it's heen said that a fellow, who has ihc stuff in him that you slunved on tha' Windsor I-'air day. is worth better thinos than to be continualK- in' hot ^^ater, and at sixes and sevens with everyboily." Jicklino- changed colour sliohtl\- went to the hre, poked it vit^lently, without its havino" an\- need of such operatiitn and said : " \ ou re always bad^erinu me, Asheton I " " I want to see )-ou a o-ood fellow, ami on the hio-hway \o becominij- a man," answered ,\sheton, with almost a woman's {■)atience. " What is, is," said ficklino-, dou-o-edl\-. '*\'ou can t unmake yourself, and \ ou cant ik^ what's impossible." 40 //'ck/iiio' s Experiences. " And what's impossible ? " ashcil Ashcton. "Why," cried Jicklinm' hroaUiiii^' out, and throwiiii,'' down the pokor with a clatter "it's impossible to be ////.v and ///«/, simpl\' because you are told to be it ; and it's impossible to do this or that, when \ou've not strenoth enoujL,'^h for it. What should yon sa\', if I told you to win the football n^atch a^'ainst the Collegers this vear ? it seems sou're in the Oppidan l^leven and the col- ieiJ'ers are strt^nj^'^er than \ou. \'ou know it ; so let Die alone." There was a moment's silence ; then Asheton walked straight up to Jicklini^»-. He had become very pale, but looked at his unhapp\' fa^ with a steady and earnest expression in his e\es. " 1 know the Colle^'ers are stronirer than we, he said, " but will \ou promise me " he paused '"'• will yon promise vie^ Jicklins^, that if I win the match for our side, yoiili change f Jicklintr looked orowlini,'"lv surprised, and i^lanced at Asheton with sullen suspicion. " It's not much to promise, " he said at last, " for \ou won't. ' " Hut will you promise ? asked Asheton. " Well then, yes^'^ said Jicklinj^-, with a dry laui>'h and shrug. "Very well, " answered Asheton, and he leti the room. # •)'<• * * # # * The match, "Collegers versus Oppidans' playcii every year on St. Andrew's Day November 30th — was the great event of the football seascn. Jit k//)igs /i.vpcricnics. 4' Ashcton. _i^' out, aiul iatter "it's because \'oii to do this or .niLrh for it. I to win the his year ? It and the col- know it ; so hen Asheton had become \' tay with a yes. er than we, he paused if I win thr prised, and licion. said at hist, \sheton. with a dry and he left dans' phiyed >vember 30th seasc n . On the day oi the match, Jicklino and I who had not \et been out of doors since our accident obtained leave to ^^o out for two iiours just to see the match and return. Play bej^an at half-past IweKe, and there was always an enormous crowil ; ever\' bo\- in the school, ever\ master and master's family, and some lumdreil ov more ok' luonians beint,'' i^ener- ally present. Jicklinj^- and I, with Greeo-leb\, i^lazepole and others, took up viur pivsition at that part o'i the ropes where the lower bo\s usually coui^'-rci'-ated, making- a frightful "hullabaloo" in response to the oown bows, who, at ever\- ad- vance oi their side, shouted like fanatics, as if the safet\' of the three kins^aloms were at slake. Vov those who have never seen " wall " foot- ball played, a description oi the iL^ame would scarcely be intellit^ible ; and for those who /lavc seen it, it would be useless. Let me onl\' say, therefore, that the points to be scored are ooals ■a\k\ s/iic's a suii^'^le " i,»-oal '" oul-numberini^'- any quantity o( " shies." By the end o'i three-quarters of an hours pla\', three "shies" had been scored by the CoUej^j-ers' l^leven. The i^ame was ,i,''oin^ dead against the Oppidans, who opposed by a formidable trio oi Collei^ers, named Bullockson, Hulke\ and Dray- man, were over-weii^hted, borne down and forced back into their own i.|-round, or calx, ever\- mo- ment, notwithstanding- all their ijallantr)'. Asheton had been performing,'- prodigies of valour in the Oppidan course, but to no purpose. Mve minutes only vet remained befor" the iranie 4^ Jicklitig 's Experiences. was finished, and the conclusion secnied forco-onr. JickliiiL':', who had been watchin^Lj the i»'anie with a curious, silent interest, said willi a short laui^ii, hut rather softlv as I thou^'^ht,— " /Xsheton's plaved well, but he ivon t iciii." Hid Ashelon he.ii- Iiini ? I")i(.i scMue secret \(.iice, I mean, whispei" to him that some suc!i \\oi\lsas these were passin*^' JickliuL^ s lips ? /\n\- how, he i^Ianced lowartls us, or at least towards the mass i^f \ellin!L^' lower bo\s for he did utM know where we perst>nall\' were and with a de- termined i^'-esture took off his cap and threw it to the o'round. It was the action itf a man who is preparing- to hs4'ht. Then, this is ivhal li'e saiv. The ball was then within the Oppidan