>#•.

S ^

IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)

\^^j^

V-*^*

1.0

I.I

1.25

^1^ 1^

12.2

10 Hill 2.0

U IIIIII.6

^^]

Photographic

Sciences
Corporation

L1>^

'^V

33 WEST MAIN !>r/<£ET

WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580

(716) 072-4503

CIHM/ICMH

Microfiche

Series.

CIHM/ICMH
Collection de
microfiches.

Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques

Technical and Bibliographic Notss/Notes techniques et bibliographiques

The Institute has attempted to obtain the best
original copy available for filming. Features of this
copy which may be bibliographically unique,
which may alter any of the images in the
reproduction, or which may significantly change
the usual method of filming, are checked below.

□
□
n

Coloured covers/
Couverture de couleur

Covers damaged/
Couverture endommagee

Covers restored and/or laminated/
Couverture restaurie et/ou pellicul6e

Cover title missing/

Le titre de couverture manque

Coloured maps/

Cartes giographiques en couleur

Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/
Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire)

Coloured plates and/or illustrations/
Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur

Bound with other material/
Relid avec d'autres documents

Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion
along interior margin/

La reliure serree peut causer de I'ombre ou do la
distortion le long de la marge intirieure

Blank leaves added during restoration may
appear within the text. Whenever possible, these
have been omitted from filming/
II so peut que certaines pages blanches ajout6es
lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte,
mais, lorsque cela 6tait possible, ces pages n'ont
pas 6t6 filmdes.

L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire
qu'il lui a 6t6 possible de se procurer. Les details
de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-dtre uniques du
point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier
une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger una
modification dans la mithode normale de filmage
sont indiqu6s ci-dessous.

□ Coloured pages/
Pages de couleur

□ Pages damaged/
Pages ondommagdes

□ Pages restored and/or laminated/
Pages restaurdes et/ou pelliculdes

D
D

Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/
Pages d6color6es, tachet^es ou piqu^es

I I Pages detached/

Pages d6tach6es

Showthrough/
Transparence

Quality of prir

Quality in6gale de I'impression

Includes supplementary materi<
Comprend du materiel supplementaire

r~T| Showthrough/

I I Quality of print varies/

I I Includes supplementary material/

Only edition available/
Seule Edition disponible

Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata
slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to
ensure the best possible image/
Les pages totalement ou partiellement
obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure,
etc., ont 6t6 film^es d nouveau de fa^on d
obtenir la meilleure image possible.

Additional comments:/
Commentaires suppl^mentaires:

This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/

Ce document est film6 au taux de reduction indiqui ci-dessous.

10X

14X

18X

22X

26X

30X

12X

16X

20X

24X

28X

32X

The copy filmsd her* has b««n r«produc«d thanks
to the generosity of:

University of British Columbia Library

L'exemplaire filmi fut reproduit grice A la
gwnitrosit* de:

University of British Columbia Library

The images appearing here are the best quality
possible considering the condition and legibility
of the original copy and in keeping with the
filming contract specifications.

Les images suivantes ont 4tA reproduites avec le
plus grand soin. compte tenu de la condition at
de la nettetA de i'exemplaire film*, et en
conformity avec les conditions du contrat de
filmage.

Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed
beginning with the front cover and ending on
the last page with a printed or illustrated impres-
sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All
other original copies are filmed beginning on the
first page with a printed or illustrated impres-
sion, and ending on the last page with a printed
or illustrated impression.

Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en
papier est imprimAe sont film6s en commen^ant
par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la
dernlAre page qui comporte une empreinte
d'impression ou d'illustration. soit par le second
plat, salon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires
originaux sont filmis en commen^ant par la
premiAre page qui comporte une empreinte
d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par
la derniire page qui comporte une telle
empreinte.

The last recorded frame on each microfiche
shall contain the symbol — ^> (meaning "CON-
TINUED"), or the symbol y (meaning "END"),
whichever applies.

Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la
derniAre image de cheque microfiche, snion le
cas: le symbole — ^> signifie "A SUIVRE", le
symbole V signifie "FIN".

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 diegrams illustrate the
method:

Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre
filmAs i des taux de reduction difftrents.
Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre
reproduit en un seul clichA, il est film* A partir
de I'angle supirieur gauche, de gauche A droite,
et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre
d'images nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants
iliustrent la mithode.

I 111 I II^KAKV

nil uM\i Ksirv ()i

HKIIMJ {()[ [\\\H\\

'(ffi rnirftM' finrn'iiirnfff»'i« IMIMPM fMfMt»iM»Mrfnn»iMWn!» nnmM«innMP|i!?i(ftini»ifi<i!n'i'i

THE ADVENTURES

PRICE. 25 CENTS.

IfflMfflfflfflfflffiBMfflffifflfflfffffflffiffflfifflfflfflf

uii iimiiiti iiuuiHittiuiiaii iitiurfu

u '

»-,

4l^^

— --I-

l<ll>l J 111 'III

■*' '

■

^itf^A

THE UPS AND DOWNS " , . p?

3sro. V,

lEXVILLE,

]Jeing a Full, True and Correct Account of what happened in.
the said School Section during a Period of Twelve Month?,
uTV more or less, and of some Things that were enacted

^ beyond its Limits, with a few of judicious Ke-

V marks on *

'S
>

Religious Instruction in Public Schools ;

THE MORALITY OF FRESH AIR,

TEACHER'S "RECOMMENDS,"

AND BOGUS CERTIFICATES.

AN OLD MAID,

(Who was •'Plucked/')

PREFACE.

M-

The readers of this history will probably vary a good deal
in their oi)inions about it. Some may feel disposed to think
think that there is too mach bloodshed ! some that there is
too much love, some that there is too little ; and some that
taking it all tlirough the story ia too thrilling. The historian
cannot avoid these things, that is, if ho is determined to tell
the truth.

Should there be any who find fault with the chronological
arangemeiits, as they will probably discover plenty of room to
<lo, the answer is 'Teccavi," which being interpretated signifies
It couldn't be helped.

The object was to crowd the facts somehow inside of a year,
and had not the M'riter employed much wise discrmination for
this purpose, the book you now hold in your hand wouldn't
be the same book at all I It would be a volume the size of
AVorcester's big dictionary ! In that case it is not probable that
more than eight or ten thousand copios would have been sold,
whereas, as it is, every parent, teacher and inspector in this
pjovince (including Rat Portage) will purchase two or moro
copies.

CIIAPTFR I.

" Dick, if you will bo kind enough to run down to tbe
post office and inquire if there's anything for me, I'll give you
five cents to get fire-crackers for the Queen's Birth-day, and
if you bring me back a letter, so long, you shall have ten."

" Yes, ma'am. Right oflfl"

" If you please, Dick — right off, and come homo as fast as
you can, like a good boy."

" If I run all the way there. Miss Pollock, and all the way
back, will you give me fifteen cent**, eh 1"

"Be off Dick at once, and we'll see about that when you
return.'*

At the age of ten or twelve, the prospective poasespion of
a few cents' worth of Chinese squibs is as likely to inflame a
boy's zeal in the execution of a task, as the squibs themselves,
after he gets them, are likely to inflame either his eyes or his
coat-tails.

As the sleighing was good, and a long hill lay between
the farni to which Dick was heir, and the village post office,
he *' allowed" he "had better take his hand-sled along and
ndo anyhow," running the chance of Oither getting back on a
wood-sleigh, or having to drag his own vehicle up the hill
which he intended to bo carried so speedily down.

It is not difficult to guess from the little we know of Dick
lip io this point, that he was a Canadian, not only because ho
asked whether he was expected to render his assistance " right
off" or " right away," but because he had an eye to the main
chance, introducing a condition into the little bargain, by
which he ii)H/ht gain fifty per cent, while at the same ti.ne ho
was sure of losing nothing. If we add to these reasons, tho
the rapidity with which he formed the plan of doing his work,
in the shortest possible time, and with the least possible trouble,
the evidence of Dick's nationalitv is not far from being com-
plete.

He had been " raised " on a t^rm, scarcely a quarter of a
mile from the village of Harden in one of the central, stock-
Taising, Ontario counties — was used to being " routed" out of
bed every morning at five o'clock, ever since he had been ablo
to handle a turnip or " mind a gap f had often been present
when " Dad" was bargaining with butchers for cattle or sheep
both in the farmyard and at monthly fairs ; had early been
initiated into the mysteries of trading jack-knives " onsight,
oneeen;" knew all the wrinkles connected with "Indian turnip ;*

4 THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

felt competent to give his opinion about the number of bushels
to the acre a field might yield, and regarded himself genorally
as little, if at all inferior, in matters of business, to the "Old
Man."

Those who know the real " Canuck " of from ten to
sixteen cannot have failed to notice the odd mixture of youth
and age, simplicity and sagacity, that go to form his character.
Of this type was Dick Ferrand. Whilst possessing dignity
enough to bpeak of the farm as liis " place," and to " guess "
there would be a change of weather at the next " quarter," he
•was not above being addressed as wo have seen, especially in
. view of his pockuting ten cents or more by the transaction.

Miss Pollock was the schoolma'am of the village, officially
known as Section No. 7, Ilexville township, in which was situ-
ated the farm of Mr. Joshua Ferrand, Dick's father, at whose
house she boirded. Miss Pollock didn't know very much,
and had been trying hard for some time to know ^ good deal
more ! not from any consuming lovo of knowledge on her
part, but in obedience to the behests of law, directed by the
educatioual authorities against, or rather in favor of, all who
aspired tu the position of teacher.

In accordance with law, therefore, Miss Pollock had pre-
sented herself at the county town, for examination in second-
class subjects under the New Act. For the previous six mon-
ths she had been employed under a "permit" from the
Inspector, and was now waiting most anxiously to learn the
result ot whrtt see regarded as the ordeal to which ohe had
bepn submitted. Six weeks had passed, and the hope-deferred-
sickness-of-heart, began to make itself felt. Would Dick
'*fiD2 a letter? Would it be the letter] If not, what irouhl she,
yrhat sJiou/d she, do 1 " How that nasty, mean thing Polly Ann

Martin, will rejoice if I'm plucked, and then there's " but

here she stopped short, her cheeks became even rodder than
usual, she would have given anything in the world, except a
second-class certificate, to get a real good cry. A mouthful of ^
water and a hasty toilet refreshed her a little, but for the next
half hour her mental sufferings were of no ordinary kind.

Was Dick never coming backl ah ! there he is, just com-
ing up the linn. Yes, Dick had returned and brought Miss
Pollock a letter. She could hardly refrain from running to-
meet him, and as soon as he entered the door, her heart sank
to see him extending to her only a common-looking missives
"whieh she took from him rather unceremoniously and rushed
upstairs to her own room ; Dick, as soon as he could get hi»
breath, shouting after her, " Holloa you, there, Miss Pollock^
I want them ten cents." To get rid of him, and not haTing

IX mon-
om the
arn the
be had
sfevred-
l Dick
ihl she,
ly Ann
" but
or than
xcept a
hful of ^
he next
bd.
st com-
ht Mis&

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7. 5

<;hange for the sum demanded, she threw down a " quar-
ter," which he pocketed with the remark that ho was glad
he didn't get a letter "so-long" as that would have brought
him only fifteen. It is needless to say that the schoolma'am's
letter did not contain a certificate, although it came from the
•Secretary of the Examining Board. The efifect produced upon
her by reading it, was not at all what might have been expect-
ed, taking her previous feelings into account. It wont on to
say that " The 13oard regretted very deeply " and so on, " but
when Miss Pollock considered that she had done absolutely
nothing, either in Grammar or Composition she would perceive"
etc. l)ut she did not perceive. Did this mean, she laid to
herself, that she had really written nothing, or only that what
she did write was held at that value 1 She soon made up her
mind what to do. It was yet but eleven o'clock — the county-
town stage wouldn't leave for an hour — she would go and see
the Inspector, although she could not well bear the cost, but
expense, she thought, was better, in this case, than suspense.
It is unnecessary to follow her during a miserably, cold ride
of nineteen miles in an open stage, to find the Inspector away
from home. It is equally unnecessary to say that when she
returned at nearly midnight to her snug little room in Mr. Fer-
rand's, she was in a pitiable state, as well of body, as of mind.

Next day — Sunday — she suffered all the agonies of severe
nervous headache, and no persuasion of the motherly Mrs.
Ferrand could induce her either to eat or to exert herself. "Dad"
himself went up to see her, and to both him and Mrs.
Ferrand she sobbed out her sorrowful tale. *' That's nothin* "
said Joshua Ferrand, or Josh rs he was commonly called,
** You ain't a goin' to leave our school for all o' that. You
kin git another permit till summer anyhow, I'll bet my boots.
Why all I've got to do is jist to tell the Inspector I want him
to, an' he'll do it of course, or what's the use o' me bein' Reeve
o' Rexville t That's what I want to know." " Of course " said
Mrs. Ferrand, " don't vou take on so, like a dear, and Dad 'II
make it all right. Now I'll tell ye what, I havn't been to
church for two weeks, an' I'd like real well to go out to-day
an' hear Mr. G^bbin from Gobblersville, so if you'll fix up din-
ner for us, an' put a fire on in the settin' room I'll be obliged to
ye."

It was in vain for Miss Pollock to declare that she did not
desire a ' permit,' and that she wouldn't teach on one if she
had it ; neither Mr. nor Mrs Ferrand could understand such
sentimentality : however, arrangements were made according to
the wishes of the latter, and Miss Pollock found the ocoapa*
tion of " fixin' up dinner " quite a relief by way of turning her

C THK ADVENTUKES OF NO. 7.

attention in some measure aside from her own sorrows, and,
this was, the sole object Mrs. Ferrand had in vie>i' when the
proposal was made, for in truth she had never found one or
two Sundays — or, for the matter of that, three or four of th«m
out of church, do her much harm.

Towards evening the teachtr found herself much calmer and
better able to see things in a more reasonable light than she had
done for the previous thirty-six hours, but ^he was still fully
determined to teaoh the next day only, and to tell the scholars
notto return until they had a new teacher. ,

This resolution she carried out by despatching Dick early
on Monday morning with her resignation to the Trustees, ox-
plaining that slio would cease to tukechargeof the school that
afternoon, because having failed to secure a certificate she had
not a legal standing as a teacher. Before noon the news had
spread over most of the section, and was received in quite
a variety of ways. "It was a pity," " S'pose it can't bo help-
ed," "jNice girl, Miss Pollock," "Kind o' stuck up," *•' Guesa
she'll have to get married," and, " What'U Dr. Eoso think of
her now V Oh the whole, however, the parents were truly
aorry to think of losing her services, and many of the pupils,
that is, all the very little boys and some of the big girls took,
a cry over it.

' • CHAPTER II.

Let us see how the affair was regarded at the residence of
Polly Ann Martin. This Polly Ann Martin had written for a
certificate when Miss Pollock took one four y«ars before, but
Polly Auu didn't succeed. Miss Pollock shortly afterwards
took charge ot No. 7, hence the " feeling" >>etween these two
young Jatlies. The name of Miss Poilocw s feeling was con-
tempt — of Polly Ann's, spite. This spitefulness too, was shar-
ed in as much by Mr. Philip Martin, and Mrs. Dorothy Mar-
tin, as by their child of genius, Polly Ann. When Phil Martin,
theroforo, returned at noon from a visit to Harden, a look of
sinister [)leasure seemed to glisten in his little grey eyes, as he
said to his wife " Well, 1 rather guess Hannah Pollock '11 feel
took down a bit at not gittin' a certificate."

" Lawk-a-daisy I You don't say so. Weill can't say I'm a
bit sorry. Did she stick on the 'rethmetic V

When Polly Ann failed, she " stuck on 'rethmetic " and Mrs.
Martin had heard of others sticking in the same way, so that
although she had no very clear idea as to the difference between
" rethemetic " and " jography " or any other study, she knew
it at all events by reputation, as a "sticker."

ID a

THE ADVENTURES OE NO. 7. 7

" Yo8, sbo stuok ou 'rotbmetic, so I hoord. Didn't git one
lisht out of ten, an' her grammar wasn't worth a cent, Sam
Cneckley's wife says ; an' she's goin' to Toronto to learn dresa-
makin', for her step mother declares she needn't think to hang
around home no more."

As Phil Martin concluded this piece of gossip, Polly Ann
bolted into the kitchen holding up a square looking sheet of
paper, which she could scarcely find breath to say was hir cer-
tificate, for she had tried every year since her first failure, and
had it appeared, at last, been successful, for she was not devoid
of ability.

"Lawk-a-daisy I You don't say ho," exclaimed iMrs. Martin,
" well, now, if my cup o' happiness ain't full. Did you lioar
]*olly Ann, that Hannah Pollock stuck on 'rethmetir^ this tinio 1

"Yes,"' said Polly Ann, *'Tom Horsfall told mt hoa ho
gave me the letter at the front door a minute ago, but 1 1 uouldn't
wonder though if she hasn't brass enough to get -^iiothpr 'per-
mit' and teach along till next examination."

Mr. Vh\\ Mart'U now went out to attend to his stable duties,
in the midst oi vvfhich,he resolved tc call on Messrs Mj ravish,
Turne- and Schuntz, the trustees, to s'le what ooui l be done
in favor of Polly Ann's application for No. 7, for ho wiw deter-
mined she should api)ly.

At the dinner table ho announced his purpose to ^Ers Doro-
thy and Polly Ann, both of whom were in full accord with
him in his scheme. So too, were all the young Martins who
went to school, Jeruahu, and liOvi, and Nancy, and Wesley,
and Albert Edward. Levi gave Wesley a " dig in the ribs"
and whisperf^d something, of which all that was audible sound-
ed something like '* by jingo " and " highjinks."

Early in the afternoon, Mr. Phil Martin, in his cutter, drove
first to the residence of Mr. Archibald McTavish, who acted as
Chairman and Secretary treasurer of No. 7 Eexvillo, Board of
Public Trustees. McTavish was at home, and very busy amid
the stalls of his " bank barn," attending to the wants of nearly
half-a-scoro of cattle ho intended to dispose of at thencxt Har-
den fair.

" Good day, Mr. McTavish, them's a fine lot c' beasts you've
got, you don't see so many head o' cattle like that every place
you go.,'

Mr. McTavish was a man of few words, and although his
own opinion " anent " the stock was quite as i.igh as Phil
Martin's was, or as Phil said it was, having no great notion of
his neighbor, he simply half-grunted, " I suppose no."

" I should think they'll bring from $50 to |60 apiece all
round Mr. McTavish, don't you think so 1"

■IHiMHI

«"'

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

Now, if there's an^^thing a Scotchman dislikes to discuscr
with a neighbor, it is his profit and Iobs account. No true
Scotchman has evei been known to tell his wife even, more
than that he " did no' that ill the-day,"oT that he expects " to
gar this pay weel." She, like a sensible woman, would no
more think of going into particulars, than she would of ques-
tioning the theology of the Confession of Faith or of the Shorter
■Catechism, and yet, here was a man who thought himself cute,
and bent on winning over Mr. McTavish in a delicate piece of
business, actually making a guess at how much the latter might
clear off his grades !

-' I should think they'll bring from $50 to $60 apiece all
round, don't you think so 1

Said Mr. McTavish " Perhaps yes, and perhaps no," and
hereupon he made a dive into the root house close by, where
he remained ten times longer than was necessary to fill a bas-
ket with turnips, hoping that " Maister Mairtin " in the mean-
time would retire. But Mr. Martin didn't. "When McTavish
re-appearcd Martin was ready for him again.

"Is it true Mr. McTavish that Miss Pollock ain't agoin' to
teach no more?"

*• I couldn't say.''

" I was told she wasn't." ' < ' : ' ,

" Inteet !"

'' Yes, I heerd tell she'd sent you word she wouldn't stay no
longer 'n this week."

" Oh !"

" Is that so, Mr. McTavish 1"

" I'm not at loeberty to say."

"Well now that's kind o' queer, you an' I have been old
friends for nigh on thirty years since we settled in Rexville,
an' you mightn't be so close as all that comes to 'specially as
I've an interest in findin' out."

"What interest you'll have, Maister Mairtin ]"

** Well now, just atween ourselves, if Miss Pollock ain't a
goin' to hold on I kind o' thought my daughter Polly Ann,
seein' as she's got a certificate, might git the place if she kin
git as good recommends as any one else, eh 1"

'• All I can say, Mai ?ter Mairtin is just this; if Miss Maiitin
pits in her application, it will receive careful con8itheration,in
case we require a teacher, but I can tell you no more at prais-
ant until the meeting of the Boord "

" You haven't got nothm' agin Polly Ann if she does apply,
have ye 1

Mr. McTavish didn't want to answer this question, so ha
became interrogator and saidj^ —

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7. 9

"How old is she?"

" Eighteen, risin' nineteen, an' one o' the best gals you erer
seen around a place, why she kin knock the spots of her moth-
er in makin' custards and tidies an' all other kinds o' 'broidery
work."

" Well, Maister Mairtin. the Boord will meet in the school-
house at four o'clock, so that I must go and get the meenute
book ready, and if we require a teacher you'll see it in the
papers. Gool aifternoon."

CHAPTER III. I ,, '

Phil Martin had no reason to feel pleased over his first at-
tempt to secure influence in favor of Polly Ann, but thinking
he might succeed better with Mr. Turner and Mr. Schuntz, he
drove off towards the farm of the latter, Turner's place being
in the opposite direction and much farther away. Mr. Jacob
Schuntz was a Pennsylvania Dutchman, one of those thrifty,
hard-headed, close-fisted, honest settlers who have done so
much towards making Ontario what it is — the Garden of
•Canada.

On Martin's arrival, Schuntz was was sitting astride of a cedar
post boring two inch holes with a crank and pinion auger, and
humming to himself the tune of an old Lutheran hymn, be-
tween the bars of which he frequently shot a stream of tobacco
juice into the last hole he had bored, and this he did so per-
sistently, that one might have fanciod him to have some pre-
servative object in view.

*' Busy as usual, Schuntz" said Martin, homing out his hand
to grasp his neighbor's, ** what a wonderful man you do be to
git through work. Why there ain't nothin' you don't make ;
pests, gates, pickets, barrows, sheds, shanties au' sich, an'
now when I think of it, you built the house, didn't ye?"

"Yah, und a pooty goot house too — eight rooms and one
kitchen, finish out and out, und only choost gost me five hoon-
der, forty six dollar dirty-seven a half cent. Goot cellai too,
dry as can be, bump cistern and all. Sheap house don't it."

" You're a caution. There ain't another man in the town-
ship as handy as you be, or that makes more money. Your
youngsters '11 have a nice pile some day, an' talkin' about
younszsteis, puts me in mind of a report that Miss Pollock's
agoin' off, wonder if it's true V

" Maybe itjwas. I know someding's up, for McTavish vants
a meeting to-night. Yell, I hope Miss jfollock don't go oSi»
Mine shildren goes along fusht-rate mit her."

mImMM

THE ADVENTURES OF KO. 7

!• 'I

" If you want a new teacher Mr. Schuntz, don't you think
my daughter would suit you t"

"Vichr

'* Polly Ann. She's just took a certificate, an' would like
to pitch right in an' do something for herself, I know she's
awful found of young ones. I heerd her say how much she
liked some of yours only the other day."

"Berhaps ii yas Fritz she like."

" No, no, you're joking Schuntz, I mean the little ones. I
can get good recommends for her if you would promise to give
her a lift."

" "Well, Mr. Martin, I don't know much schooling myself,
and I most in shenerally shoost agree mitMr. McTavish, vhen
I oondershtand not myself."

"If I was you now, Schuntz, I wouldn't allow old McTavish
to lead me hy the nose, I would "

'^ Vat you dink he nose m© by the lead 1 No Sir. No man
pull my nose. No sir. Mr. McTavish never do so. He's a
shentleman. No Sir."'

"You don't understand me, Mr. Schuntz. I only mean that
I wouldn't allow him to have all the say. I didn't mean no
insult. I only thought that for old friendship's sake you'd
give our Polly Ann a chance anyhow, an' I'm scared old Mac's
down on her, d'ye see. "

"Veil, I guess so too ; we're old vrients und she should have
shoost so goot a shance as anybody. But ve'll see to-night."

"Much obliged, Mr. Schuntz, an' if she gits the sit, you may
reckon your youngsters won't have no reason to be sorry for
it anyhow." ' ,,,,

" All righdt, you'll hear to morrow, Mr. Martin, but you bet-
ter gall and see Durner."

After another leave-taking Phil Martin did not feel as he
wanted to feel. He had tried to please, and wasn't sure that
he had quite succeeded any more with the Dutchman than
with the Scot. If money had been any object to Schuntz, he
was prepared to offer hira five or even ten dollars for his influ-
ence at the board, but the way the nose-leading allusion had
been received was quite enough to show how the offer of money
would have been regarded, oven if Schuniz's character had not
been already too well and tco widely known.

Martin's only hope new lay with Turner, and on this last
chance he determined to do his " prettiest " as he termed it.
To his chagrin, however, Mr. Turner had left for the meeting
by going through the bush, only a short time before he reach-
ed the house. Nothing remained but for Mr. Philip Martin
to return to Mrs. Dorothy Martin and Polly Ann, and to in-

« •

'■:

^ou think

)uld like
low she's
nuch she

ones. I
le to give

3 myself,
isb, vhen

IcTavish

^0 man
He's a

lean that
mean no
e you'd
Id Mac's

lid have
ight."
ou may
)rry for

Srou bet-
el as he
ire that
m than
mtz, he
s infill-
on had
money
lad not

lis last
ned it.
leeting
reach-
^lartin
to in-

■J

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7. U

foim them that he thought " the sight was darned poor, any*
how." From the use of the foregoing profane-looking explec-
tive, it must not be supposed that Mr. Martin was in the habit
of using what Artemus Ward called " cuss-words." Far
from it. He was a member of the church in good standing,
and allowed himself the luxury of " darn " only when he was
a trifle out of Borts, as on the present occasion, and besides that,
he, like many other good, right-minded Canadians, did not
regard the word in question as being very sulphureous anyhow.

CHAPTER IV. • '

When Miss Pollock returned from the school, she found a
note addressed to her in a well-known hand. She sat down to
read it before taking off her " wraps," and this is what it said :

My Dear Hannah.

Harden, February 10th.

Although Valentine's Day is not yet permit me to present you
with this prescription, I mean epistle, for your soul use and benefit.
I have heard a few of the abominable streit rumors in the villaagc
about your failure to obtain a certificate, and I know that without any-
thing of that kind going, your feelings must be of an unhappy character
indeed. I hope you will not consider yourself bound by what I must re-
gard as the sily promise or vow, or whatever you call it, you made last
summer. Think over what passed between us then. Be reasonable. If I
can at all, I shall run out to-night and see Mrs. Ferrand ! You must bo
at home, now mind.

Don't get it into your foolish little head that I bekave all I hear.
I must be off to see a patient. j „;;. in;

Yours and Yours only

JAMES R. ROSE.

Dr. Rose was a young man of twenty-seven or twenty-nine
years of age, who seemed like a good many more young men
in Ontario, to have become possed of his M. D. without a cjreat
deal of trouble. Possibly his talents were fully commensurate
with the extent of his practice which was pretty large ; yet one
thing is certain — if his knowledge of Materia mo<llca and
human physiology was on a par with his grammatical attainments
his patients stood in extraordinary need of humble but power-
ful reliance upon divine aid.

Dr. James Robertson Rose was what is usually known as
"nice*" not good-looking, but vulgarly polite, with the un-
common quality of rendering himself thoroughly agreeably to
all the granny-gossips in and about Harden. What matter
then if he did request his patients to " lay " in their beds and
not to '• set around "the house too much ? Of what consequence
was it that he once affixed to the door of a patient, the follow-
ing notice :

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

** Callers will pleas not knock to loud at this doro because
Mr. Cutbeard (his name was Cuthbert) is verry low t"

Within the last few years, much has been done towards
"polishing off" medical graduates in common English, as well
as in the more strictly professional branches, and Heaven knows
how much necessity existed for the change !

Well, Dr. Rose had been *• sparking " Miss Pollock for at
least a year and a half, and had made her an offer of marriage
the summer previous to the time when this veracious tale
opens. Why she refused him, for she did refuse him, wo
shall discover by and by.

CHAPTER V.

I |i »■ W,^. V

While Hannah Pollock was musing over the contents of
the foregoing letter, the "Boord " was in solemn conclave in
the School-house. A. McTavish Esq., Secy-treasurer in the
chair.

" Gentlemen," said the Chairman, " you have heard what
Miss Pollock will told you in her resignation, what have you
to say t :

" That is shooat vat I vants to know too, right avay " said
Mr. Schuntz.

Both these gentlemen now looked full at Mr. Turner, who did
not quite relish the the idea of having the whole weight of
the decision rest upon himself, but as hitherto, we have not
had an ^.pportmnity of becoming acquainted with Turner, a
break may be allowed in the conversation here to see what
" manner of man " he was.

An aspirant for the township council, he, for many years
longed ardently after a trusteeship, regarding that position, as
one more likely to bring him prominently before the electors,
than being simply a pound-keeper or a pathmaster. Glib of
tongue, and having a smattering of old-time information, but
ignorant withal, and proportionately boorish, he managed by
some means to make a few persons believe in the superiority
of his qualifications for office. Well aware of Miss Pollock's
popularity in the section he did not wish to say one word that
might appear as if he wished to drive her away, and equally
afraid that the retention of her services might prove illegal, ho
was not disposed to argue in favor of keeping her till the sum-
mer vacation. When, theretore, Mr. Schuntz remarked, "That
is shocst vat I vants to know, too," and joined the chairman
in apparently referring the whole matter to him, he felt un-
easy. Poking his fingers into his nose, scratching his head,
biting off a big chew off tobacco, and going through other vulgar

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

and awkward movements, he managed at last to blurt out :
'*What do you fellows think it's best to do, ehl"
Mr. McTavish then stated his views to the effect that Miss
Pollock having been very successful as a teacher, and that as
a new yea lad been entered upon, he thought it possible, if
she could be persuaded to remain on a 'permit' for the re-
mainder of the year, that such a document would be furnished
by the Inspector, whom he knew, as everybody else did, to be
an easy-going, please-all old gentleman ; but that if she re-
fused to do that, she be requested to stay another week or two
until they could advertise in the city and local papers. Mr.
Schuntz looked very determined and declared, "Them is right,'
and Mr. Turner said he thought so too, glad to see his way'
out of the difficulty.

The Chairman and Sec'y-treasurer agreed to see the teacher,
and the meeting ended.

No minutes were read, none were recorded, and perhaps for
the best of all reasons, the want of a uiinute-book. So that Mr.
McTavish was fibbing when he •told Mr. Martin during the
stable interview, that he had to see about a book of this sort.

CHAPTER YL

AVhen Turner reached home, he found Phil jNlartin waiting
to learn the result of what he called 'the conflab.' The news
was not just what Martin desired, yet there was hope. He ex-
plained to Turner that Polly Ann had been granted a certiti-
cate, and was anxious for a situation.

"Why the blazes didn't yo tell me that afore I went to the
meetin ?,'' said Turner, "and I'd 'a went for her sure."'

"I did call," said Phil, "but you was olf through the bush I
guess, by the time I got here."

"I'll bo hanged if I ain't downright sorry for that now Phil,
'caust T w^nt to do you r good turn. You s^, I intend, be-
twec : and I and the gate post, to run out Morgan next

year i\ x Kin, just to see if we can't git the side line between you
and I gravelled, and one good turn deserves another. Now, look
'e here, I'll do my levelbestforPoUy Ann, if you'll support me
next year agin Morgan, not that I want to be in the Council,
but I think if folks like you and I pays taxes reg'lar, year in
and year out all the time, we ought to have a bit o' gravel any
way. Don't you?"

" 'Course. Why last fall our minister came around to stay
over night, when that glorious outpouring o* the sperrit was goin*
on, he stuck right there by Widow Malone's, an' couldn't git
out no-how till young Pat Malone was comin' home from the

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

choppin' an' give him a lift, an* he told us afore we had
family worship, (I remember it as well as if it was last night)
that he couldn't abide them Papishes about him, an' that if it
hadn't been he was fast, he'd rather a stayed in the sloo' all
night than be obligated to Malone."

" There it is ye see — we must have that hole made safe, an'
as long's Morgan's in we needn't expect to git a cent for it.

" Then, I onderstand ye to say, you'll do what you kin for
Polly Ann, if I do what I kin for you 1"

" Certainly. An' you kin do a good deal too. There's all
the folks belongin' to your church for instance. Isn't it a shame
for them to go an' put in a man like Morgan ? Why it's said
he's a Swedenburg or an infidel or something, an' here they
go puttin' him in everytime for all he never gives a copper to
the Missionaries nor nothing, an' you kin see my name on the
superscription paper every time. I'm down on religion like
that.

" Yes, and don't you know Hannah Pollock's dad was either
a Universalist or a Unitarian, so what kin ye expect from
her?"

" Blamed little, I say, and sooner we git rid of both of 'em the
better.'

CHAPTER VII. '

It is not to be understood that either of these men intended
to do a whit more in favor of the other than was absolutely
necessary for the accomplishment of the selfish purpose each
had in view. Turner estimated Martin at his true value, in
setting him down for an " onraitigated hypocrite.'' And yet
it was only from Turner's point of view that " hypocrite " pro-
perly characterized his neighbor. The fact of the matter was,
that Martin really imagined himself to be an exemplary mem-
ber of the cK^rch. Regular in his attendance upon the ordi-
nances — conducting family worship morning and evening —
moderately libeial in his contributions to the various schemes
of the " good'work " and ostentatious in his hospitality to the
preachers, he was, yet, so utterly selfish and sordid as to be
thoroughly incapably of doing a good turn without reckoning
how it might ultimately prove advantageous to himself, either
on earth, or in heaven. Had he reasoned with himself as to
whether he would prefer his reward, here, or hereafter, he
would most undoubtedly have expressed his desire in favor of
" Canada First," feeling confident of further bliss at any rate,
although at the same time confessing his inability to " see
much fun in singing hymns and praying all the time, for

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7. 15

millions of years, on a stretch." Phil Martin was, in fact, ono
of thofe good men — farmers — so common in this country, who
perceive no harm in constructing 100 cubic feet (or less) of fire-
wood, so ingeniously as to make it look like a cord, and who
would, rather than not, leave a town-customer a fifty-puund
binding- pole along with a load of hay at $30 or $40 a ton.

A " trade," to him, was something every man was in duty
bound to make the most of, if not by out and out falsehood, at
least by suppressing the truth. Storekeepers and tradesmen
of all kinds were his natural enemies. He regarded them as
tacitly leagued to swindle himself and other simple-minded
tillers of the 8©il, so that when he succeeded, which he often
did, in driving a hard bargain with a mechanic or salesman, ho
rode home, proud to think himself somewh'it compensated for
former acts of roguery on their part.

Minus the religious asp«ct, Turner was in matters of busi-
ness, quite a counterpart to Martin, with this difference, that
while like the latter, he fully believed, in the inherent, rascal-
ity of townsmen, he prided himself on being altogether to«
cute to be taken in by them, and could boast, of many a little
dodge he had einployod " to pull the wool over their eyes "
and of how much he had made by these IranscT^tions.

Men of this stamp are not likel}' to have much confidence
even in each other, so that when Martin and I'muer parted,
shortly after we interrupted their conversation by this digres-
sion, each winked knowingly to himself, with the belief that
"it just took him to do things," intending, as has already been
intimated, to do no more for the other than ho really couldn't
help.

Martin, however, had the advantage, because his " case ''
was to come off first. Both men knew this, and Turner deter-
mined to act with becoming caution and plausibility.

CHAPTER VIII.

On Tursday morning betw 'on seven and eight o'clock, Mr.
McTavish visited Miss Pollock at Ferrand's, hoping to over-
come her objections. All his arguments were thrown away.
In vain did he explain the ease of getting her a 'permit ,' in
vain did he urge upon her the desirability of smoothing tho
trustees' path, by falling in with the wishes of the people for
her return. In her replies Mr. McTavish did not fail to notice
a something kept back — a something which seemed to say that
she loonld go but she conlditt. Unable-to come to terms with
her he now acted upon his own responsibility, and requesting
from his neighbor Ferrand a sheet of paper and an envelope.

■ n.

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

h ',

he wrote out the following advertisement for the newspapers :

"Teacher Wanted. — Wanted a female teacher for S, S. No.
7, Kexville, immediately. Musfi he well qualified. Salarj
^175 per annun. Apply to

, Apohibald McTavish,

Harden, P.O.

Whatever advantage might arise from the impossibility of thi»
advertisement appearing for at least two days, Miss Polly Ann
Martin and her father had. Polly Ann herself applied to the
young minister of the circuit for his influence while going his
rounds, and Phil succeeded in getting the Reverend Chairman
of the District to second his views in the same way, having, pre
viously to a personal interview, sent up young Ted to the
parsonage witn two bags ot russets, and three or four bushels
of early rose potatoes, as a present from Mammy Martin to
Mrs. Horrocks.

Of course it would be uncharitable to suppose that the Rev.
Josiah Horrocks was in uny way influenced by the passage of
these little courtesies from Mammy Martin to his own good
wife. It would bo much more reasonable to conclude that all
the good will Mr. Horrocks contrived to secure for Polly
Ann, was the result of a conversation he hnd with Mr. Martin
about an < rganist for the church, in place of the young lady
who had for some time performed the duties, but whom Mr.
Horrocks had recently united in marriage with a neighbor's
fion who had taken up land in Manitoba. A happy thought
struck Phil. " Wliy there's our Polly Ann, she's a bin takin'
lessings in the pianey an' organ fur a year or two, I c^uess she'd
be real glad to play, but ye see Mr, Horrock'sshe'a right sot on
teachi)i' school, an' most likely she'll be a good ways off, fur
there's no empty school around "ceptin' our own, and she's got
no sight there."

** Why, Brother Martin," solemnly replied the reverend
gentlemen, "you first relieved my mind to a very considerable
degree, by comm micating to me Miss Martin's ability and pro-
bable willingness to accept the duties of organist, and beioro
you concluded, you well-nigh dispelled all hope of such being
]khe case, by what I must regard as a most unreasonable assump-
tion on your part, to the eflect that so far as the vacancy in
Harden is concerned, she has no visible prospect of having
her application received in a favorable manner. And why,
pray, do you thus conclude V

When the Re?. Isaiah Horrocks spoke, he did so with every
appearance of eyolving his discomrae from an unfathomable
fountain of sagacity. He knit hii brows in such a nanner a»

BWspaperH r

)r S. 8. No.
1. Salary

AVISH,

rden, P.O.

Ility of thi»
Polly Ann
lied to the
) going his
I Chairman
aving, pre
Ted to the
lur bushels
Martin to

at the Rev.

passage of

own good

.de that all

for Polly

klr. ^lartin

'oung lady

whom Mr.

neighhor'^

)y thought

jin takin'

ues8 she'd

ghtsot on

ys off, fur

. she's got

reverend
Qsiderable
^ and pro-
ud heforo
uch being
eassump-
acancy in
)f having
Lnd why,

rith every
thomable
nanner a»

, THE ADVKXTURES OF NO. 7. 17

to form a sort of horse-shoe wrinkle over her nose. Ke threw
his head slightly back and a little to the right side. He pro-
truded his lips considerably and partly closed his left pye.
He never smiled but when he had occasion to sneer, and even
then he only turned up his nose an^' showed his teeth, so as
to remind one forcibly of a horse yawning. He had also a
most unpleasant habit when not in the pulpit of introducing
his sentences with an " eh yah." If the reader will therefore
take the trouble of contorting his face in a similar way, insert-
ing now and again an " eh yah " and at the same time making
his voice sound as hoarsely as possible, wlien perusing Mr.
Horrocks, remarks, he will have a fair idea of the reverend
gentleman's oracular style of delivery.

" And, why, pray, do you thus concludo ?"

'"Cause old man McTavish runs the Board, an' I think lie's
got a spite agin' me."

" Allow me, dear Brother ^lartin, to disabuse your mind of
such totally unfounded suspicions. Mr. McTavish, is I
know, an exceedingly eccentrli; individual, not only in matters
of business, but also in the mere expression of his sentiments.
I shall make it my duty to visit him as soon as convenient
and I have no doubt we shall bo able to arrive at an amicable-
understanding on the point in question. Mr. McTavish, as a
church-member although not of our denomination, and who
cnnnot therefore be expected to exhibit all the graces of the
Christian character to the extent that we consider desirable, is
nevertheless, I doubt rot, willing to act in the interests of the
section to ihe best of his ability, and I feel convinced Brother
Martin that he will throw the weight of his influence in favor
of your daughter."

" Well sir, if yc'd bo kind enough, when you're at it, just
to go round and see Schuntz, I'd be obliged to you."

" Most assuredly, Brother Martin."

Phil was proudly conscious of having hoodwinked the minis-
ter on the organ business, the only thing that troubled him being
a doubt as to whether Polly Kuncould phy a church organ, and
if she could, whether she would be willing to do so, for he had
no great ear for music himself, and never heard her express any
desire to officiate in the choir.

CHAPTER IX.

The Rev. Isaiah Horrocks, in blissful ignorance of Brother
Martin's doubts, drove up to McTavish's the following after-
noon — Wednesday — but was unable to see the old man, who
had been taken suddenly and seriously ill. The next man

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

WM Scbantz. Jacob was found as busy as usual, boring tb«
last of his fence'posts, where Mr. Horrocks called.

Health and weather baring been referred to in the usual
mean-nothing style, the ministef introduced the subject of the
mission cautiously, by saying something about intelligent-look-
ing children running round the stables, and having a fine holi-
day time owing to the school being closed. Then "By th»
bye, Mr. Schuntz, I believe the good people of this school
section have shown their respect for you by electing you tu
the responsible office of school- trustee.
"Yah, I guess."

Jacob Schu nix's ability to speak English was much Uko that
of most 'Dutchmen.' If feeling bis way in a conversation, or
likely to be wcrtfted in making a bargain, his English faculty
seemed in a great measure to desert him, but when sure of his
ground, or 'on the track of making a good thing,' "Yah" and
its kindred gave place to their English equivalents. Just now
he was feeling his way.

" Your teacher, Miss Pollock, has resigned her situation} 1
undrrstand, Mr. Schuntz."
" Yah, dot is so."

" I daresay you have a number of applicants for the va-
cancy l"
"Yah." '

" When do you decide Mr. Schuntz, as tc who shall have
the preference!"

He wanted badly to say " yah " again but couldn't very
well, 80 he said, tiuly,

" Saturday." •

" I have a young lady friend Mr. Schuntz, who, I am satis-
fied, would suit you in every respect. All the people in the
section speak well of her. A she is highly qualified, and
dauf^hter of one of the largest ratepayers in the township, it
would afl"ord me great satisfaction, were you to give her claims
the benefit of your consideration. I refer to Miss Martin.
"Yah."

"She is possessed of indomitable energy, kindly in her di£-
position, anxious to teach, and therefore, in all human probabili-
ty, most likely to be pre-eminently successful."
"Yah."

"Might I ask then, whether I may rely upon your great
personal influence being exerted in her favor, Mr. Schuntz I"
"Yah."

"Oh I thanks. I am delighted to have met with you on this
occasion. I saw you at work as I drove along the concession
and couldn't resist the temptation to call and converse with

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7. 19

joa fox a short time and I am heartUy glad to hare done •••
We iball be happy to see you at any of oui meetings, either
on 8abbath or diring the week. I can assure you that many
weary ones haye found rest at our Thursday evening servioea,"
and the Key. Mr. Horrooks went off bidding Sohuntc " Good
afternoon " with all the gravity he could assume, and quite
convinced that he had won the Dutchman for Polly Ann, be-
sides having dropped seed, which, to use his own langu-
age, '' Might fructify, and develop in Mr. Schuntz, a longing
alter higher and heavenly things."

CHAPTER X.

On Saturday afternoon at three o'clock Messrs. Turner and
Schuntz found themselves, according to appointment, in the
school-room of No. 7 for the purpose of selecting a teacher
Short as the notice had been, there were nine applications for
the position, most of them being from local aspirants. Mc-
Tavish was far too unwell to take any pfirt in the business, so
that those two representatives of the people's intelligence, feel-
ing the deep responsibility that rested upon them, hardly
knew how to begin the proceedings. Turner said at last, " We
hain't got no chairman or secretary."

Schuntz said " Dot's a fact " and took a chew of tobacco,
passing the plug to Turner, who did likewise — possibly more
hO. Schuntz th«n remarked, after a few vigorous jaw- move*
ments and a tremendous squirt aimed at the handle of the
stove door, " I hold in mine bocket all tbe letters Mr. McTav-
ish have sent me to apply for teacher, you better as act secre-
tary and chairman too.

" Well, " said Mr. Turner, " I don't mind if I do. I guess
you an' me's a majority anyhow, eh] so give us them papers
an' Ave'Il see what's in 'em." Like the pedantic ignoramus
that he was, Turner did not feel like comporting himself with
the dignity of his office, unless he actually sat on a chair ; he
therefore took possession of a moderately high stool — the
nearest approach which the school afforded to the article of
furniture he desired.

It would be only wearisome to follow the two members of
the board, as the one read with difficulty, much of what the
other could not comprehend. For our purpose it is sufficient
to note that one applicant was condemned on the ground of
asking, in addition to her salary, for some one to sweep the
school-room daily, and light the fire. Turner said he supposed
''she thought herself some punkins" and Schuntz said "yah,"
and aimed at the stove door again.

30 THE ADVENTITIIE.S OF NO. 7.

> Another explained that she expected to take a second- clajiE:
certificate next sammer, and the chairman declared he would
** vetoe that miss." Schuntz not seeinpf the relevancy of any
remarks concerning a young lady's /oe.v, the gentlemen in the
chair, thought this a fine opportunity to dazzle his neighbor
by a display of erudition, and proceeded to explain that " lu
them old Druid days, thousands of years ago, when everybody
talked Crreek aiid Latin, if a follow done any crime, the letter
" V" was burnt with a hot iron into his big too, to show he
was a Vagabone, and then ho was said to be vcf-toed, or con-
demned." it was in this way that Turner had, on many
occasions, deceived hi.s simple-minded neighbors, by a show
of spurious learning, and it must be confessed that he was
nearly always equal to an emergency, some of his explanations
too, showing not a little ingenuity. On the present occasion,
however, ho failed to convince Schuntz tliat there had ever
been a time when no Gorman was spoken, because '" The Shar-
man lengvitch was spoke in the Garden of Edeu."

The advent of Mr. Martin put a stop to what might have
proved an interesting philological di>scussion. The latter
gentlemen excused hia presence by saying how anxious he was
to know the rosult of the meeting, and having to drive to past
anyliow, he tliought he would just run in a bit. Of course
Miss Polly Ann Martin was the snccossfnl applicant, and her
dutiful parent was retiuestod to notify her to that effect.

One of the letters in the packet hauJod to Turner was a pri-
vate noti'from .McTavish to Schuntz. exhorting him to stick out
against Turner, .should the latter wish to appoint j\Liss Martin.
This note had escaped our Dutchman's observation. But not
80 that of Turnr^r, who was characterized in MjTavish's epistle
as a " dangerous man." When Turner road this description of
himself, ho. swore inwardlv to be '• even with the blamed old
■ rip, some day." That day may come, but morn probably it
' will not, for within twenty-four hours, the spirit of Archibald
' McTavish ha1 gone to mingle with those of Fingal and Ossian
and, per ha2>''i of Eob Roy and of Ilolibie Burns. Who can say t

CHAPTEK XL

No prouder man — no prouder woman — ever stood in the
township of Eexville, than were Phil and Mammy Martin on
Monday morning, when Polly Ann, rigged out in her ' good
clothes * started fo r the school a full mile away, towards Har-
den. At church and Sunday School the previous day, it
became pretty well known who the new school-ma'am was.
Opinions differed very little as to her probable failure. Scarce-

THE ADVENTl RES OF NO. 7.

cond clais
he would
loy of any
aen in the
I neighbor
I that " In
I very body
the letter
show he
/, or con-
on many
by a show
it he was
[Vlanations
t occasion,
3 had ever
The Shar-

ight have
"ho latter
JUS he was
vo to past
Of course
t, and her
ct.

was a pri-
stiok out
IS Martin.
But not
's epistle
iption of
med old
obably it
rchibald
d Ossiau
can say t

ill the^
[artin on

' good
[•da Har-

day, it
'am was.

Scarce-

ly a parent in the section said a good word for her. " Bh« ,
wasn't mucb," '' She was stuck-up," " She was no great shakos,"
** The boy's '11 boss her," "Some of the scholars might learn -
her a good deal," and so on. With comments like these made
in presoucs of the pupils, it would have been a wonder if Miss
Polly Ann Martin could have succeeded, had she been poss-
essed of even more than the average share of ability, which
she was not. With remarks of a laudatory character, or at
least, with strict silence on the part of the parents regarding
her aptitude, she would probably have got along moderately
well. The substance of thest criticisms ringing in the
ears of forty or fifty boys and girls, from five to sixteen and
eighteen years of age boded no good to Polly Ann as school-
ma'am in No. 7. As early as eight o'clock, a squad of spark-
ling-eyed urchins had collected in the school wood -shed, to
plot mischief for the day. By and by, she came along herself,
for in No. 7 mat* vs were not sufficiently advanced to have
the fire lighted and ohe room warmed and swept for the recep-
tion of the teacher and pupils in the morning. Neither had
the trustees enough of sentiment about them, to attend with
a new teacher, and introduce her to the school. Miss Martin
expected nothing of this kind, and so came prepared with a
box of matches and — a strap. She had never taught ; she had
never been told how to teach ; she had never read anything
on the subject; she did not appear to think either telling or
reading necessary, nnd as for practice — how could she get that
till she taught? In fact, her notion of teaching was simply
this : Tell the scholars to learn so-and-to — if they don't,
' lick ' them ; Tell them to behave — if they don't ^ lick '
them. Ah ! Polly Ann, there have been too mnny like you
in the world. Far too many of your mind have undertaken to
• keep ' school, and strange to stay, there art too many doing
so still.

With some difficulty the fire was lighted and by nine o'clock
nearly fifty scholars had assembled ' in arms.' So far, the
new school-ma'am, wi8liJD,<5 to preserve her dignity, had not
spjken to those even with whom she was well acquainted.
When the time came for calling school to order for prayer,
teaching did'nt seem to be such an easy thing to do, after all.
She managed, however, to secure quietness for a few seconds
And nearly broke down half-a-dozen times before getting
through the 'Form.' During the solemn exercise, two or
three benches were upset, several slates fell, a little chap
bawled, " quit that !" and some amiable pupil managed in the
midst of the 7nelee to throw a handful of pepper on the stove.
Doors and windows had to be thrown open to prevent th»

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

scholar! from coughing their heads off, although fifty per cent
of the efforts that were made to relieve throats, wore entiiely
voluntary. Miss Polly Ann Martin vras a very much disconcert-
ed, bat at length si^coeeded in saying that unless "this here
coughing was stopped, she would send for the trustees" and then
she coughed violently herself. Sam Stokes " guessed Mr. Mc-
Tavish couldn't come nohow." Tommy Piper's tiny voice,
prompted by a bigger one asked Miss Martin if ''her mother
knew she was out ?" Jemima Jane Maudsley simpered " Please
ma'am can I go out 1" the teacher said " yes " and Jemima-
Jane queried again, " How d'ye know ?" All the big girls
laughed at the teacher's error and Jemima Jane's impudence;,
but the teacher herself could see nothing to laugh at, and so
she didn't even smile. A triangular fight now took place in
the boys' corner, to prevent which she was wholly powerless ;
an ink bottle thrown across the room just missed Tillft Croft's
head, and went through a pane of glass. Older boys in differ-
ent places were pinching the younger ones and pricking them
with pins — the girls meanwhile keeping up a perpetual giggle
and a noisy conversation. When the new school ma'am could
stand this sort of thing no longer, she did what many others
of her sex would have done much sooner — she cried. The
sight of the teacher in tears, softened the hearts of nearly all
the girls, who now declared it was ** too bad " but the boys,
who enjoyed rain fully as much as sunshine, voted it " the
best old time out."

Drying her eyes, Miss Polly Ann informed the scholars
there would be no moie school that day, and that next morn-
ing she would have Messrs. Turner and Schuntz to come and
pee to their behavior. When the children reached home, the
£;ood kind, judicious pas and mas laughed heartily on hearing
the highly colored accounta of the teacher's discomfiture, the
juvenile tale-bearers being careful in every instance to explain
that theij " only just sat an' looked at the fun, and didn't do
nothing." It would be perfectly safe to say that not a single
parent in Xo. 7 felt in the smallest degree chargeable with
the disgraceful conduct of the papils that morning, and yet,
judging from the generally expressed public opinion in the
hearing of the children, regarding Miss Martin's appointment,
whom, but the old people, can any sensible person blame 1

On |Tuesday morning, the school population of the section
was represented by seven little girls and two little boys, all in
the first book. The trustees were present, but having no audi-
ence, said nothing and went home.

On Wednesday, the attendance had diminished to five, all
told ; on Thursday it was the same ; on Friday there was an

y 'v',

\>yper cent
e entiielj
lisconcert-
"this hare
" and then
i Mr. Mc-
iny voice,
ler mother
d " Please
d Jemima
) big girls
iipudencO;-
at, and so
k place in
towerless ;
1ft Croft's
I in differ-
king them
ual giggle
,'am could
my others
Led. The
nearly all
the boys,
id it " the

scholars
3xt morn-
come and
lome, the

hearing
ture, the

explain
didn't do

a single
ble with

and yet,
)n in the
intment,
amel
e section
j^s, all in

no audi-

1 five, all
was an

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7. 2$

increase of one, and that night Miss Martin resolved, on the
suggestior of the trustees, to resign..

CHAPTER Xn.

Next week was a lively one in No. 7. Not only did they
requik'e a new teacher, but they had to elect another trustee,
and, according to a hint from thn inspector, to take into consid-
eration how to provide better accommodation for the school..

While the events of the past few days had been taking place,
Miss Pollock feelirgs had fairly boxed the compass. What
with the disgrace, as she called it, of being plucked the
importunities of Dr. Rose, chagrin at the appointment of Polly
Ann Martin and unspeakable pleasure at that young lady's
failure, the whole week was to Miss Pollock, in meteorolog'cal
phrase, one of "torm, cloud and shower, with occasional blinks
of sunshine. H«r step-mother had called on the Wednesday
afternoon following her resignation tc inform her, contrary to
rumor, th^t if she liked to stay at home for a few weeks till
she could find something to do she would be quite welcome,
that, in fact, she might make herself useful by assisting Mrs.
Pollock to make some clothing for the little Pollocks — her
half brothers and sisters, who attended school in Harden. Ac-
cording to agreement, Hannah on this invitation, left Mr. Fer-
rand's the next Monday morning, intending to remain in the
village for, a little while, "hoping that something might even-
tually present itielf, by means of which she could earn her
own livelihood.

Against all Pr. Rose's advances, she remained firm. Her
reason for so doing will appear in a conversation that took
place between her and Mrs. Pollock the day after she arrived
home.

"Hanner, (Mrs. Pollock was an English woman) this 'ere
piece of stuff, as I'm puttiu' on Charlie's pants, just puts me in
mind o' you every time as you see Dr. Rose."

"How's that, mother r ' , */ .,^n;

" 'Cause you look 80 stiff aud black."

'' Well mother, Pm sure you ought to understand howl feel,
so far as he is concerned,"

" I know nowt o't soart, but I know 'ow you might 'a felt at
one time, more'n a year agone now. If Mr. Colton was alive
wouldn't he 'a wrote to you afore this to say as it were all
right, and didn't that letter from what-you-call-the-place, say
as he weiiB drownded 1 So what's the use o' mopin' your life
away ? You take my advicO;, an' if the doctor says any more
about it, tell him it you don't hear from, what is it 1

24 THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7..;

" Sault Ste. Marie," said Hannah.

"Well, from Susan Mary, in six weeks, or two months at
furdest, you'll 'ave 'im an' you'd better stay 'ere to se«. There
now, that's my mind on't." )

"Pprhaps you're right mother-^-I don't know but you are,
and I wouldn't have been bo stiff with hira, if only I had got
a certificate, for then you see, it wouldn't have looked like a
necessity for me^to get married : now, it does.

" Pooh ! When I married your father that's dead and gone,
poor man, I had $2500, an' I didn't think as ho were any-
think worse though he hadn't but a hundred or two, an' what's
^he doctor agoin' to care whether you're a bit o' paper called
a certificate or iiotl" '■^' '''^'

Hannah did not reply. She only pressed haider on the
treadle of the sewing machine and thought a good deal. By
and by, her step-mother returned to the attack :

" If I were you I'd jist go an' write him a note an' tell him
as you'd like to set him to-night so's as you can explain the
whole consarn."

" Not to-day mother. Say no more about it for a little
while."

That very night she received a letter from the Inspector
stating that on his return from a visiting tour, having to search
for a certain document, he found several sheets of foolscap on
Grammar and Composition, written by her at the recent « xam-
ination, and which, it was quite evident had been entirely
overlooked in the scrutiny of the papers ; that he had immedi-
ately conferred with the secretary, and felt perfectly satisfied
that as soon as the other members of the Board became aware
of the facts her certificate would be issued. In a semi-ecstatic
state, let us leave her for a few days till we return to No. 7.

CHAPTER XIII.

It is most discreditable to this fair province, that in th«
majority of school sections, unless some question of expendi-
ture has to be discussed, it is almost impossible to get a well-
attended school-meeting. Instances are known of where the
deepestj bitterest feelings of a whole neighborhood have been
aroused, by the proposal of the trustees to purchase maps
to the value of five or ten dollars. The mere mention of a
picket-fence in front of the school once put a whole section
into convulsions. A suggestion to increase the teacher's salary
will certainly prove the theme of many denunciations against
the * Board ' at all the threshing bees for miles round. Since
the Inspector had issued a mild protest against huddling from

THE ADVENTUEES OF XO. 7.

3(^

months at
•. There

t you are,
I had got
ced like a

and gone,
were any-
an' what's
per called

)r on the
leal. By

' tell him
:plain the

ir a little

Inspector
' to bearch
olscap on
»nt » xam-
entirely

immedi-

satisfied
ime aware

i-ecstatic

No. 7.

at in th«
expendi-
it a well-
here the
ive been
ise maps
ion of a
section
's salary
against
Since
ng from

forty to fifty and sometime* even sixty pupils in a low-roofed,
unplasterod, and badly furnished log-building, 20x22 feet, it is
quite easy'to imagine that next Friday a week, after the school
closed nearly every rate-payer in No. 7 was present at the
meeting to hear what was to be said in favor of improvements,
and fully resolved to " vote agin them."

At the regular school-meeting on the second Wednesday in
January, when no more important busiiiess than the election of
<L trustee had to be done, there was only one person piesent
besides the Board, so that to give the proceedings an air of
respectability, a rate-payer was stopped on his way to market,
and asked to tie nis team to the fence for a lew minutes and
go in until the election was concluded !

What wonder then, that the public schools of Ontario are so
often under the control of illiterate intriguers for office — of
men who find trusteeship a convenient way of gaining cheap
popularity or notoriety in sufficient measure to make council-
orship more easy of attainment — of men, who, having this ob-
ject in view, find that it jmi/s to 'run' the school at a starva-
tion figure, so far as both teacher and scholar are concerned.

CHAPTER XIV.

No. 7, not to be coerced by either law or inspector into do-
ing that which did not seem right in its own eyes, voted Mr.
Lloyd Jones into the chair, much to the chagrin of Mr. Turner,
who naturally expected to occupy that conspicuous position.

Of course, No. 7, in making Mr. Jones chairman, knew per-
fectly well what it was about, for this gentlemen (and he did
like to be thought a gentleman) was one of the largest rate-
payers not only in the section but in the township, and whose
breadth of intelleat was in inverse ratio to the extent of hi*
acres. Barely able to read and wiite, and as lazy as he was
portly, he had managed by maniage and other lucky hits,
not only to pay for one farm, but to purchase a number of
others. Having once been stable-boy to a nobleman, he select-
ed the church and political creed of that personage for his own, ,
professing to look with pity on all who held contrary views,
although when he found it necessary to curry favor he has been
known to condescend so far as to acknowledge that he had been
"born in a Methodist cradle" himself. This was his rendering
of the phrase " cradle of Methodism" which he had heard a
missionary employ on one occasion, at a meeting of the Society
for the Extirpation of Vice among the Mona Cyrari.

On taking the chair, Mr* Jones, who prided himself upon
his ability to make an English speech, as much as upon being

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7,

what he called 'a self-made man' said "Well ihentleman, I wa»
feel highly honoTt hy the plaee you coufer on me to-day. I am
always please to meet frients, always, 'specially agriculture
frients. As you all know, I am an agriculture myself. Been
agriculture now upwarts forty years, and more. Agriculture
the hone and sinew of this country. (Hear, hear !) When I
leave Angleshire in Wales, forty years 'go, where was oil the
trees we cut ? (hear, hear 1) Where was the wolf that steal the
shickens and the sheeps ? Where was oil our wifes and shiLd-
ren 1 (hear, hear \) Nowhere. Now we have shurches and schools
and we are meet here to see 'hout the school. I am sorry to
say Mr. McTayish is now no more in heaven I hope, or he
could have explain to you oil ahout it, (hear, hear !) This is
not so had a school-heuse at oil. When I was live with Sir
Hugh Thomas in North Wales, this was ten times better school
we had them days. I don't se*^ no fault 'toll at oil with, school,
(hear, hear !) Seems to me, world's going too fast oltogether,
'zackly, (hear, hear I) Seems to me this gover'mentis push things
too far with new laws. Want to make oil young folks too
wise, oltogether. (hear, hear !) Never went to school six
months oil my days — never. My 'pinion is too much reading
now. Spoils hoys for do work on the farm, 'zackly. If I was
elect trustee, I would wr^te Mr. Crooks, and leave school-house
spite of inspector so as it is, 'zackly. That's just what I think.
These few remarks I take my seat."

Rounds of applause greeted Mr. Lloyd Jones as he concluded
what he regarded a 'great effort' and so it was. He didn't
smile as might have been expected, when he saw how well his
remarks had been taken, he simply tried to look wiser than
usual, and blew his nose, the best way possible without a
pocket-handkerchief.