calx, but a sudden movement broui^ht it before Asheton's foot. He stuck to it, and from that moment it did not lea\e him. Crtnichino', stumbliuiL;'. running' o\er it, playing; with feet, elbows, and head altoijether he " bul- lied " it rioht down the whole leni^th oi the orounil unheedinjL;' kicks, pushes, mobbin<^'-s, or an\- thins^else. llulkev, the College "post," shinneil him savaL;el\- ; Pravman bore down upon him. with his shoulder, like a battering-ram ; and, jusi as Asheton was within a few \ards oi the ColleL;e calx, Bullockson, the captain, made a rush as I't thunder, and both rolled over looether heaiW first -in the mud. IMiere was a moment's breathless lull in tlu' whirlwind oi shouts, \o see who should rise first with the ball. it was Asheton. Limping,'' ami Jic k/iiio' s /ixpcr/oK I's. 4.1 lI torc'o'oiic'. i^aiiio with hort hiu^h, omc secivt serine siicli ips? An\- ist towards he did noi witli a do- threw it to nan who i^ II was ilu'ii nioveineiii stuck to ii, Iea\e him. it, pla\iiii; he "'hui- the orouiul ■;, or an\- t," shinncil uy)on him, ; and, jiisi he CoIIes^v rush as o\ ler heads lull in tlu' A rise first npinu- ami I hieedin,i,^ for the hlootl was flowing'' in torrents ' from his nose, he still enniehet! o\er the hall, and with soniethinjL;' like superhuman eneri^»'v shot it inei' the ealx-Iine, t'olIi>wed it, raised it with his foot at^ainst the wall, and ttuiehed it with his hand ; whilst the umpire in a loud voice, and amid de- liriiHis excitement shouted "sin." .\ " sh\- " means the ri^ht to take a sIuH at the i!;o;i\ with the fov>thaIl the whole ri\al eleven standiui^' in x'Oiu" wa\' to ohsti'uct \ou. Wtt a hoy or man spoke, as .\sheton, white as a sheet, poised the hall, raiseil it hii^h ahme his head, and with another lot^k towards us, threw it sti'aii^'ht forward. 'I'hei-e was a thud, a disma\ed slunu from the Collei^ers, and the Opj^idan umpire, throwini^' his hat in the aii-, cried : " (roa/ !" At that moment the Collei,''e clock clammed mu hall-past erne, the time for pla\- to stop. 7'/tc Op/)/(i(iiis hail ivoti the nia/r/t. With a i-oariujL;' K>ud, deep an*.! ccMUinuous as the waves oi the sea the Oppidans hurst the ropes, anil rushed on the ground, scampering- towards Asheton to cari'\- him in tiMumph. jicklinu- and 1 were home alon^with the ivst, addiuii our own voices to the tumult mechanicall)-. Asheton seemed to expect us. Just as the mii^'htv Hullockson was takino' him to lift him on his shoulders, he made a step forward, and holding,'- out his hand to Jicklino- the first and lasc time he had ever dime such a thin^' to a lower Inn' in public he said : ^% 44 Jicklitig s Experiences. Voii sec, youiio- man, it ivas |-)ossi|-)lc.' Jickliiii; said nothing-, and walked .di>n,i^ In my side, back to our tutor's house, witlunit opcii- inj^- his lips. He was pale and moody, and 1 remember he kicketl a particular pebble betoiv him as he went, with a strangle and absent expres- sion. At dinner time he said he was " not hunj^rx , and went and 'hut himself up in his room. Ik had not re-appeared b\' tea-time ; and as it so happened that I desired to see him that evenins^ about somethini,>- or other, I went to his room and opened the door. The liini^'-es did not creak, so that he did not hear me, nor look up. lie was seated at his table, loitli his head buried in his arfus, and he zvas sobbijig as if his heart would break. * * # # ■Sfr * # i>fonc Many chani»-in^>' years have come and since that memorable St. Andrew's day o\\ which Asheton won the football match for his side, anJ showed the power o{ a resolved will to overcome obstacles apparentl}' insurmountable ; and on which Jicklin^ broken down at last, remember- ing- his promise to Asheton wept in the solitude of his room over his own perverseness and wasted opportunities. * 4(- # % « * ™" If you ask nowadays oi any old Etonian '"t< JickUng \s lixpcnciucs. 45 HKtiijLj In lioiit Dpcii- )d\-, and I iblo lietoro eiit ex pre s- )t luinL,TV, room. I L d as it so lat evciiinj^ s room and •t crcaU, so "|Vk1 you know Jicklino"?" ho will prohalily answer \ou : " Jieklinii;' ? Po you mean the tellow ulio M IS .Wweastle sehokir and in the Eleven? }le went to Oxford, didn't he? and took double ,^lioiioi"s ? " " I think so." "And stay, didn't he marr\' somebody? If 1 ^renu'inher arijL^Hu she was the sister of Sir l^'rederick Ashfton ? "' " Tiiat's the ver\' one I mean. I was sure you jiinist have known him, or at least have heard lot him, and oi his early experiences, and oi the Ichaiiire that came to pass." head buried heart would * and Of one y o\\ whieli is side, anJ 1 overcome ; and on remember- he solitude md wasted FINIS, * Htonian