Just in time to hear the latter part of Mr. Jones's speech, a
little, old, dark-conjplexioned, Jewish-looking man had enter-
ed the school-room, and remained standing, unnoticed, near
the door. As ho listened to the remarks of the chairman, be-
wilderment, astonishment, amazement and contempt, seemed to
be striving for the mastery over the features of his strongly-
marked, and nervously twitched countenanee. When thr. clat-
ter of 'stogies' in honor of Jones's ignorant rant had ceased, the
little old man gave the person standing nearest to him, a punch
in the side and asked in a manner somewhat excited and loud
enough to be heard bv every one in the room if any hoth/
had a right to speak there. On hearing this, some one shouted
"Dixon, Dixon." The 'bone and sinew' immediately, as usual,
took up the cry, continuing to call "Dixon" until the little old
man felt it necessary to respond, by pushincj his way to the

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

aids of the chairman. Seizing his hat Tigorouily by the crown,
with his left hand, he stowed it away under his right arm, and
pushed both hands deeply into his breeches' pockets. For a
moment or two he pursed his lips, winked very hard, cleared
his throat, moved his feet a good deal, put his hat on again,
took it off once more, placing it this time on the opposite side,
made a big swallow, and launched forth : "Mr. Chairman, I
suppose you have heard of Rip Van Winkle 1 (the chairman
said he had, but he hadn't.) Well, gentlemen, when I came
in here to-day and heard the stuff and nonsense Mr. Jones was
talking, I felt just like Eip Van Winkle." The 'bone and
sinew' now began to [feel sorry for having called "Dixon" so
lustily "I tell you, gentlemen, that any man who talks like him,
I mean like Mr. Jones, is either a rogue or a fool, or both." Had
the audience been possessed of a little more experience, they
would, at this point in Mr. Dixon's speech, have shouted "Xo,
no," or "Oh, oh !" but as they never heard anything in the ex-
clamatory line, at a public meeting, except "hear, hear," and
taking that to mean always 'them's my sentiments' they simply
sat, gaped, and said nothing. "Gentlemen," continued Mr. Dix-
on, "are we, in this nineteenth century, in a country like Canada,
in a province like Ontario, to be told that the world is moving
too fast, that the young people read too much, and that a man
may become too wise to live on a farm 1

"Will you sit here, and cheer a person who tells you that be-
cause he never attended school longer than six months, we
should all remain as ignorant as he is, or as I fancy he must
be ? And how, in the name of common sense, can you agree
with any one who tries to convince you that this miserable,
old, tumble-down log concern, for I can't call it a house, is a
fit place for our children to spend six hours a day in, while at
home we have improved our dwellings and their surroundings
as our means increased) Why, Mr. Chairman you yourself
have a more comfortable place — a house of stone and lime —
for a pig-pen 1 (This allusion rather pleased the chairman, than
otherwise.) "1 tell you, gentlemen," said Mr. Dixon, "I, for
one, don't want to treat children worse than cattle. As you all
know, my family has outgrown school life, but I am as willing
to pay my share of the taxes to erect a new building here for
the youngsters, as if I had a dozen of them to send to school."
Mr. Dixon put his hat on energetically, gave his head two or
three shakes and edged off towards a window-sill. A few boys
thumped on one of the desks, as he wound up his plea for the
scholars, but this demonstration was speedily frowned down by
''the parents and guardians."

The last speaker, who had received in the Old Country what

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

is called a liberal education, wasj a comparative atranger in
Rexville, hating come to reside only two years before, in S, S.
No. 7. Previous to this time his voice had scarcely been heard
on public question, so that when he came out squarely on the
building movement, as he did that day, in language, as truth-
ful, as it was severe, he caused quite 'a shaking among the dry
bones' and at least half-convinced a good many that a new
school-house wouldn't be a bad thing after all it they "could
only see how it was to be paid for."

Mr. Jacob Schuntz, here took occasion to say that he had in
his possession a letter froai the inspector addressed to Mr. Mc-
Tavish, and which he had not thought it well to open until he
had seen "Mr. Burner" and guessed it might be a "goot blan"
to see what was in it now. He then handed to the chairman,
the letter in question, which was in the following language,
"Board of Pub. Sch. Trustees, No. 7 Rexville, Gentlemen, by
virtue of the authority vested in me by the school Act, I have
to inform you that unless you provide the necessary amount of
space for all the pupils in your section, viz. 300 cub. feet per
head the legislative grant will be withdrawn and t^ -s will en-
tail a loss to your section annually of $40.00."

Poor Mr. Jones was sorry, very sorry, that Schuntz hadn't
left the letter at home, or, at least given it to Turner to read,
for, to use one of his own expressions, "reading write was not
his fori-" With much difficulty, although the penmanship was
remarkably round and plain, he managed to read aloud as far
as the words, "in your section." "Viz." he could make noth-
ing of at all. Pausing a little, he was astonished as he read
to himself what api)eared to be something about "cub's feet,"

yes,
on

"300 cub's feet, no doubt 't oil at oil." Following close
the heels of the "feet," was "head" and unfortunately for

his scholarship the words "legislature" and "entail" being both
last on the lines and divided after their first syllables, he be-
came more and more muddled to notice "leg" at the end of one
line, and "tail" at the beginning of another. Very wisely, he
resolved to skip what he couldn't understand, and simply an-
nounced that the section would lose "Four Thousand Dollars."

To the present day, it is a profound mystery to Mr. Jones,
why the inspector in that letter went so far out of his way,
when writing about a new school house, as to allude to heads
and tails, legs and feet, in such a totally uncalled-for manner.
Only one explanatory theory has ever entered the mind of the
V orthy Jones, and that is "S'pose inspector must been drunk."

The mere mention of a loss to the section of "Four Thou-
sand Dollars" fell on the audience like a thunder-clap. Those
who couldn't see a few minutes before, how a new building

mmmmmm

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

* ..' . .f ■ ■4,- 1 , » . . f . tt .

was Jto "be paid for, bad their sight cleaved amazingly, and a
resolution was at length carried "That wo leave the building
alone and elect a new trustee, and leave the business to the
board."

"'31

CHAPTER XV. ' '"^ - •'-•

Mr. Lloyd Jones was, within a few minutes thereafter, elect-
ed by a show of hands to fill the vacancy in the board, and
the meeting broke up. The tiustoes remained behind to have
an official talk, and while they are so engaged, lot us examine
narrowly, tho school-house of *'No. 7."

It was a typical, pioneer, Canadian educational edifice, that
is to say it was built of logs, in eight tiers, and almost formed
a square being by outside measurement, twenty-two feet long,
and twenty in breadth. In the centre of each side a hole had
been cut. that facinjr the road being occupied by a door, and
each of the others by a window. The roof was a cottage one,
with a chimney projecting from tho peak. Owing to tho na-
ture of the foundation, such as it had, two sides of tlio build-
ing had ^settled considerably more than the others, forcibly
suggesting to the passer-by, tlio idea of tipsinessi lusido,
everything was in keeping with the exterior. Two or three
feet of the rafters had been coved to provide head room, and,
jierhaps, breathing-space, but the single coat of planter had
fallen off in large rectangular patches, revealing rows of split
cedar lath, ditfering but little, so far as color was concerned,
from the plaster which covered tho otlier patchc-i of what had.
once been ceiling. The 'chinking' was anything but sound,
so tliat here and there a streak of daylight might be seen through
tho walls. Tho largest crevice of tliis kind was obscured witli
a map of Africa, showing the ]\rountains of the jNIoon, whilst a
smaller one was almost hidden by the Britisli Isles, having a
hole })UBched in the middle of Ireland, through which a few
beams of light penetrated every afternoon. Ihorc icos no map
of Canaila ! Xearly half of the rear window was occupied by
a small black-board about twenty-four inches long and eighteen
inches wide, and beside it lay a piece of chalk not much larger
than a walnut. Two such Imni^s usually lasted ''Xo. 7" half-a-
year. The seats and desks were on the old regulation plan —
remarkably chiefly for height and longitudinality. A few of
the desks were double, permitting scholars t« sit facing each
other, and not unfrequently, to sit kicking each other. It
would be quite superfluous to say that these articles of furni-
ture were not so 'imooth as when the carpenter finished them.
The stove occupied the middle of the floor, whilst between it

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

and the back window stood the teacher's desk, and a high, three>
legged stool. With the exception of a good many cobwebs
OTerhead, and a large quantity of ink on the well-worn and
patched floor, there was nothing else about the room at all no-
ticeable. The ground on whicn the building stood comprised
about one eighth of an acre, and was fenced with rails on three
sides, being open to the road. There was no well on the pre-
mises, and nothing approaching to decency in the way of
outhouses. Such was the condition of things, to remedy whicli
the educational authorities were exerting themselves, of whom,
the good, wise Mr. Lloyd Jones declared they "were push
things too far, oltogether, 'zackly."

Foreign readers, (and thousandj of them will peruse this
story) .may without difficulty understand why many rural
school sites in Ontario are so limited in area, when it is ex-
plained that land, in most places, where schools are established,
can seldom be purchased for less than one dollar per acre, and
occasionally costs as much as fifty or sixty dollars for the same
quantity! . . ,, . . ,, , ,s

CHAPTER XVI.

When Miss Pollock first went to the county-town, in com-
pany with some other young ladies, for the purpose of stand-
ing an examination, she became acquainted with a young man
named Nicholas Colton, at the hotel where t>ey 'put up.'
Colton was a provincial land surveyor who had but recently
passed his own examination, and learning the object of their
visit, he gallantly oifered, during the course ot conversation,
to assist tbem in a general review of subjects, on the only even-
ing preceding their appearance before the "Board of Educa-
tion," for at that time, one day was considered quite enough to
spend in testing the qualifications of common school teachers,
Not long afterwards, the greater part of a week was found to be
necessary.

Hannah Pollock and three friends, one of whflm formerly
knew Mr. Colton, qladly accepted the opportunity and were
benefited not a little by the short course of cram that follow-
ed. From that night Nicholas Colton was over head and ears
in love with Hannah Pollock. Four months afterwards he went
away to the North Shore of Lake Superior, on a ^survey of
mining lands and for the next two years, frequent correspond-
ence was carried on between them.

But one day she received from the dead letter office at Ot-
tawa, a note which she had addressed to her "Very Own Dear
Nicholas" at Sault Ste Marie fully four months previous.

high, thr«e>
ly cobwebs
1-worn and
m at all so-
i comprised
dls on three
on the pre-
the wajof
nedy which
iBf of whom,
were push

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

peruse this
many rural
)n it is ex-
established,
acre, and
the same

er
ar

TD, m com-
ie of stand-
young man
y 'put up.'
»ut recently
3ct of their
mversation,
i only even-
l of Educa-
e enough to
lol teachers,
found to be

m formerly
y and were
that follow-
d and ears
rds he went
. ^survey of
correspond-

)ffioe at Ot-
Own Dear
Bvious.

Of course she never for a moment doubted Colton's faithful-
ness, and upon no theory but that of his death could she ac-
count for the break in their correspondence. During their
direct intercourse he had not mentioned his place of birth, nor
had he said anything to her with reference to his'relatiyes or
their residence — in fact, now that she thought of it, he had
stuaously aroided everything in conversation that might lead
to these subjects. Her present position was one of consider-
able difficulty, not unmingled with pain. Plighted to Colton
and importuned by Dr. Eose, ardently desirous of hearing from
the former, and not daring either to accept the latter or to give
him any explanation ; out of a situation, and not wishing to
remain at the only place she could call 'home' — with her
step-mother, she knew not which way to turn. By dint of
good management, which in her case was synonymous with
self-denial, sha had, during the three years she was "hired,"
(what a vile word in this connection !) saved nearly $50. Yes,
she had been wearied and worried, fretted and f^nnoyed, not
for six hours daily, as so many well-meaning but thoughtless
people suppose, but for sixteen hours every day, planning for
this class and arranging for the other ; devising Bchemes for
teaching a dull little boy the difference between b &ndd, or he-
tween j) and q ; thinking out how to elucidata the mysteries
of the multiplication table for the benefit of some ten or
twelve-year old gap-tender ; cudgeling her brains for easy
methods of teaching 'parts of speech,' or the geographical
definitions ; puzzling how to conquer kindly the bad boy of
the school, or how to secure and eniorce discipline generally ;
studying the various methods of fixing pupils' attention ; of
gaining their confidence and teaching them to think, and in
the preparation of the next day's work for presentation to the
classes in a mentally palatable and digestible form. Six hours,
indeed ! '"" ' • '

"Ah ! but," says Mrs. Doopelsnipe, triumphantly, "she had all
her Saturdays, Cfood Friday, Queen's Birthday, Dominion Day,
a week at Christmas and four weeks in summer, so I think she's
mighty well off. I've got to stay on the farm, year in and year
out, and I ain't half so well paid neither."

My dear, good Mrs. Doopelsnipe, you are certainly not aware
that active, anxious thought uses up more life-stuff in fivemin-
utes, than would suffice to churn bad butter all day every day
for a week, or to do the washing for a family of thirteen four
times a month. You would probably not believe that the
teacher who spends six hours daily in an ill-ventilated school
room, and with his mind at full stretch more than half of the
time, chiefly owing to the rude behavior of all your neighbors*

32 THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

badly brought up youngsters, consumes more brain material than
does Mr. Abraham Doopolunipe while trudging behind his team
as he ploughs crooked furrows over the whole of a ten acre field.
Yet all this is so, Mrs, Doopelsnipe, and the rest that teachers
get, (but much of which is in reality not rest,) is absolutely
necessary to make even a short life supportable, or a long on©
possible. However, you are not to blame Mrs. Doopelsnipe. for
after all, you are only repeating the croakings of Mr. Doopel-
snipe, and who ought to know better than he V

Miss Pollock was a systematic young woman. She was also
thoroughly independent in all her feelings. She, therefore, at
the outset of her school ma'amisra m Eexville determined for
at least one year, to keep a strict aocount of her expenditure.

The following are the items in bulk without reference to
dates :

Board, 10 months @ $7.50 $75.00 .

' Kubscription and Contributions to Church 5.00

Books and Stationery for School Work 5.00

• 1 Attending Tea-meetings and Socials . f 1 .00

. ' School Magazines 3.00

2 Trips to Teachers' Associations with travelling and

other Expenses 3.00

Other Travelling expenses 6.00

' Clothing, Hats, Boots, Repairs etc GO.OO

* Postage, Medicine and Sundries 2.'/0

,;w,-'t"'iv tV". ■ i ' • ';"'. :• , . . ''^'.''yt)

..:•,. $159.00

Salaiy , 175.00

Balance $1G.00

This shows a balance of sixteen dollars in her favor, but
does not take into account her two mouths* board at home, for
which her stepmother njade no charge because of the assistance
Hannah rendered in making, mendinj?, patching and kritting
for the young I^ollocks, as well as in performing chores generally.

Yes, Miss Pdllock actually saved per month during three
[ years, not of toil merely, but of toil and worry, exactly one
dollar and thirty-three cents'? Had she not been a clever
; needlewoman, thanks to the practical good sense of both her
mother and stepmother, the whole of her beggarly salary
would scarcely have sufficed to maintain her respectably, oven
though she had given nothing to the church, and nothing for
professional literature.

Still the Doopelsnipes survive. There are two or more in
every school section. Without doubtt, heir existence is not
only permitted but encouraged for yome wise but inscrutable
purpose, perhaps to prevent teachers from becoming too proud,
as they would be prone to do, if, feeling themsplves in accord -

I k

THE ADVENTURES OF NO.

aterial than
id his team
acre field.
at teachers
absolutely
a long one
slanipe.. for
fr. Doopel-

be was also
lerefore, at
rmined for
penditure.
jference to

5,00 •

5.00

1 .00

3.00 •
I • ■

3.00

^'5.00

. 60.00

. 2./0

$159,00
175.00

...3IG.OO

favor, but
home, for
assistance
d knitting
generally,
ring three
cactly one
a a clever
• both her
irly salary
ibly, even
sthing for

T more in
ice is not
ascrutable
boo proud,
in accord-

ance with the requirements of an advertisement, to be "well
qualified," they, at the same time received more than would
suffice to keep body and soul together I Souie teachers under
favorable circumstances might refuse to spend their holidays
in the harvest-field, others might be desirous of

forming

library, or of spending forty or fifty dollars in a trip to Lake
Superior or down the St. Lawrence, and where would this sort
of thing bo likely to end 1 Eh, Mrs. Doopelsnipe 1 But Miss
Pollock has no intention of spending- her money in any such
foolish way — she simply saved, providentially.

CIIAPTIR XVII.

Messrs. Jones, Turner and Schuntz, when left to themselves
at the close of the public meeting, were not in what is usually
understood to be an ecstatiij frame of mind. Jones although
IB ^^^ ^^^°^ being satisfied with the proceedings, was too conceited-
ly opinionative to acknowledge even to himself that had he
played the part of an ignoramus ! Mr. Turner wa.s *mad' be-
cause .'^oues had been 'histed' over his head, into the chair,
and glad that Dixon had so well peppered the VVelahman !
Mr. Schuntz didn't know what to think as yet he required a
day or two's solid meditation and some sleep — meanwhile he
was chewing vigoiouly, as, indeed, was Mr, Turner, and both
of them apparently as if they had met for the purpose of doing
nothing else.

When Mr. Jones broke silence with ''Well, shentleraen,"
they both looked at him and then at each other, but said noth-
ing, indeed they had not been asked to speak, for when a per-
son says *'Well, shentlemen," he may intend to make a speech
himself. But it was evident that Mr. Jones meant "Well
shentlemen to be an interrogatory, for, after a pause, he con-
tinued, '-What we going to do X'

What Mr. Turner want^^d them to do was to make him
chairman of the board, bat this was precisely the position Mr.
Jones hankered after himself. Mr. Turner wished the chair-
manship for the honor of the thing — Mr. Jones f«r the honor
amd the handling of the funds (especially in view of a new
building) tor chairman, secretary and treasurer in No. 7 were
"Three single gentlemen rolled into one." ^

Mr. Schuntz didn't care which of them got it, he, at any
rate, did not long for it.

Mr. Jones remarked with hesitancy that he "'Spoie first
thing iss to 'lect Shairman of boord," and nodding knowingly
at Mr. Schuntz, suggested that he was "best man to make
motion."

U THE Al)VENTUllJ::S OF NO. 7.

Mr. Schuntz did not lay any such ''flattoring unctiou to his
soul" as Mr. Jones intended he should ; he was simply anxious
to get home as soon as possible to his stable duties, so in the
interval between expectorations, he found time to say :

"Yah, I dinks so, and I move dot ^Ir. Shonesbe Shairraans."

Mr. Jones appeared delighted, but said he didn't know that
he was the best man. Mr. Turner was also a good business man,
"just so good ass mysijlf, efery bit, zackly," still if they were
determined to make hi/n (Jones) chairman, he didn't mind,
altliuugh it would take up uiiicli of his time, he wouldn't care
about that if it was to be for the good of the "young and rise
geueration." Tins was a pet phrase of his 1

Mr. Turner, with an eye to future councilorship, wanted
the "sit" badly, but had almost given up all hope of securing
it, when a happy thought struck him — Jones had not taken
the declaration of office ! He mentioned this with apparent
unconcern, adding that he would "prefer Jones gittin the chair,
only for that, because "it wouldn't be legal, nohow." Mr. Jones
contended that tlio declaration ot ofiico was only a piece of
"red crape," (ho meant red tape, perhaps) and was "no use 't
oil at oil," and that he could "just do just so well without no
declaration, zacklv," . ' , . ' .

Mr. Schuutz then said he would move that Mr. Turner be
chairman. Mr. Juiif s said ho would vote for Turner only for the
priuciido of the thing, and that Schuntz had Uu right to with-
dv;i\v his tirst motion. 3Ir. Schuntz siiid it was his motion and
ho could do anything he pleased with it, and if they didn't do
"aouiedings pooiy soon," ho was going home. ISlr. Jones
tliought that was the best thing they could do. Mr. Turner
thou;.;ht it wasn't, and when Mr Jones ajipealed to Mr. Schuntz,
jMr, Schuntz Ooclared ho wouldn't go lioiuo till thoy "made a
Shairman" if lie had to stay all nifjht ! Again he moved in
favor -f Tumor ; Mr. Turner secoii.led the motion, and de-
clared himself elected. Mr. Jones Siiid Tui'ner was no "Shen-
tlemau," and Mr. Turner retorted \h'dt he didn't care a blank
whether he was or not, he was chairman of No. 7, anyhow.

Mr. Jones went off grumbling about "rovi crape," and
"sheatery," leaving his two brothers in oilice to make arrange-
ments for procuring a new teacher.

,. They decided to advertise once moro, this time to ask for
either a "male or female." the applicants to state salery required.

Turner thought "some young chap might be glad of the
job for less nor they had been paying all along of old McTavish,
who was a mighty sight flusher with other folks, money nor ho
was with his own." And Schuntz said, "Yah, dot's so."

THE ADVENTURES OF KO. 7. ^

They agreed to meet ten days hence for the selection of &
teacher, and to discuss the new school-house question.

CHAPTER XVIII.

The residence of Mr. Philip Martin was an instance of a
house being divided against itself, the nominal head of fhe
family throwing all the blame of Polly Ann's discomfituro on
every body but Polly Ann, and the real head declaring fifty
times a day that "Gals wasn't of much account now-a-days,"
and that when she "was a gal she'd 'a teached that school in
spite 'o sin."

On the Monday following Polly Ann's retreat, the daily
hubbub in Mr. Martin's kitchen was at its height when Polly
Ann observed the Rev. Mr. llorrocks in the lane, on his way
to the house. Mr. Martin put away his pipe ; Mammy Martin
slicked her hair hastily, wiped her face with the corner of a
(lamp towel, and put on a clean apron, while Miss Polly Ann
went oft' to her own roon:!, resolving to remain there until the
reverend gontleman took his departure.

By the time that Phil Martin reached the front door in
obedience to the clerical knock, the Rev. Josiah Horrocks had
formed the horse-shoo wrinkle over his nosj,and thrown him-
self into position. ' ■ \

"Ahl good afternoon, Brother ]\[artin, how do you do? I'm
delighted to see you. And how is the good sister, Mrs. Mar-
tin ] Yes, thank you, I will step in for a brief period, a very
brief one indeed ; 1 merely desired to — (eh yah) — that is to
say, to make a short call, as I wasi on my way past."

"We're alius glad t;> see our pasture," said Mr. ]\rai'tin, "an'
I often says to myself, says I, 'what kind of a miserable, sinful
world would this 'ere be, anyhow, if it wasn't for our churches
and pastures?' " ' '

"My dear brother, it is exceedingly gratifying to hear you
give expression to such views, and (eh yah) I am truly sorry
that I am called Upon to deplore very frequoutiy, ah, yes 1
quite too much so, the laxity of moral principle which seems
to actuate so many, so very many, of our fellow, beings who
are (eh yah) on the highway to eternity, unable to say in tbe
words of the poet, ''When I can read my title clear," and who
fail utterly to perceive the immense debt of gratitude under
which they lay (sic) to their spiritual advisers, who 'pray with-
out ceasing' for the welfare of their flocks, desiring that 'all
may stand, a happy band' at the final ultimatum of things sub-
lunary, and (eh yah) but here comes our good sister. Ho«r

do you do, Sister Martin 1"

THE ADVENTUKES OF NO. 7.

"Lawk-a-daiay," began Mammy Martin, and she always began
•0, when either very happy or very sad. Just now she wag
not very happy.

"Lawk-s daisy ! Brother Horrocks, I ain't more 'n half well,
my sperrits is very low, an' I may as well tell you, 'cos you're
our minister, an' who should I tell it to, if not to you that has
knowed us off an' on now, goin' on three years 1 that I feel
awful took down 'bout Polly Ann." (Here Mammy Martin
began to weep bitterly as she buried her face in her clean
apron.) "All them Pollocks, an' Purkisses, an' Dixons, an'
Doopelsnipes an' everybody '11 crow like sin ; I'll be 'shamed
to go to meetin*, their young ones '11 tease the life oat of ours,
pr'aps Polly Ann '11 git t»ok sick, an' I'll die of a broken heart,
an' I wish I was dead anyhow, an' that I was never b»ru in
thi« wicked world, but it's ail for the best, I 'spose, an' I must
lam to bear the burden, an' to look for suckers (succor 1) in *a
bouse not made with hands' as Solomon says."

The Rev. Mr. Horrocks declared that he was "deeply griev-
ed," that he was "truly sorry, truly sorry indeed," that "the
result waB greatly to be deplored," and so on, still he had no
doubt "as the good sister had very truly and wisely remarked,
*it was all for the best' and most assuredly the concurrence of
c\enta would prove the sensibility (s/c) of the good sister's
observation, for were wo not all 'born to trouble as the sparks
fly upwards'? Ah, yes, indeed."

Mr. Horrocks then kindly enquired for Miss Martin herself,,
and was informed by her mother that "Polly Ann wasn't fit to
be seen, she's jist went to skin an' bone, an' doesn't never leave
her room on no account."

Phil Martin was afraid of the organ question cropping up,,
because he had not menti(/ned either to Mammy or Polly Ann
the offer he had made of the latter's musical services as instru-
mental performer to the choir, but the Kev. Mr.^ Horrock,s
kindly forbore referring to this matter ; indeed he had been
assured in several quarters recently, that Polly Ann Martin'*
musical attainments had barely reached the stage of "Mary ti>
the Saviour's Tomb," and under the circumstances he preferred
to make it appear that he retrained from alluding to the sub-
ject from motives ef delicacy.

Just as Mr. Phil was about express himself on the situation
with as much force as was permissible in tho presence of the
minister, Jerusha Martin entered the room timidly but uncer-
emoniously and intimated that a 'fellow' was outside, and
"wanted to soe 'Horrocks.'

Mammy Martin Bald "Shame on ye, Jerusha t say Mr. Hoi*

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

«rays begaa
J she

was

half welL
'cos you're
)U that has
hat I feel
3y Martin

her clean
Hxons, an'^
e 'shamed
at of ours,
)ken heart.
>r b®ru in
an' I must
3or1) in 'a

jply griev-
that "the
le had no
remarked,
irrence of
od sister's
ihe sparks

;in herseltV
-■asn't fit to
lever leave

pping up,
Polly Ann
as instru-
HorrockjS
had been
Q Martin's
"Mary tv>
I preferred
I the sub-

> situation
ce of the
but uncer-
^side, and

Mr. Hor-

Tocks," and Jerusha, quite unabashed, said, "well, Mr. HorrockB
then."

The reverend gentleman was glad of an excase to leave with-
out saying a word about the repairs he wanted at the parson-
age, and to talk about which was his main reason for making
the call.

Apologizing for want of time to engage in 'family exercise*
he quoted a few comforting texts for the benefit of "good sister
Martin" bade Phil and Mammy an unctuously affectionatt
"good bye" and went out to meet the "fellow" who prored to
be the son of the Eev. Simeon Haivers of the Kirk of Scotland
in Har(2«i village. Young Haivers had a note from his father,
desiring to see the Rev. Mr. Horrocks "on a matter of extreme
urgency" that evening at 7 o'clock.

CHAPTER XIX.

On the Saturday previous to the day of the Rev. Josiah
Horrocks' pastoral call on the Martins, Miss Pollock had re-
ceived from the Inspector a Second Class Certificate, accom-
panying which was a private note from the Board of Examin-
ers apologizing for the mistake that had been made, and ex-
pressing regret for the consequent trouble and icconrenience
to Miss Pollock. One of her difficulties was thus removed,
and so far ae her relations to Dr. Rose were concerned, it now
remained only that she should be fully assured regarding tho
existence of Nicholas Colton. Even on this point she was not
permitted to be long in doubt.

From a fragment of the Manitoha Free Press, apparently
three or four months old, and which came into her hands as
the wrapping paper of a small purchase made in the vil-
lage the Thursday alter tlji receipt of her certificate, sho
learned enough to satisfy her, not only that the perfidious Col»
ton was alive, but that h^ had grossly insulted her by marry-
ing a squaw 1 It booteu iittie to her that the Free Fre,'<s in its
local column referred to -he "squaw" as the "young, beauti-
ful, and highly educated daughter of Wild Bull In The Mus-
key, the principal ( 'ree Chief of the North west." "Young, beau-
tiful, and highly educated" indeed ! The bare idea was 'lock-
ing, an ■ liss Pollock very properly felt highly shocked, —
Colton was a low, mean, vile, nasty, insinuating wretch, and she
was much mistaken il he did not live to rue hie choice of th«
dusky maiden — But who didn't care a bit, no v. — ;< j was just
as good as he was and a great ^eal better toe, and she would
write and tell him so — no she wouldn't eithor, it might pleas©
him, and she haf ed him with all her might, lc she did — but

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

Jbe would find out yet — yes he would — and she would never
think of him any more, nerer, never, never ! no, not if she
lived a hundred years — and she would burn up every scrap of
his writing, and tear his photograph into a thousand shreds,

and she hoped he would but language failed here, giving

place to convulsive sobs and copious atreams of liitter, bitter,,
tears.

Next day she resolved to apply for her old situation in No.
7, and to agk for an increase of salary to the amount of twenty-
five dollars. Under any circumstanees she was now prepared
to close with the overtmres of Dr. Rose, for even if she got
the school she felt that she would be able to hold it, if not
until the end of the year, at any rate until midsummer.

In die time Messrs. Turner, Schuntz and Jones met to de-
liberate (?) on the choice of a teacher, and the erection ot a
new school-house. Mr. Jones had taken the declaration of of-
fice, and now assumed all the airs necessary to support the
dignity of a trustee, especially of one who had been shabbily ana
cruelly wronged in the matter of the chairman-secretary-treas-
urership.

As the new act had been in force for about a year, it was
not only more imperative than formerly that proper school ac-
commodation should be provided for overy })upll in tie section,
but, owing to increased 'toughness' of Teachers' Examinations,
and the consequent failure of many hitherto successful candi-
dates for certificates, th« applications for situations were not
nearly so numerous as in time past.

On this occasion the choice of No. 7 was limited to four —
two of each sex. Miss Pollock offered her services for $200
per annum, stating in her application that she thought it un-
necessary to send any recommendations. Miss Minnie Annette
Josephine Macorquodale held a Normal School certificate, and
was willing "to undertake the duties for the sum of $300 a
year." She forwarded testimonials from fifteen clergymen,
three inspectors, and eight trustees. Mr. J. Sylvester Hawkins
(when a school-boy he always wrote his name, Jared S. Hawk-
ins, but he was "toney" now) also held Normal School papers
— and would teach for a salary of $400 per annum, on condi-
tion that the trustees employed some one to light the fire, and to
sweep the room daily. He spoke about the value of his "re-
commends" (is that a specimen of Normal School culture 1)
his experience, his "marks," etc., and forwarded printed topies
of testimonials from twenty-two ministers, eighteen trustees^
six inspectors, two normal soliool masters, one drill-serg(«a;H,
one writing master and two 'professors' ot music L; «4'iei?
these "'recommends" he possessed "a highly valualiie ^'*}iju<>%

luld never
not if ah*
ry scrap of
id shreds,
jre, giving
ter, bittsr^

ion in No.
of twenty-
T prepared
if she got
it, if not
ler.

3et to de-
3tion ot a
fcion of of-
pport the
abbily ana
»tary-treas-

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

from one of the first and formo^i Commercial ('olleges in this
country."

Mr. W. Horatio Somsrs (he was probably called "Bill"
around home) we mention last, not, by any means because he
was least, accbtding to his own 'tell.' He wrote as follows : —
"Gentlem'eiii, seeing that you are in want of a teacher by the
"Globe*' of the ninth I write to say I am open to make an en-
gagement in any first-class institution. I have taught successi-
vely in several schools and always without a rival. As the
trustees of thif section and also of other sections wish to re-
tain my services, I trust you will make no delay in making
known to me the result of your deliberations.

Should you think fit to give me the appointment and I
think you will, I will conduct the school in accordance with
law in such a Wiy as I am sure it has never been conducted
before. I will not take less than Two Hundred JJoll&rs say
^'2<i0 per annum* "

Accompanying this modest applicetion were recommenda-
tions and testiaouials almost ar? injinitum certainiy ad naiisfavi.
Ministers, signatures figured largely, of course, trustees' scarce-
ly less so, and nondescripts' generally, to ph alarming extent.

The "Eev. M. Oliver Twiddleton, M.A., LL.D., Ox.," certi-
fied, "I have known Mr. W. H. Soniers for some tim§, and I
have no hesitation whatever in declaring him to be an estima-
ble person. He taught in Millsbury with c^reat acceptance to
the entire community for nearly a year. I have always heard
him referred to in terms of the most highly complimentary
character. As a member of St. Oriel's and a laborer in ths
Sunda/ School field he was most; indtfatigable. I can confi-
dently revOii.raend him to any Ijoard of Trustees as an intelli-
gent ;,;3ntl ijian, of unimpeachable moral rectitude, an admir-
abi t L^o'vlinarian, kind but firm in the management of his
youlhlu . pupils, and deeply enamoured of the work to which
be Lass cc^j-^oiated his talents and energies.

The Parsonage of St. Oriel's."

CHAPTER XX. ' . ■

To those who "know the ropes" it will not appear at all sin-
g'lav to be told that notwithstanding the tone of the Rev. M.
*■« ^T Twiddleton's testimonial, Mr. W. Horatio Somers was,
wi;J>>^t exception, the most ignominious failure that ever hand-
led n pointer in the Millsbury school. None but the villago
carpenter and bookseller (both of whom wtre church-wardens)

*This is a true copy of a rml application.

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

had cause to regret th3 departure of Mr. Somers. for during his
reoime, if such it could be called, mob law was triumphant both
in and out of school. Gates, fences, doors, desks and windows
suffered in the universal scrimmage j lath and plaster offered but
slight resistance to the violent impact of stones and ink-bottles,
slung by frolicsome or pugnacious pupils ; maps were speedily
c^wmounted and books playfully »mbound to supply the active
demand for arms and missilea in carrying on mimic warfare
•ither under the very nose of Mr. AV. Horatio Somers, or so
little remote from his whereabouts that he might have witness-
ed the encounters had he been so disposed. But he was not
so disposed. In fact, he had arrived at the conclusion that
whether as a peace-maker, or as a strictly neutral observer, the
probabilities wern that he would be more seveiely wounded
than the combata 'i themselves. This was his experience., for
being a bulky fellc ,' naturally offered a good deal of ob-

struction to any "pasu ; of arms" projected through tne air, or
otherwise !

Now, the Rev. Mr. Twiddleton knew about this state of affairs,
or he did not. In either case he was equally culpable. Had
he availed himself of the privilege conferred by law upon
clergymen of all denominations, to visit the school from time
to time, or to arrange with the trustees for the use of the room
at stated intervals, Lhai he might indoctrinate the pupils of
his own denomination, he could hardly have failed to ascertain
the ''true inwardness" of the "situation."

He bad not, however, done anything of the sort, lud yet no
man in the province denounced more loudly than he what
he called "the utterly Godless system of education." But he
stood not alone.

In this 'howl' the Rev. Oliver Twiddleton, M. A., L. L.D.
Ox. of St. Oriel's was joined most lustily by the Rev. Charles
Wesley Gubbin of Mount Zion, the Rev. Simeon Haivers of
the Auld Kirk, Dr. Andrew Macsnorer of Knox Church and
others 'of that ilk.'

Derelict of laborious (when inglorious) duty, the ministers
have left to humanitarian laymen of the present century the
arduous task of educating the people to the practical applica-
tion of those precepts of the Master upon which they have
continued to deliver utterances, from the pulpit, in the shape of
stale and weary platitudes, week by week through all the tedious
years. Paid, often poorly, no doubt, but still paid as workers,
they have too frequently proved drones, conservative to a degree,
they have gone on in the performance of some given round of du-
ties, a yearly revival peradventure, forming part of tho pro-
gramme. Clogged in the March of Intellect, by dogmas, and re-

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

during his

jhantboth

i windows

offered but

nk-bottles,

e speedily

^ the active

ic warfare

aers, or so

ve witness-

e was not

ision that

server, the

wounded

rience. for

eal of ob-

tne air, or

e of affairs,
t)le. Had
law upon
rom time
t" the room
pupils of

ascertain

nd yet no

1 he what
' But he

..,L. L.D.
V. Charles
[aivors of
urch and

ministers
utury the
1 appliea-
they have
e shape of
ae tedious
I workers,
» a degree,
md of du-
■ the pro-
as, and re-

.'iSa

posing in ruts along the way, our spiritual guidea in the Path of
Life hare boen overtaken and passed bj the lay apoatles of Ne-
gro Emancipation, of Religious Toleration, of Prison Reform, of
♦Sunday School Work, of Temperance, of Young Men's Christ-
ian Associations, Salvation Armies, of Labor Movements, of
Social Reconstruction, and of Political Franchise.

Dopg absolutely nothing for a time in favor of these pro-
jects, (if indeed they have not actually created obstructions,)
as soon as the first gleam of success appears on the horizon, the
reverend gentlemfn catch up one by one, and fall quietly into
line, until, when success is unmistakeably achieved, their hosan-
nas are heard high and loud beyond those of the fatigued way-
faring laborers, who, having removed all obatructious, now quiet-
ly submit to the self-complacent claim of the erstwhile laggards,
to all the glory and honor connected with the given movemenii
from its inception to its completion.

CHAPTER XXL

Painfully conscious that their influence with the masses is
weakening from day to day, and professing to view with alarm
a steady increase of immorality, the clergy gratulate themselves
upon having performed their duty ; that no blame lies at their
door, for have they not preached twice every Sunday (or Sal^-
iiatli; as the case may be) held a weekly prayer-raeetinj^. taught
a Bible Class of ten or a dozen (young ladies chiefly) and done
something by way of pastoral visitation ?

They fail, nevertheless, to perceive that hebdomadal itera-
tions about Regencrotion, Predestination, and Entire Sanctifi-
cation do little or nothing in favor of parental authority or
filial respect — the ground-work of all good government. Not
perceiving this they jump to the conclusion that to the ''God-
less Public Schools" is due the whole blame ! Upon them rests
the fearful responsibility ! The "system" is censurable for the
presence of children on the streets during hours of darkness;
for the loud and profane conversation of the home-circle ; for
the trashy five and ten cent senwation novels ; for the vile arti-
cles in newspapers giving the detail of suicides, murders, abor-
tions, seductions and divorces, to say nothing about the sug-
gestive advertisements ; and for the glaring inconsistencies in
the "walk and conversation" of Sunday School Teachers and
others to whom children naturally look for example as well as
precept !

Never was a cry indicative cf more imbecility on the part of
the bawlers than that of those who shout "The Bible in the
Public Schools." There is perhaps at present scarcely a school

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

in Ontario where the principles of Christian morality are not
taught in some practical shape many times daily, aside from
the formal opening and closing exercises. But this is not
enough. To lighten the labors of the already overwrought
minister, unassisted as he is by other agencies (!) the Bible must
be made a text-book. Well be it so. We shall next hear of
dissensions in school-sections, and of a demand for denotnina-
tional schools. Advertisements like this will be in order,
think of it : —

"Teacher, for S. S. No. 12^ Canton township, must be a
Presbyterian in good standing. Will be expected to act as
Precentor and take charge of the Sabbath School. Sala\'y $300
a year with prospects of an increase, because although the sec
tion is new and small, it is situated in an old and wealthy part
of the country, and may be expected to improve."

Or this:— • ' "

"Teacher Wanted. — Good Class Loader and Bass Singer pre-
ferred, for Hollerlon Public School. Must be well recom-
mended by the Chairman of the District in which applicant
last taught. If a young man and in preparation for the min-
istry, arrangem ;r>t8 c..n be made for him to board at the par-
sonage. Salary $25 per month while school is open."

Or this :—

"The United, Brethren in Christ, of old School Section No.
0. Macbuching, having succeeded in forming a new section of
twelve families for the purpose of conducting a school accord-
ing to the pure and primeval tenets of the Church are anxious
to meet with a suitable young man or woman, holding a third
class certificate, who will take charge of the school. Salary
made known on application. Must apply personally.

The Twiddleton's, Macsnorers, Haivers and Gubbins seem
to think this state of things "a consummation devoutlv to be
wished," although they have not attempted to show either that
our population generally is more criminal than that of coun-
tries where the Bible is a text book, or, that amongst ourselves,
schools, in which strictly religious instructionp largely predom-
inates, turn out a better class of citizens than do those in which
religious and moral teaching is purely incidental.

But this is a digression.

For testimonial purposes, the Eev. M. Oliver Twiddleton,
M.A.,LL.D., Ox., did not think it at all necessary to know
anything about the school ; he had simply met Mr. W. Horatio
Somers a good many times, never heard anything bad about him^
knew him as a Sunday School teacher, and communicant, and
was desirous of helping him in so far as paper, pen and ink
were concerned.

i{rtMi«Ba».'-v.

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

ality are- not
', aside from
this is not
)verwrought
B Bible must
next hear of
• denominn-
)e in order,

, must be a
d to act as
8h\sLXj $300
ugh the sec
vealthy part

J Singer pre-
tvell recom-
;h applicant
for the min-
at the par-

Section No.
v^ section of
ool accord -
are anxious
ing a third
ol. Salary

y. ■ .:'

)bins seem
utly to be
either that
it of coun-
t ourselves,
y predom-
le in which

tviddleton,
y to know
V. Horatio
ibout him,
icant, and
and ink

Nobody seems to think it any harm to lie downright in testi-
monial form, the result being that trustees of long standing
place but little faith in recommendations ; new trustees, how-
ever, and they form the majority, are frequently "taken in and
done for" by means of these mendacious documents. The
value of the really deserving teacher's testimonials is thereby
relatively lessened, for, to the discernment of a board where
all the applicants are strangers, his papers are no whit better
than (perhaps not so good as) those of persons like Mr. W,
Horatio Somufs.

"Well" said Turner, at the end of a three hours' sitting, dur-
ing which he struggled through more 'hands of write' than
ever lie had seen in his life before, "I'm dashed, if them ain't
rather steep. Guess they reckon we've got mints o' money.
I thought we might git some sort of a stoodent for a hunder
an' fifty or so."

Schuntz said "I dinks we better haf IMiss PjoUock again,
mine shildren goes along fushtrate at Miss Bollock ; Mr. Mc-
Tavish say shs vas shust so goot a teacher as nobody else."

It being imperative that Mr. Lloyd Jones should say some-
thing now, he coughed as wisely as he could and began : "My
'pinion iss we want a male teacher. Women no good 't oil at
oil. Let boys do what they please oil time, zackly. I moof we
engage Somers best man oltogether, by long chalk."

Turner also thought that was the best plan. Schuntz didn'l
mind whom they took, and so it was decided that Mr. W.
Horatio Somers should be invited to teach in No. 7.

They also arranged to advertise, asking tenders for the erec-
tion of a brick school-house 40x25, after which they separated.

CHAPTEE XXIL

The new School Act also demanded higher qualifications on
the part of newly-appointed Inspectors. Many of the old sup-
erintendents having been mere pensioners on the charity of
County councils. Some of these gentlemen did undoubtedly,
do excellent work — work that would compare favorably with
much that is done to-day, but, taken as a whole, the superin-
tendency of the past had fallen jehind the requirements of the
time. The great pity is that in a few counties the pensioners
have been retained as inspectors (1) and some these are far from
being the best specimens of the class they represent, and of
which they are truly the residuum.

The county cf which Bexville formed one township, was
under the care of two ''pensioners" one having the oast and
the other the west riding. The eastern man haying kindly

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

died, there were five applicants for the vacancy — five legally
qualified applicants : that is to say they held either Ist A
Normal School certificates, or a University degree ! Four oi
held 1st A's and had taught in a public schools for from ten to
twenty years. One had been two years in a public school and
two in a high school, and signed himself S. T. Bunt, B. A. (S.
T. stood for Solomon Tomkins and that's why he used the
initials, He didn't like Bunt either, but couldn't well call him-
self S. T. B.) He professed political principles of the stripe
that prevailed for the time being in the County Council, used
his tongue glibbly, button-holed all the councillors, treated some,
cajoled others, parted his hair symmetrically, and as a matter
of course got the appointment. To all who were acquainted
with him (and it did. not take much time to know him thorough-
ly) it was a profound mystery how he got B. A. Malicious
and envious teachers, to many of whom no doubt, he had given
mortal offence in the conscientious discharge of his duty, fre-
quently talked the subject over quietly with each other. In
the course of these conversations a sharp listener might catch
such off-repeated words as "crib," ''Kings," "boots," "leave,"
'•wristbands," "university," "bought," and "sold." In private
and congenial company he could swear "like a trooper" drink
lots of whiskey, and tell obscene stories. In the school-room
his behavior was characterized by tyranny and brag. When
opportunity served he did not hesitate to malign one teacher
to another, and another to one. To a few high-minded teachers
he cringed, but he expected all the rest to cringe to him.

Incredible as all this may appear, and the half has not been
told, this person was the newly appointed inspector oi Rexville
and adjoining townships and held the position for five years.
Indeed, if he does not resign as the present council desire he
should, it is j)robable he may remain to damage his district
for some time to come.

AVith this knowledc;e of Mr. Bunt, we shall batter be able
to understand how he and Mr. W. Horatio Somers got along.

Inspector Bunt contrived to be at No. 7 on the evening of
Somers' first day in school. At a meeting in the hotel, ar-
ranged for by the Inspector, Somers was exhaustively pumped.
With tearful eyes he confessed to the state of affairs he left in
Millsbury, in the adjoining county, and expressed his fear that
No. 7 was going to be an equally hard place I

Here was the very man Mr. Bunt was in need of. He want-
ed just then a most subservient and pliant tool, and he saw
that W. Horatio Somers was capable of acting that part to per-
fection.

Bunt having succeeded in impressing Somers very favor-

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7. 45

ably, they parted at a late hour, with an understanding that
the school should be inspected the following day.

CHAPTER XXIII.

The season for school engagements being past, Miss Pollock
anticipated nothing but enforced Test' until mid-summer, now
that she had missed No. 7. Her step-mother was agreeably
surprised to notice that the disappoirtment did not appear to
induce what she called Hannah's "mopos," although she was
sharp-witted enough to observe that the young lady was ill at
ease. In the midst of a quilt-patchmg, one day, both having
been busily, but ^jilently, engaged for nearly five minutes, Mrs.
Pollock carefully inserted her needle through the head of an
unbotanical flower, at one corner of an unmathematical square,
took off her cjlasses, squeezed her lips very tight, heaved a deep
sigh, placed her elbows on the table, looked full at her com-
panion, and said, "Hanner, 'aven't you 'card any think yet from
Susan Mary 1"

"Well, mother," she answered with a faint smile at !Mr8.
Pollock's persistent mispronunciation of Sault St. Murie. "I
can't say exactly that I've heard, and yet I know all I want to
know. I was judPt thinking about telling you when you spoke."

"Was he drownded then 1"

"No he was not, but I almost wish he had been."

"Hanner Pollock ! Whatever has got into youl I 'ope there's
nowt agoing wrong with your 'ead."

"No fear of that mother, but something went wrong with
his head."

"Went crazy, eh ]"

"Yes."

"Poor fellow I Well I guess as it would 'a been better if he
had got drownded. 'Ow Woo it Hanner, tell me all about it 1"

Miss Pollock produced the scrap of paper, and handed it to
her step-mothei, requesting that she would read it for herself.
Hannah meanwhile stitched away thoughtfully but was sharply
aromsed from her reverie, by an outburst of laughter on the part
of Mrs. Pollock.

It is somewhat difficult to account for the various affections
of our risibilities. To the school-boy, nothing, if we except
mishaps to the teacher, is more provocative of uncontrollable
laughter, than seeing another fellow painftilly affected a jhjs-
Uriori with a crooked pini The unfeeling husband laughs
'consumedly' when he perceives his wife hammering a board
and her thumb nail alternately ; girls giggle perpetually at — nO'
thing at all ; and some women prove their claim to humanity

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

by snickering violently when they leaiii that "dear" Mrs.
Noggles' atylished dreesed three-year-old heir tumbled into a
mud-puddle, and was carried home in 'such a state !' It is
even said that a successful candidate teacher, who lived long
ago, somewhere in New Zealand, actually chuckled upon hear-
ing that his companion had been plucked I

Bearing these things in mind, an almost infinite number of
theorips might be advanced for the cause of 'trouble' in Mrs.
Pollock's case, but it is probable that none of them would be
right, for as soon as the good lady was able to articulate, she
gasped, "Mus — , Mus — , Muskeg, what is a muskeg 1 Is it 1" antl
then she went off again, "is it a hanimul, or some soart of a
butter-firkin ?" Miss Pollock was uncertain whether, under the
circumstances, she ought to smile or to cry, or merely look very
serious, but the ludicrous grimaces of her step-mother proved
too much, and so she also laughed heartily. After another
round or two in which both took part, Mrs. Pollock wiped her
eyes and adjusted her specs. It was seldom, indeed, that she
manifested her feelings in such a manner.

The effect of the scene upon Miss Pollock was astonishing.
The world did not look half so black as it did only a few
minutes before — her feeling of loneliness had departed — some-
thing akin to pleasure took its place, and — yeS — life was worth
living.

It is more than probable, after all, that the wise and kindly
dame invented, semi-unconaciously, the whole of this diversion
for the purpose so happily effected. At any rate, the young
womfin was now in a reasonable frame of mind, and able to
see things from a practical stand-point.

She opened hor heart fully to her step-mother, and conclud-
ed by informing her that Dr. Eose intended to call in the
evening after choir practice.

"I'm right glad on't, Hanner, and don't you go and make a
fool o' yourself. Be a sensible girl a and come to a hunder-

staudiug.

CHAPTER XXIV.

In an eastern county, Mr. C. T. Bunt. B.A., once taught
for a year as head-master (and a poor one at that) of a high
school. At that time the legislative grant was apportioned in
accordance with tli^ average attendance, and owing to the fact
that Mr. Bunt's returns were abnormally high an examination
of his register disclosed a large number of carelessly (?) inserted
'present' marks, notably, in the cases of several pupils who had
left to attend a neighboring school, and of one whose presence

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7. 4f

was indicated daily for four months after his decease. Ad this
system of registration did not accord with the views of his
trustees who were "all honorable men," Mr. Brunt had to look
ont for another situation. He applied for a number of schools,
2L8 in customary, and had no doubt that the high character of
his testimonials would gain him a place. Almost at the last
moment he received an appointment, at $900 a year, and two
days afterwards entered upon his duties. Early in the forenoon
of his first day, he was handed a telegram informing him tliat
he had been chosen in another place at $1000 per annum. The
train left for that town quarter at 2 o'clock. At noon he dis-
missed the classes, having allotted them lessons to prepare at
home, for the following day, — bought a ticket for the scene of
his new appointment, and — left !

But this is by the way.

During his first head-mastership he formed the intimate ac-
quaintance with two of his students equally unprincipled with
himself. To them in a irea/,- monif ut he confided the secret of his
obtaining B.A. From that moment he was in their power, and
they knew it. At last examination both students failed, and were
about to try again. Mr. Bunt not having succeeded in being
appointed on the Central .l>oai'd of Examiners, where he might
be able to do his friends some good, and at the same time close
their mouths forever, resolved upon another scheme — a scheme
in which he intended to make use of W, Horatio Somers.
Quite unexpectedly, he discovered that 3Ir. Somers himself had
passed a shadij examination, and that Mr, Somers had a cousin
named Koper, emj)loyed in the Toronto printing house where
the papers were "syt up." lu tlie meautime the rest may sal'e-
ly be left to the reader's iriiagiuatiun.

CHAPTER

Mr. Bunt had made the first move in his little game at the
hotel, and the next morning, punctually, and as conspicuously
as possible, ho strutted to the school, intending to make a
move or two more. Mr. Soinevs wa^ in his place before nine
o'clock — something quite unusual — and tho fire was lighted.
Vomers did not look a bit hai)py, and Bunt appeared brmifull
of genialty. They talked about things in general until a
quarter past nine, but no scholar as yet appeared. The de-
moralization consequent upon Miss Polly Ann Martin's brief
rule had not received any check through Mr. Soraers' influence
yesterday. That was plain. According to the teacher's own
account to the inspector, yesterday had been ''a pretty rough
time." Half past nine — three pupils at the door ; ten o'clock —

THE ADVENTTTRK8 OF NO. 7.

oleren on tho grounds. School was now opened. Of course
tho ordei was excellent, but there should have been not less
than forty or fifty pupils in their seats. Mr. Bunt could not
do much one way or another with only eleven little boys and
girls in the First and Second Books. He resolved upon a bold
stroke ; one that would not only make Somers his 'most obe-
dient' but would prove to the people how faithfully he wished
to perform his inspectoral duties, and how much he was superior
to the late official. He would take the Kegister with him, and
occupy the whole afternoon in calling upon parents, urging
them them to support the teacher, and to compel thoir children
to go to school.

By dint of really hard work and a great deal of persuasive
and seemingly earnest elocjuence, he accomplished his object.
Mr. Turner accompanied him for two or three hours, for Mr.
Turner had also an axe to grind.

On the following morning nearly forty pupils were present.
Messrs. Turner and Jones were also on hand by special invita-
tion. After a formal examination, Mr. Bunt addressing the
pupils, lauded Mr. Somers to the skies, hoped the -pupils
would behave as they used to do under Miss Pollock, and
trusted when he called again next week, on his way to Gob-
Dlersville, that he would hear a favorable report from Mr.
kSomers. Messrs. Jones and Turner also made speeches, the
former reminding che pupils that he was "self-made man,
zackly," and the latter declaring that if he "run the machine an*^
the blamed young snipes cut up high jinks, he was hanged if
gulletine every man-jack of 'em." "Yes, JNIr. Somers," said he
he, turning to the teacher, "I would grab 'em by the gullet, an'
choke 'em well, an' I don't know but what I'd keep one or two
coffins handy."

Jones was merely ignorant and correspondingly vulgar.
Turner was less ignorant but coarse, — vary coarse — and obtru-
sive : still, these are too often the men who 'get elected' at the
annual meeting when not more than from two or three to a
dozen ratepayers put in an appearance, unless, iadeed, it be-
come bruited about that the teacher is cogitating for some now
inaps, a new stove, a clock, or it may be a decent water-closet.
Any such contemplated expenditure will bri»g out every
penurious man in the section, and as nearly all the others stay
at home, the best man is not always elected.

Mr. Bunt had now played the second move in his game, and
it must be said that he played it well, for he not only estab-
lished Mr. Somers' authority Bpon a solid basis, but gained for
himself no small amount of popular favor.
" Deapite the inordinate conceit of Somen, and the shady

« ''

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

.w 49

character of his certificato, he was not wholly wanting in gump-
tion. Ue perceived that having gained, through Bunt's in-
strumentality, full control of the school, it behoved him to
maintain his supremacy at every hazard. He bent himself to
this task with all his might, and although from lack of judi-
oiouHness he made more than one mistake, nobody was more
surprised than himself when at the end of a week he was able
♦^0 report to Mr. Bunt, who did call on his way to Gobblers-
fiUe, that "things had gone on swimmingly."

Mr. Bunt expressed his sincere pleasure at hearing this, urg-
him warmly not to become 'weary of well-doing,* gave him a
number of useful hints, and requested to be notified immedi-
ately if any *on pleasantness' occurred, adding quietly, •'! intend
to 'ship' a chap at midsummer, and you may juat as well have
three huadred a year as two."

Mr. W. Horatio Somers thought Mr. Solomon Tomkins Bunt
one of the most amiable of men, and felt correspondingly
grateful to him.

.4' ''

•r

■ i: J 2

CHAPTEli XXVI. >. " : i ^ .

After choir practice Dr. Kose called at Mrs. Pollock's to re-

oive Hannah's ultimatum. He tried, without marked success,

to assume an air of imperturbability. The old lady left the

room, negotiations were speedily opened, and without much

loss of time, almost as speedily concluded.

As this is not purely a love story, it is unnecessary to record
all that took place during that extremely interesting interview.
Of course the doctor was somewhat confused, and of course
Miss Pollock did not conduct herself just as she did on ordi-
nary occasions. Of course he protested that he thought her the
most amiable and most accomplished of her sex, and of course
she blushed. It is not improbable that during a portion of
the conversation, he was in a keeling attitude with his head
resting in her lap, while she reclined her own upon the table ;
and nothing is more susceptible of proof than that they kissed
each other several times before they parted for the night. At
any rate the doctor had the promise of a wife, and the ex-school-
ma'am of a husband on the thirteenth of June, next ensuing.

CHAPTEE XXVII.

Inspector Bunt determined to put an end to the dilly-dally-
ing that had characterized the action of the trustees on the
question of building under the former inspector, and he ac-
cordingly sent a sharply worded not« to Mr. Chairman-Secro

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

lary-Trt Murer Tuxntr whioh^ui^d that worthjr to call a apccial
neotidg qf Ho. 7 KQ^ville Pablio SohoplBoard^o'.^^tPUzilps*
of making anauttemaiits preparatory to tl)9 tirection of a ntw
scbool-liouse.

The presiding officer, in anticipation of trouble with Mr.
Jonet, had fortified himself with one or two 'drinks' before leav-
ing home. The latter gentleman, with similar forebodings re-
l^rding both Turner and Schuntz, had done likewise. 6chunt2,
good, honest fellow that he was, had imbibed only a dipper-
ful of lager, not looking forward to what Mr. Bunt called
^'unpleasantness" from any source. He was first at the school-
house, and judging by the condition of the floor as the result
of the tobacco he had consumed, he must have spent at lea4t
an hour there before the arrival of Turner.

"Hullo, old Man !" exclaimed Turner, "you here, eh 1"

"Yah, more as a goot while." , .

''Old Blatherskite ain't here yet, I see." " ; ' '

"Who was Plattershkite, I don't know t" . ^ / ' ,

"Why, old Jones, to be sure, who else 1" ; ^

"Oh ! yah, No, he don't vas goom yet."

"Well, how's the feelin' around your quarter about buildint
Do you go in for a new school-house I"

'•Yah, I dinks dis vas not goot."

"Bully for you, then we kin euchre Jones, for I beerd tell
he was goin' {agin buildin', tooth an' nail," and hereupon hr
laid himself out to prime and cram the worthy Pennsylvania
Dutchman for the contest with Mr. Lloyd Jones.

"You see" said he, "after we talk the matter over for a bit
you should move that we go into committee of the whole, and
that Jones takes the chair. This'll tickle him you know ; thei>
I'll move that we put up a brick buildin', you'll second it, an'
the hull business '11 be done in spite of him, eh V*

"Yah, dot vas a goot blan" replied Mr. Schuntz, who, not
withstanding his acquiescence in the "blan" was anything but
clear as to the meaning of "committee of the whole." Turner,
himself had picked up the knowledge only the previous day,
in conversation with Mr. Dixon, the gentleman who had ex
pressed his views so emphatically in opposition to Jones ai
the annual school meeting.

But 'cute as Turner thor,n;ht himself, he 'reckoned without
his host' on this occasion. He knew that the terms of the law
would compel the erection of a new school-house, and that,
therefore, the ratepayers oould find no fault with the board,
and here ho rested his case.

Kr. Lloyd Jones — the self-made man, from "AnglMhire,"

'.•^•;.-^•{^l;t!^<l<i^f, ,) ,*■(■;

,'7.-,-

call a special
iox]| 401 a i|(iw

' b«foM leav-
rebodinga xe-
ae. 8chunta,
ilj a dippor-
Bunt called
kt the school-
as the result
ipeQt at leMt

re,ehr

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

out buildin' t

I heeid tell
liereupon he
?eim8ylvania

7er for a bit,

3 whole, and

know ; then

econd it, an'

tz, who, not
my thing but
" Turner,
•revious day,
vho had ex
to Jones ai

led without
18 of the law
86; and that,
the board,

^ngleshire,"
^C6«nd his

own opinions, profesMd to "care not at oU" for the law or for
what anybody but hJimseU t^pught. "Members F^luunent
wrong o^togfther—to^ nonsenas<--4on't know anythuig i^bont
ooi liusii^ess, 't oil <it oil— '^f i|l dq, jus.^ve please %oni build
school-house, 'zackly."

Still Mr, Jones could not forget that refusal to build meant
a loss of 4000 dollars to the section, and he« as the largest
ratepayer, would necessarily suffer in proportion. Then, again
having once tasted the 'sweets of office' as township reeTe, he
aimed at running Josh Ferrand 'off the traick' next year, to
secure the position for himself; a position which, by some
means he knew how to make 'pay.' Astounding, too, as it
may appear, in view of the man s pig-headed ignorance, Mr.
Jones had an eye even upon parliamentary honors — how much
further his overweening conceit wo^l^.have c^ried hiip, it is
impossible for anybody to say. !.'^ 1 < ' ' ' ' ' ', T >

Under these circumstances he felt bound to do all in his
power towards retrieving the character (which, to many) he
had forfeited, when last in municipal office, as an economical,
not to say honest, man.

To oppcse Turner, at any rate, was his fixed determination.

When he entered the old school-house, his colleagues were
earnestly discussing the respective merits of pease and Indian
corn as beef-makers, and doing so apparently as if no other
subject had engrossed their attention that day. Of course,
Mr. Turner had not observed the approach of Mr. Jones !

"Morning, shentlemen," said Jones.

"Morning," replied Schuntz cheerily, and Turner doggedly,

"I guess, we'd better begin now," continued the latter,
"we're an hour behind time already."

'Yah," said Schuntz, "dot is so."

Mr. Turner having mounted the three-legged stool proceed-
ed to explain that as "fur" as he was concerned he "didn't see
no use in puttin' up a new buildin' at all, but if it was a-goin*
to be such a heavy loss to the section as Mr. Bunt said it was,
he guessed they'^^hev to pitch m an' do somethin', but for
his part he "didn't see why they couldn't put up another log
house that would do well enough, for about a hundred and
fifty or two hundred dollars."

This suggestion rather took the wind out of Mr. Jones's sails,
being one of those he meant to make himself, for the purpose
of blocking Turner, but he said nothing.

S^Ljntz working his jaws vigorously, and expectorating
freely, remarked, "I dinks we better as haf a brick."

Jones couldn't make out whether this meant that a log build-
ing would be better than a bricki i)r a briok building better

-62- -n : THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7. ; aw^

tnUsi a log 'one, and still he said nothing. ''

j^. "How much would a brick buildin' cost, Jake, say 26x40?"

'■''"Veil, if you get the brick from Gobblersville, it vill gost

not so mooch less as eight hunder dollar, but if dey goom from

Barkinson's yard it vill gost not so much as eight hunder."

As this seemed to be a distinction without a difference,
Jones said the section "couldn't 'ford to pay so much money,
't oil at oil. Frame building 20x30 good 'nough, and not cost
more than four hunder dollar, 'zackly." ^

: Turner ventured to say that 20x30 was "too small accord in'
to law, an' anyhow he didn't know but frame was dearer nor
brick in the long run," when Jones retorted to the effc 'hat
he was pretty nice kind of "Shairman,'" and didn'^- kno vhat
he was^tolk 'bout, 't oil at oil, not one bit," "'' ^ '- '- t;
. Turner guessed he knew just as much as Jones, day any an'
a blame sight more, too, an* he knew that when lumber was so
high as it was, a frame house cost as much as a brick house,
an' wasn't much of a house after all — "But," he went on, "I
ain't in favor of a brick nor a frame school-house ; a log house
is good enough for the best of the youngsters in No. 7, an' if
•we must put up a bigger place, I say let us save all we kin, an^
make it log, 26x40."

Until the opening of the meeting that day the Chairman-
Secretary-Treasurer, had never entertained tho idea of erect-
ing arother In^r structure for school purposes, and even now
"vvas opposed to anything of the sort, but he thought it advis-
able to play this card so as to be ahead of Jones m the econ-
omy cry.

The Welshman — almost the equal of his colleague in low
•cunning, and shrewedly suspecting Turner's motive — agreed
that a log 'Uilding would do well enough, but that 'J0x30 would
givt. all tho room required and reduce the cost by fifteen or
twenty dollars.

Turner pointed out that 20x30 would be insuflicient to allow
the number of cubic feet demanded by law, to which Jones
replied that he knew how many "shiltren" could sit on 20x30
^'shust 80 well as Turner, 'zackly," and that he didn't "caro cent
'bout the law."

Astonished at the turn affairs had taken, Schuntz sat dumb-
founded, chewing very hard, and trying to think, but with
little success. At this point, howerer, in the conversation ho
managed to announce in terms most unmistakeable, that he
would rather sell :ut and move to Manitoba than pay one cent
toward the erection of another log-house for a school.

This was the Chairman's opportunity, and passing his 'plug
of black strop' to Schuntz, after helping himself liberally, he

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

kno vhat

4Baid, "Well, Jake, what do yoti go in for, brick or frame 1"

"Brick," replied Schuntz, with a very decided shake of his
head, and an equally depided thuuJR .on thQ ne^^t represen-
tative of a desk. . X , i, ,,. ^ . * . / ..-''.t) . / -.'^

Jones was just about to commence a lon^ speech, apparently,
when Turner, with a Jcnowing look at Schuntz, said he could-
n't see no way out of this dllly cmma unless they went into a
committee of the whole.

This remark reminded Schuntz of the previous arrangement,
so he said somewhat sullenly, "I moves dot, und dot Shone*
•dakes der shair, too."

"All right, my hearties," rejoined Turner, as he slipped from
his perch, and invited Jones in terms of the motion to tako
the chair, which the "self-made man" did as gracefully as the
-clumsy character of all his movements permitted. He always
felt that he had been cut out for a presiding ofl&cer, and
mounted upon the stool, he looked more than half-pleased lu
«pite of himself.

"Now, shentlemen, what you going to do 'bout business of
build school house T queried the chairman of committee.

"Jist to bring the thing to a pint," said Turner, "I move
that we build a log school-house 25x40."

The chairman immediately ejaculated, "I move amen'ment
— log school-house 20x30." Being informed by Turner that
the chairman "couldn't" make such a motion, he declared he
•could "make any motion he please, spite of nobody, 'zackly.'*

Upon Turner making the statement that as the motion he made
was not seconded, an amendment was of no use, the chairman
■declared that as the amendment had not been seconded either,
it was "shust af> good as motion any way." This was a,
elincher.

"If we can't carry a log-house, suppose we try a brick ono
for a change," suggested Turner — "I move that we advertiso
for tenders for a month, to put up a brick school-house in this
here section, which shall be 25 foot wide, 40 foot long, and
about 10 foot high to contain plenty of pure cubic air apiece
for fifty pupils, on a good stone foundation, not later than the
last day of September in the present current year."

"I soconds dot motion," said Schuntz.

"Guess it's carried, ain't it 1" chuckled the mover, as ho
smiled maliciously at Jones.

But the chairman evidently did not think it was carried —
he knew better than that. ^ He said, "Shentlemen, I refuse
put motion to meeting 't oil at oil, so you can't do nothin*.
House you speak build will cost most thousan' dollars, an' my
taxes will 'mount to near torty dollars 'lone, 'sides oil taxi pay

54-^H»mfiTl ,THE ADVENTU»E3.0F HfO, IJ ,it->W Mr

1^ t^i&ity yen an* moM, of Hbout khve* dolkrs year, 'zackly,
oltdgiitiiei too fiinch money throw away on Bchoob, oltqgelher.
I now leaf the shair an' you can't do nothing 't oil at oll.'^'/

With this speech, Jones took his hat and left the other tiro
othet ^ostees to the freedom ot their 6wn wills.

Tamer resomod the stool, explained to Sohnntz that two
could do busines legally anyhow, and by mutual consent it
was arranged to inseiSt an advertisement in the newspapers im-
mediately, asking for tenders in accordance with the motion
which Jones refused to put, but which Turner now declared
to be carried unanimously.

-8s|feiAi'<* tji-i (

CHAPTER XXVin*

li--.

Thanks to the mediatorial offices of Mr. S. T. Bunt, school*
Work in No. 7, was moving with moderate smoothness. The
attendance was fair, and the order not very bad, so that upon
the whole, Mr. Somers had great reason to feel grateful to the
inspector ; and he was grateful undoubtedly. Little did he
know to what extent his gratitude was about to be tested.

During a conversation between Mr. S. T. Bunt and the in-
spector of a neighboring county, the former gentleman elicited
enough to confirm former rumors regarding the fradulent means
employed by Somers towards procuring a certificate. Truth to
tell, S. T. Bunt was not pharisaical enough to condemn W.
Horatio Somera. He, himself, had proved one of the grossest
of sinners at sundry times, in divers manners, and several
places, with the same or a similar object in view. He was only
too glad to be assured of what formerly seemed but reasonably
suspicious. The way to the Toronto printing office was now
clear — so clear that S. T. Bunt, Esq., B. A., was enabled to in-
form his needy friends, that they might rely upon having
copies of all the questions for the forthcoming examination, at
least a week or two prior to the time fixed for it.

A number of passing calls at Ko. 7 during the first twa
months of Somers' engagement, were of so much benefit to the
school that ho was enabled to gra»p the teacher to him, if not
*wiih hooks of steel,' at any rate, with something quite as
strong.

About the middle of April, however, poor W. Horatio, who
had never got along so well in his life, became thoroughly
cast-down — desperate fact, in upon receiving from Inspector
Bunt, the following note.

JfPiCjkR Sir. I iiin deeply grieved, ou your account, to hear >n the
most reliable authuritjr, certain statements made affecting your char-
acter as a man of honor. I shall be at home all day on Saturday. If

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

«^'

yott ttdmtkt it cont«ni«nt to call And glre a MlisiiUTtorjr etpUnation, it
will not he naceMtey for me to take anjr further itepi — if yoa cant I
maf hare to cancel youi certificate. Don't mention this to any hodj
till you Bee me."

This note reached him on a Wednesday erening — on Thurs-
day, conscioufl-stricken, he was almost unfit for his work — on
Friday he complained of, (and, bo doubt suffered from) a serer^
headache — that day there was "no school." -, i .:

.?V '-iif'''

...:irf.».;

.kHif. V ■ i.T;

r CHAPTER XXIX.

Next day, very much chop-fallen, he drove to see the In-
spector. Solomon Tomkins Bunt, B.A., received him gravely
but kindly — led the way into the room he called his office —
told him to make himself at home — expressed great sorrow to
hear the reports that were spread about him, and so on, but
that probabj/ if ha were to make a clean breast of it, the case
would present some redeeming features.

So far as Somers could see, there was not a redeeming fea-
ture in any truthful story ho had to tell, and taking for grant*
cd that Bunt knew all, he simply said, "1 know I did wrong,,
but the temptation was awful strong."

Bunt insisted on hearing all the particulars, for he was play-
ing a deep game, and desired to entangle his victim inextric-
ably, while he, himself, might show to the best advantage.

W. Horatio somowhat hesitatingly proceeded to explain that
his cousin Tom Roper was a printer in a Toronto tfiice — that
Tom wrote to him one day a short time before the examina-
tion, telling him that the questions were being set up then
and there — that if he waited to know what was in the papers
he might easily do so, as Roper had copies of them all so far,
and intended to secure some others — that eventually, he,
(Somers) received all the papers — that having solved the ma-
thematical problems at home, he had made a few memory-
i joggers on his wristbands and pocket-handkerchief — that the
latter was stolen from him at the hotel where he and some "
others put up — and he supposed that was how the stories got
out. ^

Bunt listened attentively, and. villain that he was, smilingly
remarked that that had nothing to do with the reports he had
board. Said he, "Of course, vou didn't do quite the square
ihinji at the examination, but lots of good men have got through
the very same way. Old Darling, for instance, one of the Edu-
cation Office nabobs Was caught when writing for his B.A., and.
I know dozens of others that have passed onsuspectsd and yet
[they copied, but the story I heard about you was this, **— —

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

and here Inspector Bunt proceeded to fabricate a tale of other
immoral import relating to Somer8> and to all of wfaiclft the
latter was enabled to give bis unqualified denial, mnoh, itmay
he. readily believed, to bis own gratification, but feeliuj?, ^ever-
tbelefls, mortally chagrined to think how completely he had
'given himself away' on the examination question.

"I am very glad, very glad, indeed, Mr. Somers, to learn
from your owns lips that there is no truth in what I was told
about you, as I have formed a high opinion of your character
and qualifications — there is, in fact, a something in you that
has led me to become quite attached to you, as it were, and I
needn't tell you that although I have so accidently come to a
knowledge of how you pulled through at the examination, not
A syllable of your confession shall ever pass my lips,"

Somers expressed his thanks ruefully, and accepted and in-
vitation to take dinner with the Inspector, after which that
wily gentleman began in the course of conversation to circum-
vent his guest, gradually diminishing tne circle of hi« toils uniil
the poor weakling was hopelessly entangled, and had promised
upon specious representations made by his seductive host, to
procure thrcJugh Tom Roper, copies of the papers to be set for
first-class candidates at the ensuing teachers' examination.

CHAPTER XXX.

The Provinciitl Pedagogue Factory was at this time, and for
many years afterwards, in a state of utter demoralization. The
nominal heads of the institution were all men of unimpeach-
able honor, but some of the understrappers could not, truthfully,
be so classified. One of these "subs" whose original patronymic
was Handover, but, who, for some reason, chose to be known
as Dr. Vain, had managed by *hook or by crook' to make a
pretty good ihing out of his position. His residence was al-
most palatial and his retinue of servants in correspondence
therewith. He kept his carriage, entertained his guests in a
princely manner, and, generally, acted My Lord at large, all
on a comparatively limited salary as walking ,boss of the Fac-
tory Show-room. ^

Many of Dr. Yain's olficial subordinates, and not a few o
his social equals regarded his growing puwer and magnificence
with envious eyes. Over the Great Panjandrum himself. Dr.
Vain was said to exercise a mysterious influence. Haying
upon one occasion been charged with divers peccadilloes and
malversation of office, a strictly private investigation was held
— damaging «videnee was kept back, that whlah was giveii was

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

jjcontorted in his fATor, — and Dr. Tain waa pronounced gailt-
less, that is to say, he was 'whitewashed.' i

It was shown that Dr. Vain, Chief Boss of the Show-room,
[purchased from Dr. Yain of the Nick-nack Co., and sold to
[the country on a profit of nothing! and that he had never em-
ployed or utilized the brain and handicraft of government
[-employees to his own advantage 1 Not a whisper was> breathed
anent the disappearance of valuable objects from the Show-
iToom, but the payment of some thousands of dollars to himself.
Land members of his family under "color" of labor performed,
was held to be perfectly justifiable. Liquid slating, chemicals,
[telescopes, books, apparatus, jobbery, collusion and fraud were
[terms that mingled freely amid the forcible rather than choice
JTemarks levelled at him by his detractors. The Great Pan-
jandrum said : "Gentlemen, it is all right I" and, henceforth,
1'. Vain, as of yore, delighted the public eye with an ostenta-
tious display of foreign Exposition insignia, and trod the fioors
j of the Show-room as proudly and majestically as could any
|x}ther honest man !

More than one member of the Provincial parliament who had
[denounced the Boss in good set terms as ''a bad man," ''an im-
postor," "a scamp," "a villain" and "a scoundrel" were evident-
I ly convinced of the serious mistakes they must have made in
[their estimation of his character, for they accepted the verdict
I resulting from the Great Panjandrum's "private and confiden-
tiaF'invesiigation (?) and forever after held their peace — in a
[sense.

It is probably untrue that Dr. Vain ever disposed of exami-
I nation papers in any dishonest way, but the helief among his
[Underlings that he was 'equal to the occasion,' and a positiro
i knowledge on their part of other overt acts he had committed,
[tended to lower the morale of clerkdom generally, so that for
[many years not only wer« books and fancy articles stolen by
[Wholesale from the Show-room, bat a traffic in examination
[papers was kept up, between the Factory hands and the print-
ers, neither of whom, we may suppose, were losers by the tran-
I taction.

Why then should not Tom Boper imp^'ove the opportunity

[by ignoring the middle-men, and dealing directly with those

for whom the papers were intended ] We can see no reason,

[sand neither could he, so that when he received a letter fi'om

his cousin Billy Somers, offering $100 for a complete set of the

midsummer first-class papers, he replied at once accepting the

^terms.

V
68

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7,

■'t\ ,>#t* <;■ ' iiidi .Hf'-.

CHAPTER XXXI.

The Ber. Mt. Hdrroeks was not % punotaal tttan. Eren bnt
Simdays be was iumally among the last to enter the dmrch.
On ilie other hand the Rev. Simeon Haivers could boaet that
diiting his "saitYioe in the meeniitty"— a period of fotty one
years— -he had not detained a congregation for a single ihotn-
ent. The Rer. Mr. Haivers, with three of his elders MeiSrs.
Duncan, Macintosh and Armstrong, and the Eey. Mr. Bigsby,
Baptist Minister from GobbleroYilie waited Impatiently until
half past seven o'clock, for the arrival of the Rev. Mr. Hor-
rocks, on the evening of the day that he was called away so
unceremoniously from Mr. Phil Martin's, and they were just
engaging in prayer when the unpunctual brother entered and
and quietly knelt beside the only vacant chair in the room.

The Rev. Mr. Haivers who was 'leading,' having rehearsed
for nearly five minutes, all the qualities and attributes (so far
he knew) of the Deity, proceeded to implore divine aid for
"the heathen that sit in darkness in foreign lands," for **mission-
aries and their families who procla-aim tlie glad tidings," for
"weedows and o-orphans without distinction" for "a-ahll that
are seeck and in affliction," for "the Queen, the Govemor-gain-
eral and a-ahll that rule under them and o-over us," for "sa-ab-
bath-scbools and sabbath-school teachers," for "parents and
guairdians" and for "a-ahll the young people of whatever de-
nomina-ation," prayed that God would "hasten the time when
a-ahll should kno\r him, from the least even to the grea-eat-
est," that He would "be merciful to the poor ignorant papists,"
that He would "hasten the downfa-ahl of Anti-Christ in every
fo-orm" that He would "ena-able us to perform our saiveral
duties in good time and season" (the Eev. Mr. Horrocks knew
this was aimed at him) "remembering that our da-ays were
short and fleeting, and that we would each and a-ahll of us,
have to give an account not only of the time we had lost our-
selves, but of that wheech God in his o-own good providence
had bestowed on others, and wheech we may in a la-arge
measure, by means of our procrastina-a-ation, he morally re-
sponsible for" (The Rev. Mr. Horrocks daren't say "amen" to
this, even mentally, but how he did bite his lips !) that the
"eyes of our legisla-ators may be opened to the ineequity of
allowing the schools of this land to be conducted regairdless
of God" and that "the day may speedily come, terrible as an
airmy with banners,' " etc., etc., etc.

What the Rev. Mr. Horrocks called */?respiration* was oofc-
ing profusely from that gentleman's forehead, although the
room was not by any means overheated, and ht accounted for
it as he wiped his face, by the hute he had made to be on

.-.{m.t i> fin jTHE; ADYEjrrURES-OF KO. iT^rt s[::;iv. 59

hitiia ill ti«i<^, ftlWr vr^Atthitig hitsMlf himMlf aw»y firott a
young Hum #ho: wai in gnat ■pxritual agony.

Tha Bar. Kr. Haivara explained to the Bay. Mt. Hom>«k*
thattbis waa a mafta amatgalit maating, eallad owing to tha
^'caioaual praiaenda of Kr. Bigiby in oar midst/' and ha wonld
leaTe it to that gantleman to *'anla-arge upon the oeca-aaion."

Tha Bay. Mr. Bigsbj was a perky little gentleman of U. E.
stock, and to him tnia meant being t^uly Canadian blue-blood-
ed. He oonid apin interminable jarns of pioneer life as ex-
perienoed bj his grandfathers and grandmothers — yarns about
bears and wolvea and/'Injuns" (probably by way of distinction
to what he spoke of as en-gines,) and chopping beea, and quilt-
ing bees, and 'raiaings/ and of being lost in the woods. Aa it
is uniTersally taken ior granted that no pioneer ever exagger-
ated or implemahted stories of this kind, and that the second
and third generation tranamit the Teracious narratives in all
their simplicity and purity, it would be highly improper for
us to cast tha shadow of a doubt upon any of these Canadian
Is'ight's Entertainments, more especially in the case of such as
were conducted under the auspices of one in the position of
the Bev. Mr. Bigsby. r-. «... < ^ ai.* , ^i c,

He affected long hair, and k'6pt it oombed well back in a
mass. His low but wide forehead, and his square jaws and
amall chin gave his face a quadrangular appearance. Qis nose
was well shaped, but altogether too Small when compared with
the length of the slit that formed his mouth. His eyes were
small, twitchy, and of an unnamed color. He had only one
eyebrow, but that stretched from temple to temple, and ha had
big hands and feet.

In utterance, the Bey. Mr. Bigsby was deliberate, with a
touch of twanginess. The indefinite article "a" he pronounced
as "ai" and always said ai-round, ai-bout, ai-bove and ai-loud,
and, like many other uncultured men, he thought he was
speaking good English when he said ey-il, doy-il, and goap-el.

It is no part of our duty to follow the reverend gentleman
throughout his prosaic introductory periods, but when he
reaches the point at issue, it may be well to put his remarks
on record. Said he, "That the public schools of this province
are oon-duoted on Godless principles we cannot de-ny, and it
is equally true that many of the teachers are 'without God,
and witbDut hope in the world.' We see daily, all ai-round,
the terrible re-SuIts ai-rising from this sad «on-dition of affairs.
Lilstj and pro^fai^ity ai-bound more and more, year after year;
theyoiKn|^g^«6ple ne-gtect ohutfch memberahip ; atheism, or
agnoatieiim ato it is now ^Billed, openly de-fies ui to our faoa^
and, there-fore, I con-tend that our only hope lays (sic) in

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

com-pelling Te-ligioUB inttruotion to be impAfted as a task,
daily, in all the schools of our country. W« must be up and
doing, and it is not improbable that even our puny efforts in
the c«un-cils of our re-spective de-nprninationji may effect some
good, and with this object in view, Mr. Haiyew and my-self
thought it advisable to ask a few leading brethren here to-
night ; Mr. Horrocks, will you kindly give us a word of
prayer r .-, • xh.'-Ji

The Methodist brother complied willingly, corroborating
nearly all the statements made by the Kev. Mr. Haivers, and
repeating requests for the same list of blessings.

The Rev. Mr. Horrocks and elder Macintosh having ex-
pressed themselves in terms similar to those of the Rev. Mr.
IBigsby, elder Armstrong pioduced nothing short of consterna-
tion by averring that he ''Couldua agree wi'muckle o' what had
fa'n frae the ither speakers ! "Faur be't frae me," he continu-
ed, "to say or dae ocht that would mak my brither to offend,
but I mainteen that gin we a' tried to bring up oor bairns weel
at hame, by not only telling them what's ricUt, but by daein'
what's richt oorsel'e ; by keepin' them i' the hoose aifter the
darknin', and givin' them guid things to play wi', an' guid books
to read, we would fin' less faut wi' the schools an' the maisters.
In my opeeuion, they're baith weel aneuch, an' we'd better lea'
them alane."

Elder Duncan appeared more cheerful during the lapid de-
livery of Armstrong's remarks than at any previous time dar-
intj thA meeting, and upon receiving a nod from the Rev. Mr.
Haivers, he proceeded, "I have given this subject a good deal
of thought, and I must say that according to my way of think-
ing, friend Armstrong is not far wrong. Before coming to
Rexville, as some of you know, I taught school for fourteen
years, and the conclusion I have airived at is this, that no
school, no teacher, or no system is capablo of obliterating, far
less of eradicating the evil effects of bad home training. Where
lying, cheating, swearing and drinking are of every day oc-
currence in the family, five or six months' attendance at school.
six hour a day, for seldom more than six years, is not likely
to producing a lasting effect, even if the whole time were de-
voted to scriptural teaching, which you know is impossible.

"I have known a great many teachers in my day, and of most
of them 1 must say that they labored earnestly for the moral
as well as for the intellectual welfare of their pupils. That
there were exceptions I cannot deny — some were given to
liquor, — a few were grossly profane, but most of these have
ibeen weeded out. although I have reason to believe that some
Innpectors I couid name are no better than they should be.

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

even to-day. Btill the cure for these evils is in out ovrn hands.

"No board need retain for a single day the services of nn im-
moral teacher, and far less should any County Council suffer
an unworthy fellow to inflict himself for years upon a com*
n>unity. In many schools the bible is read, and the work of
the day is opened and closed with prayer, and the teachers
from time to time give practical lessons in Christian morals as
occasion demands. I do not see that any more can reasonably
be expected, and I am glad that Mr. Armstrong agrees with
me."

The Eev. Horrocks and the Rev. Bigsby looked at the Rev.
Hal vers, as much as to say "a very strange sort of pastor you
are, when mere elders dare to express themselves in opposition
to what they must know are your wishes !" But the Rev. Haivers
understood too well the quality of the material upon which he
had to work, to attempt anything like browbeating or intimida-
tion — he simply held his opinion, and allowed his elders to
hold theirs — any other course would have precipitated diffi-
culties, out of which the elders would not be likely to come
second best.

Without doing anything definite the meeting soon broke
up.

CHAFTER XXXII.

We have already seen that Dick Ferrand was anything but
a fool, and what follows will tend to strengthen this conviction.

On the way home from Gobblersville foundry, with some
light castings, on the evening of the day that Somers, the peni-
tent, humbled himself before confessor Bunt, Dick's horse
shied at a sheet of paper lying on the roadside. Dick was in-
quisitive, and the similarity of the paper to an open letter
prompted him to dismount and pick it up. Hastily glancing
at the signature he could make nothing of it, but cramming
the epistle into his trousers pocket he drove on, resolving to
read the contents when he got home. Heavy rains and heavy
loads having caused the formation of deep ruts and deceptive
looking puddles on the road, he did not reach his own "place"
until a much later hour than either he or his "Dad" anticipat-
ed, and the consequent bustle of unhitching the horse, getting
something to eat, and ''fixing" the machine for which the cast-
ings were intended, completely drove the letter out of his
mind, and he intended showing it to Mr. Ferrand.

When undressing for the night, however, he remembered
having placed ^e paper in his pocket, and immediately with-
drawing it proceeded to read :—

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

My Dbab Bbumo.— I am delighted to inforB you that X ftzfed thingi |
about ri^ht. The simpleton who i« teaching in th« B*-— e school it
in the sam« box with some more of us, anci I hare discotered where
and how he i^ot the X papers last time he was up. Be ii complsfteiy
under my control, as I have d<me him a good tuni hr ehabling hlih to
keep his place, whereas, but for m« his pupils would have completely
mastered him. His cousin is 3t the right spot in Toronto, so thai jou
may depend upon an A 1 next hitch. The fii^ure is 1 00 . Tell liina and
Cato. ' ._:,

Yours truly— ^^"^
Umohoo.

P. 8. — I scared him so that he couldn't teach yesterd^, and he came
to see me to day. U."

Dick was Tery much puzzled as to what this letter could
mean, but of a few things in connection with it, he felt abso-
lutely eertain. In the first place he was sure that the "simple
ton" was Mr. W. Horatio Somers, not only because of the re-
ference in the letter to that gentleman's difficulties with the
pupils, but because he had met the teacher returning to Harden
that day, when he was on the way to the foundry. In the
second place he knew that the writer must be the inspector,
also for two reasons : one being the part the writer said he had^
taken in enabling the teacher to keep his place, the other, that
on coming back from Gobblersville he heard one neighbor
mention to another that inspector Bunt had just passed, going
towards Keeweena, a cross-road village consisting chiefly of a
tavern, a blacksmith shop and a post-office. Of a third thing
was Dick fully assured) namely, that the Itiiter related to
something very mysterious, or why should it be dated from
"Unowhere" and signed by "Unohoo," upon which, thanks to
his sharp wit and bad spelling qualifications, he found no difii-
culty in placing the correct interpretation.

Had Dick been twice or three times the ago he was, and
correspondingly 'cute, he would also have been able to Perceive
that the writing was executed in a feigned hand, that ' liiUno,"

"Mirza" and "Cato"were p8eudonyms,and that "R e" stood

for Eexville. Ignorant, however, of these literary niceties, a?
many of his seniors might pardonably be, their presence tl
face of the letter added nothing to the force of the cc
at which he arrived. He went to bed in a state of fer-

ment, resolved to show the document to "Dad" in theuiw ing,
and soon dropped off to sleep.

CHAPTKR XXXin.
N«arly two wseks prtTiotts to tha d«7 on wkieb Dick mtdt

f.'rj'^'j'j ' i;

■■■■■■. -

L AxfBd ihingi
—e school ii
rtttd whart

oonipiirleiy
bling blita to
» cottpletely

io that you
ell liinaaud

Unohoo.

and he came

U."

letter conld
>e felt abso-
;he "simple
e of the n-
B8 with the
g to Harden
ry. In the
) inspector,
said he had
) other, that
ie neighbor
issed, going
chiefly of a
third thing
related to
dated from
1, thanks to
and r\e dift]-

he was, and
I to Perceive
at'iiiuao."

— e" stood
niceties, a?
jence ( "^ tli
I cc

of itil-

heiii^. mg,

Dick madf

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7. 63

hii ditcoTery, Old Joih Ferrand hired Maurioa O'Flynn, — and
wboYMl^) But ibit was jiift apiece of information that
yjg, li^^rloe O'Flynn seemed determined upon keepins to
himself, ai^ in eonaequenoe of thip reticence, nothing could Ibe
gal|iexed bpyond the Mots that he wae unused to manual labor,
wae well educated, and, recently from Ireland. What aubse-
<|ueptlT came out regarding the antecedent! of Maurice O'Flynn ,
it will be well to make known at once for the purpose of in-
deistanding the part he was about to pla> in connection with
Dick's 'find.*

The third and youngest son of a small landed proprietor in
the County of Clare, O'Flynn was reared 'in ilie lap of luxury.'
Educated at Trinity College, Dublin, and intended for the legal
profession, all appeared to be going prosperously with him in
the prosecution of his studies, when the sudden death of his
father revealed the fact that the family property was irretriev-
ably mortgaged for the payment of a heavy, longstanding, and
ever-i: u.r^asing debt. The eldest brother, Lieut. Herbert O'Flynn
of H. M. 8. Frantic, having generously divided between the
two younger members of the family all that could be saved
from the estate, advised them to emigrate to New Zealand or to
Canada. Both brothers took this advice, each chosing one of
the colonies named, Maurice, as we have 8eeu, coming to
Ontario.

Perhaps one of the pithiest and most truthful forms of ex-
pression that can be used to characterize an aristocratic young
Irishm: u is to say that he is plucky and promd. At any rate,
such was Maurice, for on the day that he stepped on board of
the Holyhead steamer at Dublin, on his way to the Allan liner
Prussian, lying at Liverpool, he resolved that he would make
his fortune before he returned to Ireland, and that he locmkl
not, under any circumstances give clue to liis fau. ily conuec- ,
tions. Pushing his way westward immediately after his arrival
at Montreal, he secured employment with "Old Josh" at $14 a
month exclusive of being 'found.' His chief object in select-
ing the vicinity of Harden for the scene of his first year's
^ bors, was that he might learn how to raise and manage stock,
aud so thoroughly did he accomplish his purpose, that he is at
present in possession of one of the largest cattle Xi;ncb<^s in the

rthwest Territory, and day by day becoming less desirous of
returning to reside in the home of his fathers, although he is
woith more money than would serve to pay for the family
estate of Ballykillmoghra, ten times told.

As a peLman, Maurice O'Flynn was an expert : — not after
the flourishing, flepHdoodle, Sps^cerian style, a thing of effemi-

€4

THE ADVENTUKES OF NO. 7.

tmly an expert. At Gothic, Old English, Church, Pre-Eliza-
l)«than, Engrossing and other texts, his fellow-students voted
him 'a dah' and he so frequently amused himsell by copying
in a book the autographs of distinguished per^onl, that when
compelled to give up his studies, the number of these 'forgeries'
as he playfully called them, was considerably over t\^ thousand.
In the celebrated Dublin contested-will case of Maguire and
Hcnnessy V. OHara, his evidence mainly served to convict
the defendant of "wilx'ully and fraudulently simulating the
signature of the deceased Tererce O'Hara," and for which
simulation the said defendant -vvas sentenced to hard labor and
a cell in Kilmainham for five years.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

'*'^ At the breakfast tabl** next morning, which was Dick's first
opportunity of "rising to explain," said he, "Dad 1 1 found a
letter on the road las* night, and it's an awful queer letter too.
I bet you can't make any sense out of it ! Here it is," and he
dragged it out of his trousers pocket along with divers pieces
of string, a horse-shoe nail, and a brass buckle.

■ "Dad" called for his 'specs* read it carefully at least twice,
to the detriment of his porridge, and then handed it to Maurice,
with the remark, "'It's a mighty strange letter anj'how. Kind
o' sense and nonsense, but I guess there's some deviltry about
it — take a look."

Scarcely a glance was enough to convince Maurice of the
"true inwardness'* of the letter, in so far as its puiport and in-
tention were concerned, but he was, as a matter oi ccuise, quite
ignorant regarding all tho5?Q of whom, and to whom reference
was made.

Dick, in accordance with his suspicions, speedily enlighten-
ed Maurice on these points.

Mrs. Ferrand interposed, but unsuccessfully, to make Dick
hold his peace, calling him 'a long-tongued little monkey,' 'a
raischievious young rascal' and 'a gabbleratch,' whatever that
may be.

Maurice O'Flynn's old graphic appetite was by this time
keenly whetted, and while he pretendad in the presence of
Mrs. Ferrand and Dick, that he did not attach any importance
to the writing, he had made up his mind to get to the bottom
of it. Advising Dick to say nothing about the matter in the
meantime to anybody, he quietly touched "Old Josh's" foot be-
neath the table to attract his attention, gave him a wink, and said
to Dick, "I have book full of (lueer-looking writing, and I would
like to put this in it, if you'll let me have it for a sixpence,"

THE ADVENTUEES OF NO. 7. ' 65

"A sixpence I" exclaimed Dick, "how much is that t"

•'A Ycrk shilling," said Ms. Ferrand.

"Twelve an' a half cents," said "Dad."

"You may have it," said Dick.

" 'Fuols an' their money's soon parted,' " said Mrs. Ferrand,
as she left the table to bring in the coffee pot, and the remain-
der of the meal was partaken of without further reference to
the letter.

CHAPTER XXXV.

One day Miss Hannah Pollock was engaged in the raaking-
up of some "fearfully and wonderfully" coistructed article of
dress, preparatory to her approaching wedding, when her
eldest step-brother brought her a letter, the mere sight of the
address causing her to give a piercing shriek and fall against
the table.

Mrs. Pollock ran from the kitchen, upsetting two or three
little Pollocks on the way, and without much difficulty suc-
ceeded in restoring Hannah to that consciousness of which,
for a few minutes she was bereft. Meantime all the children
had been crying, partly because they thought Sister Hannah
was dead, and partly because Mrs, Pollock had either knocked
them down and run over them, or had boxed their ears to
keep them out of lier way. An heir- loom i)itcher became
fragments, and the floor was deluged with water duriugthe short
time that the confusion lasted, but after Hannah retired to her
own room, the floor mats and the children's eyes were put
outside to dry.

Fearing interruption before she perused Colton's letter (for
it loas his, as anybody may know) she feigned sleep when the
old lady came in to see how she was d^ing. Vs soon as sho
was left to herself she tore off the envelope and had before
her that of which the following is a true copy. ( •.--

Rat Portaoe, N.W.T., April 2nd, 188—. "

My "Very Own Dear and Adorable Hannah,

It is quite out of my power to tell you how anxious I am to hear
horn you and all about you. I addressed n./ first letter to you after
leaving Ontario, from Victoria, Vancouver Isl., telling you to address
me at Cariboo, Brit. Columbia, as I would probably have but one more
opportunity of writing you for nearly six months. I wrote again by
the steamer returning from Alaska when I left her at Stickecn, but as,
the vessel was lost, of course you would not receive that letter. For-
tunately as I thought, another opportunity of writing presented itself
ufter I had been at the mines about a month, but the mule-driver to
whom I entrusted it was dashed to pieces over one of the mountain
precipices and his body was not recovered. By the time that another

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

mail was about to leave for the coast I wa« readj to come away my.
self, and I ardently hoped to surprise you long ere this, by stepping in-
to your cottage or your school at Harden. But the fates seem to have
decided otherwise, for after completing my examination of the com-
pany's location in Cariboo. I telegraphed the result to Toronto from
Tictoria saying that I hoped to be in Frisco the following week, and
sure enough when I reached that city I found a telegram awaiting
me, and directing me to proceed by way of St. Paul and Lake of the
Woods to this place without delay.

Never having heard of the place before I knew not where it was,
but succeeded in reaching it last night about 1 1 o'clock,

I do not suppose my duties will detain me at here more than six

weeks or two months, and then oh I my dear girl, believe me, I am

determined to go east at all hazards, even that of breaking my con-
nection with the company, so that I may once again feast my eyes
upon you, and clasp you to my breast.

Do write immediately my dearest and best of girls, telling me that
you are well, happy, und longing to see me. It is nearly two yeans
since I heard from you.

Let me tell you as a great secret, that after I get to Harden, your
trustees will have to advertise for a new teacher. iSabbe ?

„*;.,,-. Yours in every shape and form, always and forever —

Nicholas Colton."
P. S. — Do, do, do, write at once- N. C.

Here was a pretty kettle of fish !

What was to be done 1 Nothing that she could think of
just now but cry, and cry she did, right heartily. But crying
in this case did not seem to do much good. It did not ac-
count for the notice of Colton's marriage in the Manitoba Free
Press, it did not obliterate her promise to marry Dr. Rose, and
far less could it extinguish her revived love for bor first suitor
— a love which, in fact, had never died out, despite all at'
tempts to convince herself to the contrary.

The difficulty had to be faced, and there was no one except
herself to lace "t. Dr. Rose would probably call that very
evening, and hard as was the task, it must be performed ; she
must toll him the whole story, ask him to forgive hor the pain
she may have caused him, and beg him to free her from a pro-
mise which she now 3aw, and which she trusted ho would see,
had been given too rashly. Having come to this determination,
she indulged in another floods of tears, and Mrs. Pollock
entered.

When this worthy lady had listened to a recital of Miss
Hannah's tale, and of the resolution arrived at, she confessed
her inability to give any advice. "Things" said she, "are a-
coming to a pretty state, now-a-days. When I was a girl there
wasn't hany such goings-on, but the world's getting wuss and
WUS8 hevery day, I do believe, an' what things will come to at
last, I'm Bure /don't know. I shan't b^ hable to look the

THE ADVENTUKES OF NO. 7. 67

doctor in the face as long's I live, hafter he comes to find hout
this 'ere muddle. I wish you well hout on 't, I do, an' that's
hall I got to say."

CHAPTER XXXVI,

In due time the corporation of No. 7, met to examine ten-
ders for the erection of a new school-house. The lowest offer
was for the sum of $1050, including what the contractor
thought necessary arrangements for ventilation, but without
these, $976 was the price asked,

Mr. Chairman-Secrotary-Treasurer Turner having accepted a
^cheer' from Mr. Schuntz, said, "In my opinion we don't want
no new building at all, an' it's a blamed shame we've got to
take an' put up a new school house as long as this here old
one's good 'nough. I'm blessed if I would take another step
only I feel kind o' bamboozled about them $4000. Anyhow,
I guess we've got to go ahead an' do something now — what
d'ye say gentlemen 1"

Mr. Turner looked from one to the other of his colleagues,
but neither of them said anything. At length he appealed
directly to Mr. Jones, and Mr. Jones replied sullenly, "Well,
no use ask me 'toll at all. You and Schuntz has whole thing
cut and dry, zackly."

"Not by a jug-full," ejaculated Turner, "you see how it is,
just as well as I do — we've got to build, an' you know it."

"Yes, but no need build brick house," said Jones.

"Well n-no, not exactly," said Turner, "but it appears to me
kind o' tomfoolery to put up a balloon frame when lumber's
dear an' bricks ain't very high."

The mere mention of a balloon, frame rather 8ta;jgered Mr.
Jones, for as he owned by far the largest and best, bush in the
neighborhood of the school, he had been 'figuring' all along
upon making much more than even his large share of taxation,
by the disposal of elm trees for square timber. Turner's ob-
servation threw new light on thesubject,and now he perceived
that considerably more heavy timber would be required for a
brick building than for one framed of scantlings. Still it
would not do for him to yield his ground too readily, so. say-
ing something complimentary to the mechanical ability of Jf^ke
Schuntz, he requested that gentleman to give his candid opinion,
and affirmed himself ready to be guided solely by what Schuntz
might say.

Mr. Schuntz declared himself as on a former occasion, in tavor
of brick. Mr. Jones said "zacklv," and Mr. Turner put it to
the board whether it should be '91050 with chicken fixin's for

▼

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

▼entilation, or $975 without the darn 'things.'

Mr. Jones having reckoned roughly how much his share of
$75 for ventilation would come to, said, "I never see ventilator
on school house oil my days, never. Often see ventilator on
harns an' cow stables — cattle thrive better with ventilator-
great deal, 'zackly, but never see one on school-house oil my
life, never. No use for it 'toll at all, not a bit."

"That's my own way o' thinkin', Mr. Jones," remarked the
chairman, "when I went to school there wasn't a chirp about,
ventilation, an' you better believe we sometimes got a leetle
too much of it, for the way the wind uaed to come in through
the chinkin' was a caution to snakes. It's them teachers' con-
ventions that plays the michief with the country, an' that's
what's the matter. They try to make out that it's onhealthy
to be in a school-room all day, but I can't hear tell of any but
the weakly ones dying off, an' I guess they would die any way.
If you take my advice we'll save |75 on the job by Ibttin' the
ventilation look after itself."

''I move," said Mr. Jones, "we give out the tender for $975,
without ventilator."

"Will you second that motion Jake]" inquired the Chair-
man.

"Yah," replied Schuntz, and the motion was declared 'carried.*

Alack ! also ! and well-a-day ! What a sad 'commentary on
our boasted civilization !' That towards the close of the nine-
teenth century it is possible to find three men, who, acting in the
capacity of Public School Trustees, practically ignore the value
of pure air, is aluiost incredible. A good thing for horses and
cattle, indeed, but not worth a cent for children !

Inestimable as a source of health to the strong man wha
spends two-thirds of his time out-of-doors, but absolutely
valueless to his immature offspring confined for six hours a
day in a huge box !

Pure air ! Fiddlesticks ! Some people don't know what they
want.

Are the children not well supplied with fresh air before
they are inside of the school-room, and why can't they go on
breathing that,(be8ides what's in the room,) till they get out
again ?

That, Mr. Dooplesnipe, is precisely what you compel them to
do, and, also, precisely what you cannot do comfortably yourself,
for do you not sleep in church every Sunday, and do you not
frequently find on the way home that your head is aching, and
that your appetite is far from being what it ought to be, and what
it usually is long before the work-a-day horn blows to call you
from the field 1 You know all this, of course, but instead of

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

)rs con-

attributing the mischief to tho poidonous effects of the air you
have breathed after performing its duty by passing through the
whflezy lungs of asthmatical Brown, the catarrh-affected tubes
of Mrs. Smith, the sore throat of the minister, the decayed
teeijh of his wife, the mumpy, croupy, fevered gullets of the
young fry generally, and the respiratory organs of many well
people, yom lay all the blame on the sermon, or on the fact
that you did not rise so early as usual that morning, or to
anything, in fact, but to the true cause.

You do not expect to get a cheering cup of tea at the second
'drawing,* far -less at the tenth ; you would not reckon upon a
good crop of grain by sowing 'screenings,' nor would you
think of selling your buttermilk to the cheese -factory, and yet
by Ignoring the necessity of a constant supply of fresh air for
breathing purposes, you do something that is infinitely more
absurd.

Your butter-milk, and your screenings, and your transparent
tea are simply negations of superior qualities, but the air which
has once vivified the blood of a breather has not only h?d most
of its good qualities abstracted, but has actually had imparted
to it, akoays one, (sometimes more) that is positively poisonous.

It is not improbable that if we were compelled to pay some
contracting company, at the rate of one cent per million cubic
feet of fresh air for breathing, we should be extremely anxious
about the quality and quantity of our lung-food, '. ut we get it
for nothing thank goodness 1 and those of us who are ignorant,
value it accordingly,

Strancce, too, as it may appear, the law which has been
enacted on every purpose to ensure a supply of pure air for
the pupils of the Ontario schools, has, at least in some instances,
frustrated its own intention, for, although it requires that each
room should be large enough to contain a certain quantity of
breathing space, not a word is said concerning tho means
to be devised for ventilation, nor is there any system of
sanitary inspection, and the consequence if that although the
new erections are more commodious and more elegant than
those of old, many of them are also more air-tight.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

The village postmaster soon becomes acquainted with the
chirography of those whose correspondence passes through his
office.

Mr. Bunt knew this, and not wishing to have his name con-
nected with a letter addressed "Bruno, Box 2347, Ottawa," ho
was in the habit of dropping his letters to this friend, at vari^

70 THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

ous points thi'ougiiout the county. Having written to Mr»
"Bruno*' shortly after the departure of Somers, he drove to
K.eweena after tea for the purpose of posting his letter there,
and, on the way thither, of procuring for its enclosure an en-
velope without the tell-tale imprint, "If not called for in ten
days return to S. T. Bunt, B.A." etc.

Upon discovering his loss before reaching Keweena, he was
almost maddened. Not a moment did he loose in turning his
horse's head, and retracing every step of the way. He met
and overtook several persons on foot, but to none of them dare
he address any inquiry. Perplexed to know what he should
do, he at length reached home, wondering as well he might,
into whose hands if any, the letter had fallen, but feel ing pretty
certain that nobody could make much out of it, even if it was
found, he wrote another which he intended to post on his trip
south the following Monday morning.

In the course of a few days Maurice O'Flynn managed to
glean some information about Mr. Somers, and to become ac-
quainted with chairman Turner. O'Flynn having heard from
Old Josh that Bunt had sent a letter to the board on the sub-
ject of a new school-heuse, contrived skilfully to introduce
the building question, and to get a look at Bunt's letter. He
was now convinced that Dick's surmise was the correct one,
viz., that the inspector was the writer of the queer missive, the
leigning consisting chiefly in the writing being done back-
hand.

The stote of the case was now fully explained to Mr. Fer-
rand, by Maurice informing hira that most undoubtedly in-
spector Bunt wrote the letter ; that it was apparently written
for the purpose of being sent to some friends, who, for good
reasons, choose to be known in this matter by false names ;
that the teacher had evidently 'qualified' by getting possession
of examination papers from somebody in the city ; that Bunt
himself, as woU as his cronies, appeared to have been similarly
implicated at one time ; that Somers was now a tool in the in-
spector's hands, and that arrangements had been consummated
for gaining fraudulent possession of the forthcoming examina-
tion papers, in order to 'pass' the trio "Bruno," "Mirza," and
"Cato."

Tha* honest Old Josh was extremely indignant upon hear-
ing this revelation, we may easily suppose. There and then
he firmly determined to lay the matter before the Education
Committee at the next meeting of the County Council, but
when that time arrived, the attention of the members was so
fully occupied in considering the schemes of the railway
bonus-hunters, in wirepulling for a new bridge in one place,

'■■>.

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

a graveled road somewhere else, and the abolition of toll-gates
all over the county, that the Education Committee failed to
get a sitting, and the Reeve of Rexvillo found no opportunity
of carrying out his good intentions.

It is more than doubtful, at any rate, whether any action
would have been takjn, even had time and opportunity served,
because Mr. Bunt and the majority of the councillors were at
one politically, which is equivalent to stating that in the eyes
of the county fathers — right or wrong — Bunt was "a white
man."

Before another meeting was held, a new man carried the
reeveship in opposition to Ferrand, and the matter dropped
out of sight. O'Flynn did not fail to keep his eye on the two
culprits, but stranger to the country as he was, he refrained
from doing more than amuse himself by watching the current
of events.

e names

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

Contrary to Miss Hannah's expectation. Dr. Rose did not
call to see her that evening, but about midnight, Mrs. Pollock
despatched one of the children for him to come immediately as
Hannah was highly fevered, and slightly delirious. Ho had
been called about 3^o'clock in the afternoon to a case seven or
eight miles distant from the village and did not return till
nearly 3 o'clock in the morning. Hannah momentarily bocame
worse, so that in spite of all the good step-mother could do,
her patient was almost uncontrollable when the doctor arrived.

Mrs. Pollock hurriedly, and somewhat confusedly, told him
the story of the letter, without saying a word as to Hannah's
resolution, but he was not long in making this discovery for
himself, for the moment he entered her room she laughed
wildly at hira as she exclaimed "So you are the editor of the
Manitoba paper, are you] You thought to fool me about
jN^icholas having married a squaw, didn't j'ou ? You wanted
me to marry your cousin — you know whom I mean well enough
— I mean the school inspector. Rose they call hira — , but I
shan't do it — My own Nicholas is teaching in San Francisco —
he won't have Polly Ann Martin in the same room with him,
and I'm going to see him to-night — Poor Rose won't like that
but it isn't my fault — I love Nicholas better than him — You
editors think you can cheat poor girls that live in the country
but you can't do it — you're sure to get found it by clever men
like my Nicholas Poor Rose ."

"Poor Rose" indeed. He stood before her a picture of
misery, unable to say a word until she became exhausted. He

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

did not fail to observe that she spoke of Colton as Nicholag^
and of himself as Rose, and realizing how matters stood, made
up his mind that he might as well, henceforth, regard Hannah
Pollock as one upon whom he had no claim. Administering a
moderately strong dose of bromide of potassium, and leaving
some general directions, he was glad to reach the outer air,
and to walk hurriedly homewards.

Throughout the greater part of that day, Miss Pollock re-
mained in the same condition, and towards evening Dr. Rose
not caring to obtrude his presence on Miss Pollock as she be-
came convalescent, drove over to Parkinson's Corners, and
made arrangements, with old Dr. Tuke that the latter should
take charge of the patient.

Rose, however, called daily to make inquiries, until he was
assured that all danger was past,- and as soon as he thought it
advisable, he wrote to her, saying that in consideration of all
the circumstances he had concluded to withdraw any claim
he may have had upon her affections, and to leave her perfect-
ly free in every respect so far as he was concerned.

The tone of coldness in this note proved almost of itself, a
Telief to Hannah, seeming as it did to show that after all Dr.
Rose's affection had not been of the "heavi and ears" descrip-
tion, and that he was not likely to suffer very much from the
change of circumstances beyond, perhaps, a little mortificdtion.

She replied to him tenderly, thanked him heartily for his
many kindnesses, wished him an abundance of good wishes,
and subscribed herself as his "truly sincere friend."

CHAPTER XXXIX.

We have almost lost sight of Miss Polly Ann Martin, and
that will never do. That amiable young lady having so sum-
marily discovered that she possessed no talent in the school
marm line, devoted mopt of her spare time to organ-practice,
and succeeded so well that she speedily became a pretty fair
player and actuallv presided at last under the Rev. Horrocks
in"Zion."

It is true she had not quite reached that point of perfection
when the "split" teok place between Dr. Rose and Miss Pol-
lock, but she had got far enough to feel like turning up
her nose at a mere organ, and she and Mammy Martin had
been for some time in conspiracy as to how best they should
go about broaching to the 'old man' the idea of procuiing a
bran new rosewood piano.

"Lawk-a-daisy," said Mammy, one day when she and her
aeraphic daughter had the subject in hand in the milk-house.

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7. 73

"four hunder dollars is a mint o' money, — twice as much as
we gave fur the hull o' the farm, an' I don't b'lieve daddy
would ever give m to it."

"Well, but you know mam?ww" Polly Ann sweetly inter-
posed, "I could soon pay for it by giving lessons. I would
charge $15 a quarter, and suppose I had only five pupils for a
year that would come to $300 alone, and then you see it
wouldn't take long to make up another hundred the same
way."

"No, that's very true, an' it seems easy enough lookin' at it
that way, but it won't be so easy to make daddy see it as we
do. Howsomover, we'll try him to-night if he's in a good tem-
per, but we must go mightly easy now, I tell you Let's see.

How should we start 1 Suppose I ask you to play "There is a
fountain," or "Into a world of ruffians sent" or "Too strong I
was to conquer sin," eht Then you go on an' play, an' after a
bit stop en' say, 'Oh, pshaw ! that toon can't be played right
on no organ, then I'll say 'how's that V an' I guess we can
work it round all right."

"What a capital planner you are mamma.. I'm sure that's
just splendid. And yoa Can say you're tired hearing an organ
in the house any way, and you don't see why we can't have
something better as well as other people you know, that ain'^
half so well off as we are ; then I'll say, *0h marnma. it would '
take me more than a whole year to pay for a piano, and you
should ask me how I could pay for one, then I'll explain it all
to you, and afterwards I'll look sad, and say 'But I suppose
it's of no use to talk about such a thing in this house and you
<jan go on and say anything you please."

"Why, lawk-a-daisy ! Polly Ann, if you ain't a better planner
nor I be I'd like to know where there is one, but mind you,
we must go easy, fur if dad smelt a rat he'd be as mad as a
March hare."

As the result of lepeated attacks made on the above basis,
and kindly aided by means of a word or two on the part of
Ihe Eev. Mr. Horrocks, Phil Martin was inveigled beyond re-
treat — the piano was procured — Mammy Martin was gratified
— Polly Ann Martin was ineffably delighted, — Jerusha, Levi,
Nancy, Wesley and Albert Edward were pleased, and all the
neighbors were as jealous as ever they could be, so they were !
But Polly Ann cared not a whit for the neighbors' jealousy,
or, rather, it seemed only to add piquancy to her enjoyment,
and it must be acknowledged that with but slight assistance
from a professional teacher she made such remarkable progress
« enabled her in a comparatively short time to tackle "The
Battle tf Prague," and to thump her way clear through it in a.

74 THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

manner that fairly astounded "Daddy" and "Mammy/' and
that afforded intense pleasure to all the young Martins.

Tom HoTsfall in hie semi-weekly visits 'just to see the old
man' did not feel half so much at home with the piano in the
parlor, as with the old organ.

The great scarlet cover, embroidered with yellow silk, ap-
peared to affect him quite as seriously as did the elaborately carv-
ed legs of the instiument itself, and even Polly Ann he thought,
was 'a different kind of a girl' when seated upon the new music
stool from what she used to be when he when 'roosting on the
family '»ible atop of a chair, playing "I want to bo an angel."

Polly Ann herst," did not feel like the same girl, and what
is more, she began to think that Tom's presence was somewhat
out of keeping with the eurroundings, but she was far too wise
to say so to Tom.

CHAPTER XL.

Many of the wells in Harden were situated in close proxi-
mity to the outhouses, and the outhouses were 'sinks of pollu'
tion.' The idea of communication between the deposits of
filth and the water-supply was altogether foreign to the thought.^
of the simple-minded Hardenites. Harden had always been a
remarkably healthy village and there appeared to be no rea-
son why this happy state of affairs should be interrupted, other-
wise than by some 'visitation of God.'

The Hardenites did not take into account that although the
soil performs the office of an immense sponge, like a sponge,
its power of absorption is limited. Imperceptibly, the earth,
in many places, had become fully charged with noxious organic
matter — charged beyond the power of unassisted nature to as-
similate or deodorize. Imperceptibly also the wells became
tainted with offensive matter, the villagers meantime quaffing
the water under the pleasant delusion that because it was clear,
cool, sparkling and free from any disagreeable flavor nothing
further was, or could be, desirable !

Five or six cas 'S of typhoid fever, and four or five times as
many of diphtheria rudely awakened the Hardenites to the
stern reality of their ?^7isanitary condition. For two weeks the
school was closed, affording W. Horatio an opportunity of
visiting Roper and of making arrangements for the delivery of
the examination papers in due season.

Albert Edward and Nancy Martin were among the first to
be attacked with diphtheria although they lived outside of the
Tillage, and Dr. Rose, it was observed, visited the young Mar-
tins much more frequently than he did any of his other juvenile

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

^•#

patients, for ^.his disease was confinod almost wholly to child-
ren. By-and-by, Polly Ann became unwell. She complained
of headache and sore throat, but Dr. Rose could detect noth-
ing membranous about the throat ; nor was the temperature of
her body abnormally high. It is true that as he held her hand,
her pulse quickened considerably, but he was conscious that
his own on these occasions was similarly afFocted !

After the death of Albert T Edward (and so far as the exis-
tence of such a sobbish name was concerned, it was a mercy he
died !) Polly Ann grew much worse. For a week or more she
remained the groRtar part of the time in bed. She complained
of pain in the chest one day, and somewhere else the n( xt.
Her appetitf3 at meal times was far from being good, but per-
haps this was because she visited the cupboard in the next
apartment at times, just to avoid giving "Mammy" any trouble.

At every visit the doctor looked into her mouth, (she always
used a fragrant dentifrice before he came), felt her pulse and
placed the back of his hand to her cheek. On the third day
he brought his stethoscope and made a thorough examination
in the region of her heart and lungs, enabling him to conclude
that there was a little congestion in the inferior, anterior por-
tion of the right lung, and that the action of the heart was in
need of regulation.

For nearly a week he carefully examined his patient in ^he
same manner twice a day, until he was able to pronounce all
cause of uneasiness as having passed away. She requested
plaintively to know whether she might practise on the piano.
Dr. Eose accorded his permission on condition that she should
not continue at it more than half-an-hour daily, and he
expressed his gratification to know that she was musically in-
clined, as he assured her that he was passionately fond of the
divine art himself,

Miss Martiu said she knew ^hat, and had often told her
mother how much she admired his rich bass voice, adding that
she would be pleased if he could spare time to drop in some
evening and join them in singing "Just as I am."

The doctor said he would, and went away thinking what a
very nice girl Polly Ann was growing to be.

CHAPTER XLI.

Shortly after the return of Mr. Somers from Toronto where
he concluded arrangements with Tom Roper according to which
a certain package was to be addressed to "R. M. Johnson,
Commercial Traveller, Plunkett's Creek, P. 0." a distance of

fjg^Mumjjisig^S^

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

twonty-ihree miles from Harden, he received an invitation to
call on the Rev. Mr. Haivers.

He wondered what was in the wind now, and reached tho
residence of Mr. Haivers in anything but a composed frame ol
mind, but the benignity of tho reverend gentleman's appear-
ance coupled with the suavity of his welcome placed Mr.
Somers at his ease. "It is evident" thought he, "that the old
gent doesn't mean mischief anyhow, and whatever else he is
driving at, ho may fire away as hard as ho likes."

"I was desirous of conferring with you" Said the Rev. Mr.
Haivers "upon a ma-atter to wheech interests me very pro-
foundly — a ma-atter to wheech I have given a great deal of
considera-ation, and wheech I trust will reach frueetion in His
own good time — a time that it behoves us a-ahll to work for,
and to pra-ay for — to pra-ay without ceasing, as those who must
give an account of the deeds done in the bo-dy, whether they
be good, or whether they be evil, and I am so-rry to sa-ay that
our evil deeds in ma-any instances far outnumber tho-ose that
be of good report, for in the words of tho apo-os-tle 'When I
would do good evil is praisent with me' and I might a-add
that evil is praisent with us a-ahll, for as one cf old hath said
'The heart is deceitful above a-ahll things and desperately
wicked,' tried and tempted of the Evil One every mo-oment of
our lives, for we know that he go-oeth about like a ro-oaring
lion seeking whom he ma-ay devour, ah, yes, seeking whom ho
may devour, and he devours a grea-eat ma-any of us every
da-ay — every da-ay of our lives, for our lives are short and un-
certain, a mere flash in the bucket, as it wore, or but a drop in
the pan, ah, yes, *To him that hath shall be given, and from
him that hath not shall be ta-aken awa-ay even that he hath'
wheech ca-ahlls me to mind that I was desirous of conferring
with you upon a ma-atter that interests me very profoundly —
a ma-atter to wheech I have given a grea-eat deal of considera-
ation — considera-ation, and wheech I trust will — wheech I
trust you will co-opera-ate with me in, so the extent of your

leemited ability ; need I sa-ay in conclu need I sa-ay that

I refer more espaicially to the the subject of releegious instruc-
tion in our public schools, — schools that are in the meantime
utterly Go-odless, while she that sitteth upon tho Seven Jlills
is pampered at tho expense of government, and ena-abled to
indoctrvaa-ate a-ahll her deluded offspring in the te-enets of
a false system, a system that is hurrying da-aily, millione of
lost souls to an eternal perdeetion, and it is to get a little insight
on the mode of conducting the school of this village that I ex-
tended my invita-ation to you at this time, — a village that is
now 80-orely afflicted by the hand ot the A-ahlmighty, no

ivitation to

reached the
led frame of
n's appear-
placed Mr.
ihat the old
r else he is

) Eev. Mr.

very pro-

•eat deal of

Jtionin His

) work for,

e who must

bether they

sa-ay that

ho-ose that

3 'When I

ight a-add

i hath said

iesperately

o-oment of

a ro-oaring

f? whom he

us every

Drt and un-

adrop in

and from

at he hath'

conferring

oundly —

considera-

wheech I

t of your

sa-ay that

18 instruc-

meantime

iven pills

a-abled to

-enets of

illione of

le insight

that I ex-

;e that is

ighty, no

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

doubt as a, — as a, as a so-olemn warning to each and everyone
ot us that His wa-ays are not as our wa-ays, and that altho-ough
we may follow the counsels of the Enemy to tra-ain up the young
to-otally destitute of releegion, that He, is in his o-own good
time will bring us to a true sense of our wickedness, as ho is
now, no doubt, doing in our midst this very da-ay, in view of
the awful and so-olemn fact that we ut-torly igno-oro Him in
our schools, for, you have no doubt a-ahlready ta-aken cogniz-
ance that a-ahll those who are stricken are of te-onder years,
dear to the hearts of their pa-arents, for an admonoetion to
them no doubt, and to each and every one of us — have you

uotr

•'I have," said W. Horatio.

"Ah, yes," continued the Rev. Mr. Haivera, having paused
barely long enoujrh for even this short reply. "Ah, yes, I
thought so, and I am truly glad in my heart to know that iu
this ma-atter we agree, notwithstanding the fact that you are
connected with another christian denomiua-ation — a denomina-
ation that has produced a few gre-eat divines — a few gre-eat
divines, especially during the sixteenth century — men who if
they lived in our da-ay, would not trifle with so serious a
subject, a subject wheech interests ino very profoundly and to
wheech I have given a gro-eat deal of considera ation, for it is
most deplo-orablo that the young and rising geuera-ation in
this favored land — a land of Sa-abbaths and bibles, wheech are
circula ated now m a-ahll the tongues of the known world at a
compa-aratively sma-all cost, only that they do not conta-ain, I
am sorry to sa-ay, the Psa-alms of Da-avid in metre, wheech
are in a-ahll human probability tbo most beautiful specimens
of lyric poetry in existence at the praisent da-ay, not excepting
oven the works of Eobert Burns, — who was not so good a man
perhaps as he ought to have been in considera-atiou of whore
he was born and brought up, for, in the parish schc Is of my
own na-ative land, not only do they use the bible, ah, yes, but
they use the Sho-orter Catechism, wheech is the best compen-
dium of theology either in the English language or in any
other language beneath the sun, and I pra-ay that the da-ay
may speedily come when a seemilar state of educa-ation ma-ay
be grounded in this land, and when a-ahll men from the least
even to the gre-eatest shall do what m them lies for the further-
ance of this good time, — a time not like the praisent when
a-ahll the children can tell you where Montrej^-ahl is, and
where Toronto is, and where Hamilton is, but know nothing
about the situa-ation of Jerusalum, or of Bethlehum, or of
Mount Moriah, and I am sure you will acknowledge that this is
a most deplo-orable condeetion of affa-airs is it not ? Ah, yes, I

78 " THE ADVENTUKES OF NO. 7.

was assured you would agree with me on this head, wheech is
a-ahli the more cheering wher we consider how «a-any of the
teachers in this fa-air province are in the ga-ahll of bitterness
and in the bonds of ineequity, for we are truly a world lying
in sin, as saith the Psalmist, 'I was born in sin, and in in-
eequity did my mother conceive me.' I am rejoiced to feel
Mr. Somers that you for one are on our side in this Armageddon,
and as I am enga-aged in the compila-ation of stateestics for
presenta-ation to the Assaimbly. I shall ava-ail myself of the
informa-ation you have so kindly afforded for that purpose.
Ah, yes 1 Goode-evening, Mr. Somers, I intend to ca-ahll at your
school some da-ay. Good e-evening — good e-evening."

Mr. Somers departed not knowing whether to feel more
amused at the one-sided nature of the interview, or annoyed at
the patronisingly cool way in which he had been treated, but
he was glad to have escaped a course of unpleasant questioning
relative to the effects of the religious instruction he imparted
to the pupils of No. 7 (for he did impart much) knowing how
little good seemed to be accomplished, and that but for the aid
of Mr. Bunt, he would long ago have lost every particle of
authority in the school-room.

CHAPTER XLLII.

As soon a? Miss Pollock was strong enough to sit up, she in-
dited a long and explanatory note to Nicholas Colton, in
which she recounted eveiy event that had taken place since
she heard from him at Sault Ste. Marie.

When he received this letter, his indignation was boundless,
Ho threatened all manner of pains and penalties against the
Manitoba editor, against the fellow who hoaxed the editor
with the Squaw Marriage story, and against every one on the
staff of the paper. If there had been any lawyer in Rat Port-
age, Colton would have placed the matter in his hands at once,
but as it was, this was impossible ; he did, therefore, what he
thought was the next best thing, ho wrote a sharp letter to the
Winnipeg newspaper man, demanding the name of him who
furnished the particulars of the supposed marriage, with tho
alternative of a suit for defamation of character.

In reply to this he received the following communication.

PORTAOB LaPBABIE, — — —

Nicholas Bolton, or Dolton, or Colton, or whatever your name may
be, Esq.,

Sir, — Tho editor-in-chief of our paper has forwarded to me a letter
he recently received from you, and which letter, I must say, is groMly
Abusive.

wheech is
my of the
bitterness
orld lying
ind in in-
led to feel
nageddon,
sestics for
self of the
; purpose,
bll at your

g."

feel more

nnoyed at

eated, but

leationing

imparted

wing how

■or the aid

•article of

ip, she in-
/olton, in
lace since

loundless,
gainst the

le editor
le on the
Eat Port-
Is at once,

what he
ter to the

lim who

with the

cation.

mme may

ae a letter
is groiily

THE ADVENTUEES OF NO. 7.

If you are the fellow at whose marriage to Wild Bull in the Muskeg's
daughter I was present, and if you have become tired of your beautihil
aboriginal bride, and want on some pretext or other to discard her, then
all I can say is that the funeral is none of mine, so that so far as I am
concerned you may do as you please ; but when, (if you are the same
chap) you write a private note to the Boss, and therein impugn my
veracity as a leporter, I can't stand it.

Anyhow, in case you ain't the chap, what right liave you to get your
back up so high and round about the description our paper gave of
another fellow's nuptials ? Miss Muskeg that was, never found any
fault with it, and Bolton (was that your name once 7) see med to tackle
it all right enough at the time, and I haven't seen him since ; and what
is more, if you ere he, and now want to throw overboard Old Muskeg's
girl, I don't want to see you — but if you ain't what's all the row about?

My own opinion is that what Rat Portage requires .S'., at present is
a nice little one-horse lunatic asylum, and that if ycv were to apply
for a position in it, you would be able to g'^t lots of testimonials.

You keep on writing to the Bokb like a good fellow, telling him that
you are Norquay, or Donald Smith, or some other world-wide celebrity,
and threaten to punch his head tor lying about you — I'll back you.

Kemember me kindly to Bon-nie Muskeg-ah-qua, and believe me to
be now and forever, yours and only yours

Contemptuously,

G. W. Baktram.

P.S. — In case you propose deserting the young lady in question, I
would advise you to lay in a supply of good, fresh scalps — you may
need them. O. W. B.

Mr. Colton discovered how deeply ''he had put his foot into
it," before he came to the end of Mr. Bartram's letter, which
he enclosed with one from himself and addressed to Miss Pol-
lock, informing her that she might look for him any time in-
side of a week after it reach ^5 her.

• ; - CHAPTER XLTI.

Simultaneously with, or at least, shortly subsequent to, the
general purification of l3ackyards,cei«spool8 and wells that took
place in Harden on the recomu;endation of doctors Tuke and
Kose, after the deaths of nine children and two adults, the
"Visitation of God" was removed, and eyen Miss Polly Ann
Martin made a complete recovery. . ;

But, notwithstanding the healthy condition of tLv Martin
household in common with oihers, it was observed by the
neighbors that the doctor's calls there were well nigh as ire-
quent as when Polly Ann, JSIancy and Albert Edward were
ill.

Some said that Dr. Rose had refused to maintain his inti-
macy with Miss Pollock, upon discovering that she was of a
consumpiive family — others that she gaye him the 'mitten' be-

THE ADVENTUKES OF NO. 7.

cause contrary to her wishes he attended upon Miss Martin ^
but the general impression was that they had quarrelled about
the ring.

"It was like this," said Mrs. Doopelsnipe, "for Mrs. Short
told me with her own mouth, and Mrs. Pollock told her. You.
see, the doctor, he says, 'Hannah, I'm agoing to buy a ring to-
morrow,' and says she, *I hope it'll be a handsome one, for I
can't abear them plain hoop things,* and says he, well, I like
hoop rings the best' and she up and says 'If I can't git married
with nothing but a hoop ring , then I shan't git married at all.'
This made the doctor mad, and says he 'My mother was mar*
ried with a plain ring, and I don't see why you can't be ! Then
she got madder than ever, Mrs. Short says you never saw the
like of it in all your life, and she says, says she, 'you needn't
mention your old dead mother to me, I ain't your mother, and
if you ain't agoin' to buy me a hunder dollar diamond and
pearl gold riug, you can go about your buftiness and never
come back here no more,' and so ho left her, and the very next
day she was m a ragin' fever, and Dr. Eose didn't want to
have nothin' to do with her and so Mrs. Pollock had to go
and git old Tuke. Them's the very words I had from Mrs.
iShort, and I can quite believe it, for she alius wus as full of airs
as an egg is of meat, but I guess this'll learn her a lesson j or
else my name ain't Doopelsnipe."

In accordance with a full belief in the Doopelsnipe theory,
the majority of the Hardenites extended their sympathy to
Dr. Eose, although not many of them were able to say much
in favor of the new object upon which he had placed his af-
fections, not that Polly Ann was naturally nnamiable ; her
chief fault in the eyes of those who knew her best, consisted
in the vain and pretentious attempts she made to assume the
rde of young lady, and for this "Mammy" was far more to
blame than Polly xVnn herself.

From childhood she had been petted and pampered by both
l>arent8. Had she cried for the moon, mammy would have felt
sorry that the Itiminary could not be procured for Polly Ann
to roll about in the barn-yard. Her over-loaded and disorder-
ed baby stomach produced petulance and irritability, attempts
of Mammy to satisfy and soothe which cultivated the child's
self-well. As school-girl slie became sulky and quarrelsome.
At the age of sixteen her assumption of airs was intolerable,
and for a few days after procuring her certificate, she was, as
Mr. McTavish said "neither to baud, nor to binV

In one word, Polly Ann, was like many another young wo-
man in this country, the victim of cruel kindness.

The reflection incident to her discomfiture as a teacher ser/-

.'ff

I Martin^
led about

!rs. Short
her. Yoa
a ring to-
3ne, for I
'11, I like
t married
ed at all.'
was mar*
►e! Then
saw the
L needn't
ther, and
end and
id never
^ery next
want to
id to go
)m Mrs.
1 of airs
ssson, or

theory,
)athy to
much

his af-
ile ; her
insisted
ime the
uore te

by both
ave felt
ly Ann
aorder-
itompts
child's
ilaome.
erable,
was, as

ng wo-

r ser/'

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7. 81

ed to bring out some of her better qualities, and to repress, at
least in company, a few of those acquired arrogancies that ren«
deled her presence so disagreeable. ,? .

Tho more Dr. Rose saw of her, the more he saw to admire,
and the more he wondered why he had not made the discovery
long before. He regarded her in every way a superior girl
to Hannah Pollock and could as scarcely understand now why
he had ever thought so much of the latter young lady at all.

Polly Ann, on her part, was delighted to receive even the
slightest attention Irom him, and to put it mildly, resolved
that she would neither do nor say anything that would tend ta
make him-less frequent in his calls to inquire after the welfare
•f the now convalescent young Martins.

The intimacy of the two speedily ripened. "Mammy's'*
eyes were notshut by any means, and she took occasion to open
"Dad's." Both of them were delighted with the prospect of
having a live doctor in the family, and all the more, that as
they reckoi'.ed, Polly Ann was 'cutting out' Hannah Pollock
'and wouldn't Hannah rip 1' '

CHAPTER XLIV.

In vxv.e course Nicholas Colton made his escape from Rat
Portage (or, as he was in the habit of pronouncing it "Rah-
portazh"), and tound his way to Harden.

It is as needless to say that the meeting of Colton and Han-
nah Pollock was a happy one, as it would "be to recount the
mutual explanations, elucidations and consequent embraciis af
their first day in the company of each other.

He declared that he was contented — satisfied — happy : she.
that her joy was almost more than she, could realize.

Mrs Pollock thought Nicholas one of the "jolliest" fellows
she ever'.-nevv, and when she mentally compared his ingouaous,
manly, and bewhiskered countenance, with the weak 'faceogno-
niiny' of Dr. Rose, she felt thankful at the escape Hannah had
made. The heartiness of his very laugh made the whole family
feel like a pic-nic party, and when Mrs. Pollock tried to con-
trast these merry outbursts with the laugh of] Jr. Rose she was
completely at fault, for the simple reason that she had never
heard the doctor kugh, and that again for the equally simple
reason that he never indulged in anything of that kind, be-
yond a snicker that seemed to come from no further down than
the topmost edge of his stand-up linen collar.

As a first-clasa story-teller, Dick Ferrand voted Colton *a
reg'lar brick,' for, during the stay of Nicholas in Harden he
spent maeh of his time either with or without Hannab, on tho

82 THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

farm of 'Old Josh' and took great pleasure in reciting to Dick
accounts of his exp^erienoe in India, the North West, British
Columbia, and elsewhere. Here too, he became acquainted
with Maurice O'Flynn, for whom he quickly entertained as
strong a friendship as Maurice at first sight had conceived for
him, and it was mainly owing to Colton's professional know-
ledge that Maurice was subsequently enabled to 'locate' and
'pre-empt' his first tract of land on the Red Deer River, in
what is now the Territory of Alberta.

During the manifold confidences that passed between these
two young men, Maurice made reference to the finding of the
letter, and to his assurance that the writer was no other than
the school inspector tor the county. At first Nicholas did
scarcely more than listen, but as soon as Bunt's name was in-
troduced, he almost savagely interrupted his friend.

"What !" he exclaimed "Bunt ! Bunt, did you say ? Solomon
Tomkins Bunt ! I know Bunt, and Bunt knows me. Why,
Flynn that fellow is fit for anything under heaven, that's mean,
or sneaking, or despicable, if only it's for his own advantage.
There's nothing so low as to bo beyond his stooping power to
giasp. To say that he would steal the coppers from a dead
man's eyes, or sell his mother-in-law, doesn't go half way to-
wards filling the bill. He would barter his soul, if he believed
he ha 1 one, to gain much less than the whole of the world.
Devoid of pi'inuiple as a rattlesnake is of song, he is, neverthe-
less, like the other reptile, capable of making some noise, and
of biting A-enomously when time and opportunity serve his pur-
pose. He cam to our university when compelled to flee from
another, and i have the most positive proof that he 'screwed'
hi;; way to a degree. He is a braggart, a bully, a traitor and a
S3'co})liaut. AVith talents far below mediocrity, his preten-
soiusaio transendent within his own little sphere. Yes, yes, I
know Mr. S. T. Bunt (B. A. forsooth !) and you may depend
upon tliis, that you and Dick have hit the right nail on the
head, but take my advice — say nothing about it to anybody ;
you will have ouly your trouble lor your pains, for unless he
is now far lesi^ crafty than he used to be, ho will effect-
ually cover up all his tracks, sneak out of an exceedingly small
hole, and in all likelihood, eventually succeed in making it
appear not only that he is immaculate, but that the informer
is a tieavy villain."

How grievously pitiful it is that so many of the pedagogic
pirates have escaped unwhipt of justice, and that men like
Colton, rather than run the almost certain risk of being balk-
ed and maligned, prefer to do absolutely nothing.

; to Dick
;, British
quainted
tained as
3ived for
il kno ir-
ate' and
River, in

len these
ig of the
her than
olas did
was in-

Solomon
. Why,
t's mean,
vantage,
power to
. a dead
way to-
believed
9 world,
leverthe-
)ise, and
his pur-
ee from
screwed'
or and a
proten-
s, yea, I
depend
on the
ybody ;
iloss he
. etfect-
y small
king it
nformer

dagogic
en like
ig balk-

THB ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.
CHAPTER XLV.

Long before the summer holidays Mr« W. Heratio Somen
found that even with all tho assistance rendered by the in-
epeotor from time to time the management of No. 7 had fallen
into the haudit of the pupils.

Had there been anything about the school-house or grounds
worth destroying it would have been destroyed. Of the few
maps remaining when he entered upon his duties, not a ves-
tige was now in existence. Where patches of plaster formerly
clung to the ceiling, all was bare, for added to the knowledge
that a school house was 'going up anyhow,' the lads found the
material capital stuff for storing in their pockets and project-
ing at convenient intervals to the girls' side. The last piece
of ceiling, containing about a square yard, hung precariously
for some time immediately over the teacher's seat, but one
evening our friend Dick and a companion effected an easy en-
trance into the Temple of Knowledge, and cunningly contriv-
ed to loosen the lathing so effectually, that next morning, by
means of a long string ingeniously carried over the remaining
lafthes and allowed to hang down in one corner of the room,
the whole mass was precipitated upon the defenceless head of
W. Horatio, who good-naturedly regarded the event as one
purely incidental to decay and gravitation.

He was undeceived. Irowever, next mornins when he found
that the poet of the school had embalmed the event in verse
and placed a copy on the teacher's desk. The 'pome' ran thus :

"Bill 8oiners sat in his desk

Reading a love letter
When some plaster come down on his head
^ And it'll take a week to get better.

He thought it come down itselt

But that shows lie's a to(/l
For it wouldn't a come if we hadn't pulied a string

That hung down in tlie corner of tho school.

Mr. Somers became furiouy and foolishly tried to find out
by bluster and threatis, what with n)0ve '.,uni})iiou he would
cither have discovered by other means, or have allowed to pass
at the time unheeded.

Of course ho discovered nothing. How could he] There
was not one in school that day who wrote such a 'pome' who
placed it on the desk, or who on the previous day pulled any
string ! 8o far from that, nobody had over heard of these
things beiog done, and more than one boy assured hiva that if
they had known anything about it they would have told hiia
before the mischief was perpetrated.

M THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

During the whole gf that forenoon the pupils in No. 7 were
the victims of a Eeign of Terror. The punishments inflicted
"were fierce and frequent, particularly on the very small boys.
1," Willie Dawson, aged five, and at school for only a few days
liad his little finger knocked out of joint ; Eobert Wilson also
aged about five received a severe blow ou the head, causing
blood to flow. Mary Bawtenheimer, aged seven was flogged
over the neck and back until the wales became purple, and
Sammy Turner, between six and seven the only and beloved
son of the chairman-secretary-treasurer was the reicpient of an
otherwise intended blow that produced a very ugly-looking
"black eye.

Manv of the girls cried most of the forenoon while Somers
in his state of semi-insanity, was inflicting upon liis pupils that
punishment of which he himself was most deserving, but when
he undertook to lay violent hands upon a tender mite who
was simpering as she cowered in terror beside an older sister,
the brother of both, a stout lad of fourteen or fifteen rose from
his seat and yelled "Now then Somers, you big coward that
you are, just drop that will you, or I'll sling this ink bottle ftt
jour head."

Somers did 'drop that' but rushed wildly at the boy who
spoke in defence of his little sister. The lad eluded the
teacher's fury by vaulting over one o^the long double-decked
desks, and scrambling uuJ of the open window. The rage of
the infuriated weakling quickly moderated after this, and when
twelve o'clock arrived he looked the very picture of incompe-
tence and imbecility.

Great were the excitement and indignation among the elder
portion of the Hardenites, upon hearing the animated accounts
given by the. pupils ot what had been enacted that morning
in the old schuol-huuse. Naturally enough, the parents of
those children whu suHured most, were highly wroth, and dur-
ing the afternoon so many complaints were lodged with the
trustees, that these worthies having consulted with each other
resolved to call a meeting of the ratepayers the following day
(Saturday) at 3 p.m.

CHAPTER XL VI.

To use newspaper phraseology, 'long before the hoUT ap-
pointed, the building was 'literally crammed and many were
unable to gain admittance.' On the suggestion of Bunt, B.A.,
for whom Turner had sent a messenger, the meeting was held
out-of-dooTi. For reasons bwt known -o the inspector (and to
us) he intended doing all that was possible m the iutoruHt^ of

3. 7 were
inflicted
lall boys,
few days
Isou also
, causing
flogged
•plo, and
beloved
3nt of an
-looking

! Somers
pils that
ut when
lite who
jr sister,
ose from
ird that
bottle gt

t)oy who
ded the
decked
rage of
id when
icornpe-

le elder
ccounts
lorning
euts of
lid dur-
ith the
1 other
ug day

ur ap-
y were
, B.A.,
18 held
and to
uhU of

THE ADVENTURES OF KO. 7.

Vomers, being careful meanwhile to say nothing that might
prove detrimental to himself in the eyes of Reeve Ferrand,
as a county councillor.

Having been placed in the chair, he addressed the meeting
with reference to the difficulties of a teacher's position, the
provocation incident to the freaks of youth, the high moral aiid
Christian character of Mr. Somers (who^ii not put in an ap-
pearance), his eminent success as a teacher elsewhere, the
necessity of maintaining good order, and so forth, and trusted
that calm discussion and investigation would Hhow that things
were not so bad as they at first sight appeared to be. It is
hard to tell how long he might have gone on in this way, or
how much he might have said for the purpose of placing the
matter in the best light for Somers, had he not caught the eye
of Nicholas Colton in the crowd, and from that moment until
the close of the meeting he hardly dared to utter a syllable.

For some time nobody seemed to know what to say or do,
when Mr. Dixon shouted from the middle of the crowd, "I
hope you don't mean to keep us here till dark," all the lads and
young men on the outskirts of the gathering, hereupon shout-
ed, "Dixon, Dixon."

The old gentleman was not loai^h to "say his say,' for he was
just then enduring an emotional pressure equal to something like
five hundred pounds to the square inch I Without ))reface or cir-
cumlocution, therefore, he began : "I people want to get the
worth of their money they must pay a fair price for what they
buy. You can't purchase a thoroughbred cow for $20, neither
need you expect the services of a thoroughbred teacher for
^200 a year. The thing is perfectly preposterous. If a man
offers to sell you what he calls a good beast for a mere trifle,
you may depend there's something wrong — perhaps he stole it —
and in the same way no man worth his salt will ofl'er to teach
a school for $18 a month and board himself at $2 a week. I
say again it is preposterous. Any hired man can make more
than that, and a man that teaches for less than ii laborer gets,
must feel that he has not brains enough to make a good laborer.
I shall not say a word about laziness, for I know that the
school-master who is worthy of the name, does work that
wearies him just as much as if he had to lake and bind all day.

"But you expect to get a good teacher for next to nothing,
and then when you find ouu that he is not only worth nothing
but worse than that, you make a great fuss about it. Wouldn't
you laugh at the man who complained of being cheated if he
inyosted $20 in what someone told him was a first-class cow 1
And wouldn't you say 'served him right !' 1 That's just how I
look; upon this miserable affair. For a paltry, starvation sum

..it ■««««i«&ttEfc*™.;,.w„

86 THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

the board of trustees expected to get a man, and what did they
getl But although that ia my opinion of the penny-wise
policy of the trustees, I do not for a moment justify Mr.
Somers in doing what he is alleged to have done, but which,
after all, is none of our business. It is for the parents in the
firet place to prosecute him before a magistrate, and in the
next place it is for ther^rustees to shoulder all the responsi-
bility of retaining his services or of dispensing with them.

"It would be a great pity if we, the ratepayers of No. 7 should
permit this opportunity to slip without expressing our disap-
proval of cheeseparing in school matters. Our children are
our most precious possessions, and it is our duty as civilized
beings to provide them not only with food and clothing, but
to do for them intellectually and morally all that we can, so
that we may bequeath them to our country as men and women
able to take rank with the best of nature's nobility in any land
beneath the sun.

''We are erecting a school-house, which although far from
fulfilling my deHires, will probably be an improvement on the
old one, and my oj>inioii is that wo should have a thoroughly
"well-qualified teacher even though we have to pay the enor-
mous sum of four or five hundred dollars a year for him. Now,
I want to know what the rest of you think, no matter whether
you have children at school or not, for too many people fool-
ishly suppose that so long as they have no little ones in at-
tendance, that is a reason why they should refrain from in-
teresting themselves in school aifairs. This is a moat ruischier-
ous supposition and one that is as false as — as, as false as hell
itself. As parents we certainly have more interest in our own
than in the children of others, but as citizens we should all
feel concerned in the welfare of one another.

"I beg leave to move that this meeting has no right to inter-
fere in matters wholly within the competence of the trustees,
until it can be shown that the trustees fail to perform their
duties ; that we object to any discussion on present school dif-
ficulties, but that we take this opportunity of impressing the
trustees with our belief that it is for the interest of this section
to engage the services of a good teacher at a salary of not less
than four hundred dollars. Will any one second my motion?"

Nicholas Coiton, Maurice O'Flynn and a number of sturdy
young farmers loudly applauded Mr. Dixon's speech, which,
after a short pause, was seconded by Andrew McTavish, eldesi
son of the former trusttnw

At this point Mr. Turner rose to say, "I am blamed glad to
tell you that Somers has just sent me hia resignation and I
guess we'll accept it, but that ain't a-going to bender us from

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7. 87

puttin' him through afore Squire Beamish.

"I don't think Mr. Dixon is right to blame ua for hirin'
Somers, he had some of th« best recommends you ever seen.
Here is one we got from the Eev. Mr. Twiddleton, of Mills-
bury, that I brought along just to let you see how we got fool-
ed. It says *I kin confidently recommend him to any Board
of Trustees as an intellijjent gentlemen, of onimpeachable
moral rectitoode, an admire-able disciplinaiian, kind but firm
in the management of his pupilu and deeply enamoured of the
work to which he has consecrated his talents and energies.'

"Now, I want to know if that wasn't a good send off, and if
you fellows mightn't a been toek in just as well as us. We
wanted to do the best we knew how to save money, but of
course if you want to git a high-priced teacher we kin git you
one. I would like, though, to ask Mr. Dixon if he don't think
W6 might be took in even if we paid twice as much as we do."

The inspector nodded to Mr. Dixon, and that gentleman re-
plied to Mr. Turner.

"Yes, it is possible that you might be mistaken in your
choice even if you offered a fair salary, so long as men in the
position of Mr. Twiddleton continue to pen such testimonials
indiscriminately, either wittingly or unwittingly ; but the way

look at it is this ; if a teacher offers for a very low salary it
is evident that there is something wrong, so that the cheap
teacher is nearly always one that is incompetent — on the other
hand, he who demands fair pay for his work is, in all proba-
bility, one who feels that he is worth all he asks, and that if
he cannot get it in one place, may in another. Failing in this,
it is not unlikely that he will forsake his calling altogether for
something else, as many of the best teachers I ever knew have
done."

Elder Duncan said he would rather not take any part in the
discussion, but could not help remarking that he agreed with
Mr. Dixon. If they wanted a good teacher, they must be pre-
pared to pay him well.

Mr. Doopelsnipe said he thought two hundred dollars was
enough for any body that got two months' holidays every year,
when they could earn two hundred dollars more by peddling
family bibles.

There wore were others who thought with Doopelsnipe, and
who, like him could not see that the argument (1) proved far
too much. Upon the ears of these people fell totally unappre-
ciated Mr. Dixon's reply, to the effect that people had no right
to expect that teachers any more tham preachers should peddle
bibles during vacation for the sake of eking out a livelihood.

On the whole, however, the/eelmg of the m«Gting;?w^ then

......^..^MK.

88 THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

Vf&a in favor of securing a good teacher at a fair salary, so that
when inspector Bunt put the motion, it was carnod by almost
two to one of a majority.

After a few moments' conversation with the inspebtor Mr.
Turner informed tho?e present that as it was probable that
Mr. Dixon's views were correct regarding the powers of such a
meeting, and as Somers had placed his resignation in the hands
of the trustees, there was nothing more to be done. "Them,"
said ho "that want to, can haul Somers up, and I don't mean
to let the blamed snipe A\p through my fingers, I can tell
you."

After the meeting broke up, the ratepayers conversed in
groups as to what steps should be taken for the prosecution of
the teacher, but notliing definite was done.

Mr. Bunt, on the pretence of sickness in his family drove
off homo almost immediately, wishing very much to know what
had become of W. Horatio, and wondering exceedingly how
this affair was going to turn out. Colton's presence at the meet-
ing too, was something beyond his cojnprehension, and, he
thought, boded no good. Could it be that Eoper had been
'spotted' in Toronto, that his correspondence and relationship
with Somers had baen traced, and that Colton's visit to Har-
den was in some way connected with the purchase of the ex-
amination papers 1 •

So true it is that "The wicked flee when no man pursueth,
but the rishteoua are bold as a lion."

CHAPTER XVLII.

Miss Polly Ann Martin having had a slight attack of her
intercostal complaint on the Sunday following the school
meeting, Dr. Rose again made a close steihoscopic examination,
prescribed some change of diet, and advised absolute rest, add-
ing in a low tone before he left, "If you feel real well to-mor-
row night, I may allow you to play a little, and I would
like to have an opportunity of seeing you alone for a littlo
while."

Now, Polly Ann knew very well that as the doctor nearly
always saw her alone, he must mean something when he spoke
in this way. What could it be 1 He surely didn't mean to

mention no, it couldn't be that, for their acquaintance had

been so brief ; still, it was hard to say, At any rate she would
give him a good chance to bring up that subject, if he felt so
disposed.

Yes, that waa the very subject he intended to iatroduce, and
his motives were not without a taint of malico, for it had come

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7. 8»

to his ears on the previous day that Hannah Pollock was to be
married in about six weeks, to Colton, whom the doctor hated
with all his might. His thoughts shaped themselves some-
what thus: "Hannah Pollock fooled mo. She hates Miss
Martin. Miss Martin and 1 hate h«r. If Miss Martin and I
get married before her and (Jolton, she will see how little 1
care for her, and how easy it is for me to get a wife just as good
(and even better than) she is — yes, I shall ask Mies Polly Ann
Martin to-morrow night./

Although the shallow fellow ha^l infinite conceit in himself
as a lady-killer, and did not doubt his ultimate success with
Polly Ann, he was yet uncertain as to how she would regard
his advances at this stage cf their acquaintance, but resolved
for the sake of revenge on Hannah I'ollock to make an avowal
of his love without loss ot time.

The following evening he was at the Martin mansion accord-
ing to promise, and found Polly Ann much improved since
his visit that morning. After having 'sounded' her once more
he gave his consent to her sitting at the piano for fifteen min-
utes. Pleading slight fatigue before the time was expired, she
retired to a lounge where, having lain for a few moments, she
gave "Mammy" who was present, a knowing look, which that
intelligent lady understood and immediately acted upon by
finding a seat in the kitchen along with "Dad" and the hired
nan.

As soon as the coast was clear, the doctor became fidgety.
His conversation was jerky, disconnected, and upon a variety
of odd topics. He admired one of the doormats on which was
*hooked' a big red cat below a small black hoase, bordered with
blue and yellow circles intended to look like flowers. He
praised the leatherwork frame that surrounded what at a short
distance seemed lobe the picture of a tombstone, epitaph and
all, but on closer inspection turned out to be a Family Regis-
ter, according to the indubitable evidence of which, Polly Ann
Martin would be twenty-years of age in forty-eight hours from
that very day. He eulogised specimens of wool-work, hair-
work, feather- vork, cone-work, bead-work, cretonne-work, shell-
work, wax-work, and various nameless sorts of work that oc-
cupied (let it not be said — decorated) th« walls of the parlor.

Polly Ann knew by this time what was coming, (she would
have been a fool if she hadn't) and tried to maintain her dig-
nity and self-possession as well as possible, succeeding, it should
be said, in so-doing, much better than she did on her first day's
experience in the school. When she observed the conversa-
tion beginning to drag a little, she asked the doctor whether
he would sing if she played "Centre of oar hopes thou art."

IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-S)

4. I

V-

f/i

1.0

I.I

1.25

t 1^ i 20

U IIIIII.6

^^1

<rl

.^v

Photographic

Sciences
Corporation

A
<^.\

'^\

23 V.^ST VflN STREET

WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580

(716) 873-4503

L^,

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

To this request the dootor said,

"Yes, certainly ; but, eh, now when I come to think of it»
I am sorry I must say that time will not permit, for I have somfr
calls to make; but Miss Martin, I wish I might call you Polly,

have you not noticed anything about me lately, any, any

as if I — that is, any appearance, I mean for you 1

Polly Ann blushed successfully and said she thought she
was wrong to think so, although she had always thought a
good deal of him, which she thought was peihaps also wrong,
as she understood that his affections were placed elsewhere —
in a place that she would scorn to name ! In reply to these
thougJU-ful remarks the doctor said, "My dear girl, I was once
led astray, but 1 got my eyes opened, and I just wanted to tell
you to-night, that I never was really in love until I became
acquainted with you, and if you can say that you love me I
will be the happiest man iu the profession."

The reader has no doubt frequently observed that thira-rate
teachers and all doctors invariably speak of their "profession."

"You take me so much by suprise doctor," meekly replied
Polly Ann, "that I don't know what to say, but I am sure of
this, that I shall never, never, think' half so much of any other
man in the whole world, as I do of you, and I think it is very
wicked of you to make me tell you this so soon, for I did not
want to think so even to myself, because I thought you were

Here Hme interposed "Please not a word about that. I was
complutely sold, aud have to thank you for getting me out of
trouble. If I hadn't met with you I would have been miser-
iible -much more than I am now when out of your sight. If
I could always have you with me I woald be happy."

The iirst answer Polly Ann felt like making to the last sent-
ence, was, "I guess you may if you like," but her good sense
told her this would not be discreet, so «he said instead, "I am
glad if I have been of any service to you and shall be gladder
still if I can add to your comfort and pleasure in the future."^

"Will you then my dear Miss Martin consent to be my
wife."

"Oh doctor ! how can you ask me such a question as that —
you must give mo time — a month or two."

"Polly Ann, for I shall call you that now, I must know be-
fore another day, for in six weeks I shall have to visit my par-
ents in Nova Scotia, and,.you know, I would like to have my
wife along with me."

Polly Ann was apparently deeply affected at this point, and
^'Mammy" who had for some time been listening at the stove-
pipe hole in the ceiling, was so joyously excited that she could
•carcely refrain from calling down to hor daughter to aay "Yea**

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7. 91

on the spot. But Polly Ann asked for at leant one day to
think over it, and to consult with her parents, and it is need-
less to say that when the time was up, a bargain was made be-
tween her and the doctor to be married in Zion Church six
weeks (D.Y.) from <ihat happy evening.

CHAPTER XLVIII.

Nearly a week subsequent to the school-meeting Colton re-
ceived instructions to proceed to the phosphate region in the
Ottawa valley, within ten days. This precipitated somewhat
the necessary avowals and protestations on his part, and on
that of MisH Pollock in connection with 'fixing the day,' but
as these were pretty much of the common-place-and-you-know-
how description, nothing need be said about them here.

One portion of the conversation, though, it may not be amiss
to repeat.

"And now, Hannah," said he, "that we have got so far, tell
me this, did you never wonder where I came from, or who
my people were, for you must have noticed that I avoided any
reference to them ?" . ^

Hannah acknowledged that she had sometimes wondered. *

"I'm sure you must have," he continued," and I mean to
tell yoQ all I myself know on the subject. I was born in the
north latitude 20° and east longitude 160°, which you will
find to be a point in the North Pacific Ocean. My father was
captain of the barque Boomerang sailing from Liverpool. Short-
ly before setting out on this voyage he married the daughter
of another old salt, and decided upon taking her with him for
a bridal trip in the shape of a two years' cruise in the eastern
seas. For various reasons the voyage lasted longer than was
anticipated, but utimately the Boomerang was headed for Eng-
land after «n absence of more than two years, and when I was
about six months old.

When making for Tamatave to take in fresh water, the ship
was driven out of her courpe by the north-esat monsoons, and
totally wrecked on the island of Rodriguez during a terrific
hurricane. With the exception of the cook, (who was a negro
woman), and myself, every one on board perished. Fortun-
ately, for me, Mam Krokoo the cook was an expert and power-
ful swinvaier, and having snatched me from the grasp of my
drowning mother while my father was still at his post in the
ship, she succeeded in battling her way with me through the
9,vaf, Shprtl^ after landing we were found and kindly treat*
ed by a Frenchman and his Malagasy wife. We remained
lMur«! for abont six monthf, as nearly as I could ever ascertain »

[

THE ADVENTUEES OF NO. 7.

find ynre taken off by a ship on her way to Calcutta.

A Mr. Balfour, one of the merchant princes of that greaiD
city, having heard the story of Mam Krokoo and the white
Daby, sent us to his estate near Moorshedabad, and here I re-
mained until I was ten years of age, ray dear old Mam Krokoo
having then been dead nearly a year. In consequence of re-
versions in the business of Mr. Balfour, a new proprietor took
possession of the estate, and I fell into the hands of a fellow
named Drexell, who had been a sort of overseer on the pro-
perty, and who was, I think, ene of the most ferociously cruel
brutes that ever lived. I ran away from him, and found my-
self in the course of two or three months, I can't tell you how,
once more in Calcutta.

Here I hid myself in the hold of the first ship I saw getting
ready to sail, and I didn't care where she went, so long as she
increased the distance between me and the land where Drexell
lived. When I became very hungry after being at sea for
some time, I crawled into the daylight not knowing how I
should be received by the sailors. They were thunderstruck
at my appearance, but when they saw that I was a white boy
they Wire immensely delighted. Everyone on board, parti-
cularly the captain, treated me with great kindness. When
it was discovered that I could not read, the second mate under-
took to give me lessons daily from the new testament and the
nautical almanac. One of the men made me a pair of trousers
another a shirt, and a third a jacket with brass buttons. At
Cape Town, the captain bought me a pair ot shoes and sdme
stockings, and a child's pictorial version of Kobinson Crusoe.
Others were foolishly and extravagantly kind, for when we
left port) I had a full kit of shop-made clothing, a small gold-
banded cap, and a large bull's-eye silver watch. Long before
this time I had learned that the vessel was the Camcronian of
Greenock, and that to that port we were bound. But I am
spining this yarn toe long "

"No, no," said Hanntth, "I am very much interested in every
particular, go on."

"That I have no doubt about, my girl, but in the meantime,
I merely want to give you an outline. Well, after arriving at
Greenock, the Gameronian sailed with another cargo and some
emigrants for Quebec, and the captain gave me permission to
go with him. When lying at Quarantine in the St. Lawrence,
owing to some mistake in the medicine chest he poisoned him-
self and died. Again I was alone. Ultimately I found my
way to Montreal and from Montreal to Kingston, where I was
adopted by a gentleman who was conneoted with a seat of
learning there. By his means I recsiftd a fail education dux-

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7. 99

mg the eight years I lived undet* hit loof, and it was while in
that city and with that gentleman that I first heard of the
creature who is now your school inspector — him they call
Bunt.

I pui^Rued my course in Toronto, where I had once more
some reason — personal reason this time — to remember Bunt,
for we boarded in the same house with a number of other
students. One night a student using the lane for a short cut,
saw a suspicious looking young man hand some one over the
back-yard fence, something, it was too dark to say what. Fel-
low-students in other quarters had more than once referred to
our place (without naming anybody) as one in which crooked
things were likely to be enacted at siich a time, that is, before
examination. He who saw the tiansfer effected had his sus«
picions aroused immediately, and came to inform me, but as I
was at the opposite end of the city that eveniffg, ho told three
or four of our companions. To avoid being seen together they
agreed to talk the matter over in the coal-shed, after leaving
the house one by one.

Well, they rendezvoused in the appointed place and came
to the easy conclusion that Bunt was the man, and that for their
own honor, as well as for that of their 'shanty' they should
'raid' his room, and for the sake of appearances the rooms of
one or two others also.

By what means he heard them they could only guess, but
hear them he did, for before they were able to carry out their
project he had regained his room, seized the s jspicious parcel,
unlocked my door with his own key, opened my trunk, and
thrust the parcel into it.

As bad luck would have it, they entered my room first, and
he who came to see me a little while before did not fail to ob-
serve that although my door was fastened then, it was now un-
locked. You may imagine the astonishment of my dearest
chum, when, on lifting the lid of my trunk he saw lying on
the top of it what a glance showed him to be the-papers set for
the the forthcoming exam. All the young follows were dumb-
foundered, and Bunt listening from the fanlight ot his own
door, learned that they had made the discovery. They could
hardly believe me guilty, but there was the evidence, and be-
sides that, the fact that nly door was found open added to their
doubts, as showing that I had recently and hurriedly left the
room. However they resolved to do nothing until my return,
and so they went away to discuss the mystery somewhere
•Ise.

As soon. 08 the coast was clear, Bunt again entered my room

U THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

end carried of ihm napersi looking my door thoughtfully as h«
left.

About an hoar after this my chums returning to see if I
had oome back found my door fastened, and failing to get any
reply to their knocks and calls» reluctantly concluded that my
reasons for keeping silent were not good.

I remained all night at the house of the friend whom I was
visiting, and went straight to the lecture room next day. Be-
fore seating myself I was handed a note from professor

asking me to proceed to him the moment I came in. You may
, imagine Hannah, how I received from the professor the infor-
mation, that according to a letter he held in his hand, a num-
ber of the students who had suspected me for sometime, ftund
in my possession last night certain documents to which I had
no right — documents, indeed, relating to the exam, and which
I must have procured by fraudulent means.

Without a moment's hesitation I told the professor that it

waa a d d lie, and that whoever said so was a d d liar.

Of course I was entirely wrong' but I was almost mad as you
may understand, to think that even a breath of suspicion should
fall ilpon me in such a connection. He ordered me out of the
room, and forbade my attendance at lectures until the matter
was investigated. In the height of my passion I proceeded to
my boarding house — packed my things — bought a ticket for
Prince Arthur's Landing and there found employment as a
land surveyor, for which I had qualified some time previously."

"What a bad, bad, wicked man that Bunt must be" sighed
Hannah, the tears standing in her eyes.

"You may well say that, ray girl, for it was eventually dis-
covered circumstantially not only that, he was the criminal as
I have explained to you, but that it waa he who wrote the
letter to the authorities implicating me, and I now have a letter
from head quarters requesting me to return and finish my

that I snould call for a mu-

course,

and bogging at all events

tual Hand-shaking.

This, in brief, is my story, ana will account for my reticence
relative to parentage and connections. My foster-father in
Kingston finds it hard to forgive me for my rashness, but as I
intend to call upon him as well as upon my Toronto friends on
my way east next week, I have no doubt that when I come
back to claim you as my very own, 'everything will have been
explained and arranged satisfactorily."

CHAPTER XLIX.
There was 'no ichool' in No. 7 on the Monday following the

THE ADVEKTURES OF NO. 7. 95

indignation maeting, and it soon beeaue known that Bir. W.
Horatio Soman bad departed from the village, bag and baggage,
apparently intending to retarn never moie.

This put an effectual stop to the profecutions that were
threatened against him, and of which his flight proved him to
be afraid.

The mental perturbation of Solomon Tomkins Bunt, B. A.,
for nearly a week was relieved by an epistle from W. Horatio,
and bearing the post mark, Detroit. It ran as follows : —
^'Mb. 8. T. BcNT, Esq., I.P.S

DiAR ^^d, — I write to tell you that I am hero, also that I have heen
here four days. I suppose you will blame me for not asking you for to
give me your advice, but I bad no opportunity of doing so, or of doing
anything else before I started to come away here.

I never saw a worse lot ot children in all my life than there are in
Harden, and I couldn't have stood them another week, I don't think.
They provoked me till I had to show them I was master, and I guess
they found it out. It was the first time I ever whipped any of them,
and it was all their own faults. I only had two dollars when I got
here and now I haven't got a cent, and if you will be as kind as to send
me twenty. five dollars, I will write to Roper and get him to send the
papers any way that will suit you, and I will tell him you gave me the
money and he will deduct it from the bill atraiuHt you. I must have
some money next week as I want for to apply for a place selling books
through Michigan, and want money for my board here. If you can get
the trustees to pay me what they owe me at the end of the half year, I
will return you the $25 auy way, and by doing so you will oblige me.

* Vours truly very much —

' W. HoRi.T10 SOMERK.

Mr. Bunt did not know what to do, but Bunt was cautious,
and Bunt \va8 crafty. He might easily have sent to Somers the
sum required, for that very morning lie had recei>od from W.
J. Graves and Son, publishers, a cheque for fifty duliftrs as
royalty due to him on the sale of that firm's school books in his
division of the county, during the year, bHt he wanted to be
quite sure that his money would not be thrown away. He re-
plied, therefore, to the effect that he would send Somers ten
dollars in the meantime, and that as soon as the 'other things'
came to hand he would either send him {ifto«n more, or see
that the trustees paid him in full.

Meantime the trustees of JNo. 7 met and decided not to take
any steps towards re-opening the school until after the mid-
summer vacation. But they did more than this, they resolved
not to pay Mr. Somers one cent for his services beyond what
he had already received in the shape of the legislative grant in
February.

Bunt's offer to Somers must have proved satisfactory, for in
little more three weeks, the inspector was wiser than the Cen-

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

tral Committee, knowing as he did not only all the questions
set for examination, but the answers to a iew of these questions,
the whole of which were in due course forwarded to "Bruno,"
"Mirza" and "Cato."

Haying failed to persuade the trustees of No. 7 that they
should pay Mr. Somers in full, he managed with great diflficulty
to worm out of them fifteen dollars which he kindly under-
took to send to Somers, and which he did send as if it had been
the balance of the twenty five dollars that Somers asked him
for.

That in the fullness of time "Bruno," "Mirza," and "Cato"
obtained first-class certificates, grade A, may go without saying,
and it may interest some to know that all three are to-day shin-
ting lights in the educational firmament of this province ; "A
province," to use a distinguishnd man's words, "of whose edu-
cational system we, as Canadians, may justly feel proud 1" And
so we do.

CHAPTER L.

Within a few days of each other Nicholas Colton, P.L.S.,
and J. R. Rose, M.D., wedded respectively, Hannah Pollock
and Polly Ann Martin.

Excitement in Harden during that week ran high. Maurice
OTIynn and Dick Ferrand were almost as much concerned
about the eclat of their friends' nuptials, as if these friends had
been their own relatives. Public opinion having changed, no-
body outside of the Martin family s^^eraed to take any kindly
interest in the uniin of the doctor with Polly Ann, if we ex-
cept Tom Horafall, and it can scarcely be said that his interest
was a kindly one, owing to the fact that he was head and front
of a huge conspiracy to 'shivaree' the young couple.

Cow-bells, dinner-horns, old tin-pans, riHes and pistols were
engaged for the occasion, for thu reason assigned by Tom, that
Polly Ann was fond of being sounded, and the boys wanted to
please her just for once ! Tom also very h gicaly explained
to the 'boys' that the fun would lose most ot its efiect on the
'Martin folks' unless they had it tothemselveH, and that there-
fore, out of respect for old 'Dad' and 'Mammy' it wouldn't be
well to 'shivaree' Hannah Pollock.

The 'boys' gaw the point and permitted the marriag* of
Nicholas and Hannah to pass off quietly, and in recognition of
this cocsideration the newly-wedded pair invited all and sun-
dry to music and a bun feed in Mrs. Pollock's garden th* next
•vening.

On the following day Mr. and Mrs. Colton left by tht early

THE ADVENTUKES Oh MO. 7.

•tage*eoaoh to catch the trnin hound eaat, and raachad Toron-
to about the hour when Dr. Rose and Mins Martin were united
by the Rev. Mr. llorroeki*, in Ziun Church.

That night, the 'boys' (many of them bearded) to the num-
ber of nearly fifty, collected in the 'aide line,' opposite to the
Martin mansion, and rendered the air hideous with the blare
and rattle of their unmusical instruments. Remembering that
the Ck>lton affair had passed off unshivareed, Polly Ann, thai
ii to say, Mrs. Rose, was deeply mortified, the doctor was
indignant, Phil waa mad, 'Mammy' was raging, and the Mar-
tins junior took advantage of the general want of oversight, to
partake promiscuously and plentifully of everything eatable on
which they could lay violent hands.

Phil called for John Wesley to bring him his gun, but just
then John Wesley was in grips with Jerusha about a sponge-
cake, and didn't hear 'Dad.'

'Mammy/ screamed "Lawk-a-daisy, don't you shoot 'em
Dad."

Mrs. Rose said viciously, "Tes, indeed, shoot every one of
them."

Dr. Rose said nothing.

Phil Martin brought the gun himself, and going to the door
said be would scare the fellows anyway. Ail this time the
noise was not only going on but appeared to increase), and some
ot the more venturesome lads were standing in Phil's garden
about half way between the house and the road which were no
great distance apart at farthest.

As Phil fired in the darkness, a young man received mosl
of the charge m his left leg and had to be carried to the village
by hiet companions. Those who remained, consulted as to
what should now be done, for the noise had ceased ne.»rly a
quarter of an hour. Some one proposed that they should
throw stones at the windows and run away, and this was re-
ceived with acclaim. Not more than a few whole panes were
left in the front of Phil Martin's two-storey residence, the
Venetian blinds were wrecked and the door deeply bruised.

Fortunately for the inmates they had all retired to the back
part of the house before the volley was thrown, so that no one
was injured. "Ma-umy" and Polly Ann were wailing and
gnashing their teeth — Phil and the doctor were gnashing their
teeth and swearing — mildly,

Next day squire Beamish was kept busy issuing summonses
and when the court was held nobody could prove that any-
body was at the 'shivaree' ; nobody had seen anybody else
throwing stones ; nobody could swear that they knew who
used the firearms, outside or inside ; nobody was fined and

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. ?.

ig was ciono.

thiug,

absolutoly nothin

The Martins and tho Koses were confident of one
however, and that was tliat tho Coltons were at tho bottom of
all the mischief, and that thny had loft money on tho morning
of their departure to pay 'running expenses.'

On the evening of court-day the Rev. Josiah Horrocks of
/ion Church, and the Rev. Ebenezer Gubbin of Gobblersvillo
paid the Martins a visit of congratulation or condolence, it
was uncertain which, probably it was both. Phil was not in
a pious mood at the timo ; ho seldom was, except on Sundays
and for an hour or so weekly at prayer-meeting, still he re-
ceived his clerical visitors with all the grace he could command
after the somewhat long and loud somi-sulphureous expletives
in which he had been indulging only a few moments before.

"Good evonin' Mr. Horrocks, good evenin' Mr. Gubbin —
glad to see both o* ye, walk right an' make yorselves to home.
We hain't got quite set to rights senco tne shindig, but thank
God, no lives was lost, as I wan just a-sayin' to Mammy when
you was a-comin' in at the gate."

"Ah, brother Martin," said Mr. Horrocks, "yes, in view of
all the circumstanes attending upon such a demoiiivcal, I
might almost say diabolical display and exhibition of that
spirit, eh yah, which, eh yah, is apt to manifest itself upon un-
seemly occasions, or I should say, eh yah, in an unseemly man-
ner upon such occasions in this part of the vineyard, you say
truly, ah yes I and Brother Gubbin and I thought we would
just make a friendly call for a few moments eh yah, to show
you how deeply we sympathized with you at such a time,"
and tho Re/. Mr. Horrocks released the horse-shoe wrinkles,
closed his eyes divinely, pressed his lips tightly, lay back in
his chair, and, languidly, once more opened his eyes.

"Just so" said the Rev. M»'. Gubbin who was a very self-
imporiant, but withal perfectly harmless, because wpak-minded
middle-aged gentleman, "Just so, brother Martin, and I have no
doubt that much of the inherent (?) wickedness of the people
in OUT day is directly traceable to the avidity with which they
peruse the vile works of such monsters of iniquity as Tom
Paine, Tom Huxley, Bob Ingersoll, Henry (I think they call
him) Spencer, and that Prince of Darkneps Edward Dar-
win. In the words of the ancient Greek ^tempora mutantur
et nos mutamur in illu,' which is as if we should say in Eng-
lish, 'the times are changing for the worse, and so we, in like
manner are changing with the times also.' The fact ot the
matter brother Martin is that we o:ust prevent our young people
from Teadtog vftytkn thab ignore God, as do t^boee of Ae p^rsone

THE ADVENTITRES OF ^'U. 7. 90

to whom 1 have alluded. In the words of our Vouerablo
Founder :

The gospel then shall grently grow,

And all our land o'ersprcad !
Through earth extended wide

Siiall mightily prevail,
l)e8troy the works of self and pride

And shake the gates of hell.

Abmon 1 Ahmen !"

And the Jlev. Afr. Horrocka responded "Ahmen I" The Rev.
Mr. Gubbin knew of no distinction among the works of the
authors he named, or, in every instance it may be said, mis-
named. Thev were all in his eyes, (or rather in h's imagina-
tion, for he nevei saw one of them and thanked God for it)
blasphemous, atheistic, agnostic. He was a firm believer in
plenary inspiration, and every book that he had reason to tliink
did not jump with this view, was an utterly bad book, and for
some years he had been the habit of ascribing to "Darwin,
Huxley and Co." the chief blame for the existence of the mani-
fold evils of 'our day and generation.'

As a preacher ho was 'gabby' and plausible enough to
make himself popular in every circuit, until his stock of Tal-
mago topics was exhausted, after which it was his cu.tom to
fall foul of all the other christian denominations, especially
Koman Catholics and Presbyterians. A few classical phrases
he had committed to memory, but was somewhat hazy regard-
injj their orgin and signification.

Throughout the whole of the minister's little speeches Phil
was very impatient, and anxious to tell the reverend brothers
that he 'didn't blame nobody's books or nobody at all but Col-
ton for the whole business' when just as the Rev. Gubbin
concluded, and gave the Rev. Horrocks a chance to say 'Ahmen'
the latter continued after the inevitable clearing of the throat
and other m'eliminarie«, "True, brother Gubbin, too true, and
we shall nevnr be at rest until we have religious instruction
imparted in the public schools. Give us that, and 1 shall be
prepared to give up the ghost happily."

Phil Martin now riianaged to squeeze in his Colton theory,
and was surprised to hear his pastor rejoin "Just so, brother
Martin, that is merelv a verification of what wo have been say-
ing as I ha\e reason to believe that the man Colton is a rank
freethinker, a bad man indeed,:f it bo true, as I dc not doubt
that he told Mrs. Ferrand only the other day, that he disbe-
lieved the inspired narrative which recounts how the whale
swallowed Jonah, and referred to it scoffingly as 'a great fish
story,' '•

100

THK ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

Hero "Mammy" entered and asked the brethern to stay to
tea, which they did, much to faer own and 'Dad's* chagrin.

Upon enquiries having been made for the v;elfare of Dr.
and Mrs. Ruse, "Mammy" informed the Rev. Mr. tiorrocki
that John Wesley had driven away with them about an hour
before to the county town where they proposed to oatoh the
midnight train for Montreal, and for a time we shall leave
them to enjoy their trip.

CHAPTER LI.

Shortly after the midsummer vacation the new sehool-house
in No. 7 was ready fur occupation.

The new teacher was a young man named Jackson who ardent*
ly loved teaching for its own sake. Although not more than
twenty-five years of age he was well read in the science of edu-
cation, and held many views contrary to those in general accept-
ance. He was affected with no mawkish sentiuientaiity regard-
ing the so-called degradative etl'ect of corporal punishment,
and he was fully convinced that it should be called into action
in flagrant cases of bullying, obscenity, and contumacy, but
the geneial effect of his kindly, common-sense discipline ob-
viated the necessity of all except the mo<«t sparing infliction of
the rod. To the piactice of "keeping in" he was strongly op-
posed, and succeeded in accomplishiDg more than the usual
amount of work without imposing any home-t: sics on the
younger pupils, and very few upon those that were older.
Finding six hours a day of school-work hard enough on him-
self, he refrained from inflicting misery on his pupils during
time he thought should be devoted by them to rest, to play,
or to non-school ]eading' He took part in the games of the
play-ground, and endeavored to make tV' indoor routine in-
teresting by brief illustrative auccdete and narrative. Passion-
atoly fond of botany and entomology, he managed to induce
some of his pupils to give more than a passing notice to the
wayside weeds and to the common insecta. He covered the
walls of the school-room not only with maps, (in which he,
with great difficulty, persuaded the trustees to invest about fit-
teen dollars), but with pictures and illuminated texts and
niuttoes. A portion of the ground ho laid out for a flower
bed in sj>ring, and encouraged the pupils to bring flowers in
pots for the window-sills.

To praise the attempts and attainments of hia pupils was hit
rule ; blame he employed judiciously, but sparin]{ly, and con-
tumely, never.

He never tried to convince his pupils either that he knaw

rUE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

101

everything, or that he ^ai incapable of making a mistake, and
he felt himself equally free to eonfeta oocational ignorance and
to tender an apology.

Out of school he made a praotice of recngniiing every one
of his pupils, whether by smile, nod, word, playful touch, or
kindly look.

Although unconnected with any religious sect or denomina*
tion, he opened and closed the school according to the pre-
scribed forms, and did so in such a manner as to command if
not the reverential, at least the respectful attention of his
pupils.

At every opportunity he inculcated sound moral prinoiplea.
This he succeeded in doing effectively without sermonising,
or any assumption ot sanctimoniousness. Upon deceit in all
its fnrms he was especially hard. Copying he denounced as
the priucipal deadly sin of the school-room. CT ^e bully
and the sneak generally, he spoke in terms of ul easured
contempt. Canada he always referred to as one of the most
highly favored lands, and its people asenjoymr > lebc'i; kic^'^
of parlHmentary and municipal government, the toremcit t uLool
system, the uiou^ iuvigcrating climate, and whe higUi/ condi-
tion 0** -General comfort and prosperity.

lu brief, Edward Jackson was a first rate teacher, who fully
earned the enormous salary of Four Hundred Dollars per a|i-
num grudgingly paid to him by Messrs. Turner, Schuntz and
Jones.

On entering upon his duties in September, he found the n%w
building everything that could be desired in point of rookn
and seating nccemmodation, but erected without the remotest
attempt t-) | fovide for ventilation ap vrt from doors and win-
dows. Nu great want in this direction was notic&able until
the cold weather set in. Then, the presence of nearly sixty
pupils speedily vitiated the atrooApheric contents of the roqp
to such an extent that although the occupants were wholly
unconscious of the change, to anyone entering the apartment
the fetid character of the air was powerfully and disagreeable
apparent.

For the purpose of remedying this, Mr. Jackson was in the
habit of keeping all the winduws partially open, and, fortun-
ately, the upper sash had been made to come down. But this
sort of thing was far from according with the views of the
'self-made man' and his colleagues on the Board. They de-
clared that in their opinion it was folly, or madness or some-
thing, to keep a fire going to heat the room, while the win-
dows were kept open to eool it. The section, they said, could
not afford to pay for wood at three dollars a cord to be thus

102

THE ADVEl^TUJRES OF NO. 7.

recklessly consumed. Tliey thoreforo held a meeting to con-
sider the question and gravely decided that most of the win-
dows should be nailed up completely, but that two of them
should be permitted to open to the extent of one inch ! ! !

The gross — the sinful ignorance, which dictated this pro-
ceeding filled Mr. Jackson with idignation and disgi^st, and
when lie discovered what had been done, and why it was
done, he promptly pulled out the fastenings, and continued as
formerly to use his own judgment as to when and how the
supply of fresh air should be regulated,

Turners wore. Schuntz said it "vas not mooch difference mit"
him, and Jones declared that Jacljson was a "young Chacknips
— (Jack-a-napps?) didn't know nothing 't oil. Feel to pig
oltogether, zactky." But beyond these expressions, the trustees
took no action, doubtless deeming it unsafe to meddle with a
toachpr, who had by this time proved himself to be a man of
diffeient stuff from that which composed Horatio W. Soraers,
or even Soloman Tomkins Bunt, Esq., B. A., I. P. S. !

Under Jackson the school flourished, and although he laid
but little stress on quarterly or, half-yearly, cram-show examina-
tions, the solid character of his methods enabled him to lay
excellent foundations upon which all his pupils might, if they
would, erect superstructures calculated to make them orna-
ments to Canadian society.

.%4tHf^'

CHAPTER LII.

By a Feries of coincidences the Rose and Colton parties
left Toronto for Montreal on board cf the simef steauier, put

^ up at the same hotel in the latter city, and eventually sailed

^ down the Gulf of St. Lawrence in the same boat.

:* To the Roses and to Mrs. Colton, these adventures were very
'nnpleasant, but so far i\s Nicholas was concerned he felt per-

'^^ fectly at ease. Why shouldn't he? More than that, he was
anxious to strike up an acquaintance with the doctor and Mrs.
Rose, for he was a genial and ingenuous soul, but soon per-
ceiving that this was not likely to prove agreeable either to the
Roses or to his own wife, he desisted from ottering any oppor-
tunity of companionship.

Buth parties kept their distance from each other, and all on
board seemed to enjoy the pleasures of the voyage until the
morning of the third day out, when during a, heavy fog their
vessel, the Chancellor, ran aground on a rocky ledge about
three-fourths of a mile oil Cap des Rosie. Dnriug the forenoon
a wind sprung u|), which towards evening stitleoed into a smart
breeze, when the captain proposed as a precautionary measure

mmmm

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

103

g to con-
the Avin-
of them
I ! ! !

this pro-
jrst, and
y it was
ticued as
how tho

nee mil"
hacknips

to pig
) trustees
e with a
a man of
Somers,
!

1 he laid
jxamina-

to lay
.f if they
m orna-

parties
mer, put
ly sailed

ere very
felt per-
he was
nd Mrs.
)oi] per-
r to tho
y oppor-

d all on
Qtil the
og their
about
orouoon
a smart
ueasure

that the ladies should be landed before dark. As few of the
boat hands were real old salts, which Colton discovered the
moment they attempted to swing out the boats on the davits^
he informed tho captain that he had had some experience at
sea, and volunteered his services which were gladly accepted.
H« was given command of crew No. 2, and had his boat with
her coniplem'eut of passengers in the water long before the
other Mrs Cullon accompanied her husband on the first trip
and was landed safely with all the rest almost before the No.j^
1 had left the side of the Chanecllor.

On the way back to the steamer, Colton sitting in the stem
of his own boat, with the tiller in his hand, observed a good
deal of bungling in the management of the crew that was now
rowing shoreward. They were shaping tneir course in such a
manner as to allow every sea to strike the*Ti broadside, and he
feared for the safety of all on board. When within fifty yards
of each other, Colton shuddered to see a wave break clean over
the mismanaged boat, and then came the sci earns of nearly
twenty vomen as they found themselves sinking. Colton's
crow rowed to the spot with all speed, and before many min-
utes every passenger but on^ had been rescued. This lady
Coltor determined should not be lost if h« could save her, and
ordering his men to row a few strokes towards where she was
last seen to disapper, he throw olf his coat, vest and boots, and
dived steadily olf the stern. His first attempt accomplished
little, as he was merely feeling his way, but after ascending to
draw breath, he made another plunge, and this time brought
to the sui'faoo no one but Mrs. Polly Ann Eoso. Of course
this lady was not in a condition to recognize her deliverer, or
it is just possible she would have refused bis assistance. With
some difficulty she was hauled aboard and as soon as Nicholas
had scrambled in, the men pulled hastily for the shore again., |
Meantime those of the rescued ladies who were 6t to do any- ^
thing, did all that could he done, under the cii cum stances, for
the resuscitation of Mr.' . Rose, and their etlbrts were rewarded
by a few returning signs of life ju&t as the boat touched land.

Naturally, those who redched the shore first, sympathiz-
ed deeply with their companions to whom the dangerous
mishap had occurred, and, just as naturally most of their good
seivices were tendored in aid of Mrs. Hose, who was soon well
enough to realise the narrow escape she had made, and to be
informed by whose assistance Mho, had been rescued.

Two more trips of the remaining boat brought thereat of the
passengers ashore, for the gentleman resolved that they also
would leave the vessel.

|i^ioJiola«MftuiMd oowmaad of all th« m»h paMengers anc)

lOi

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. t.

told thtm off into companies. Two of tbege he dispatched in op-
posite directions to pick up drift woqd for fuel, one to e ollect
large stones and build a rough wall, and another to assist him-
self in erecting a tent composed of two spare sails. By these
means the situation for all was made comparatively tolerable
nntil daylight, when it was discovered that the early tide had
enabled the Chc^.ieellor to swing easily off the ledge without
any material damage to her hull.

After all were again shipped, and some progress had been
made towards Charlottetou n, a deputation awaited upon Colton,
requesting him to meet the other passengers in the saloon at
10 o'clock, to receive their thanks for the services performed
by him during the night of their peril and distress.

Colton being honest as well as human, did not pretend that
he thought nothing of what he had dona, and that thanks were
out of the question. On the contrary, he was pleased to know
that his services proved valuable, and that his fellow passen-
gers appreciated them accordingly.

At the time appointed a gentleman from Chicago read and
presented to Mr. Colton a highly laudatory address setting
forth the obligations under which the passengers layto him,
and referring more particularly to his bravery in saving the
life of Mrs. Rose. Many of the voyagers having observed that
no good feeling existed between the Coltons and the Roses,
now hoped that a reconciliation might be effected, and when
Nicholas had made a pleasing reply to the address they looked
to Dr. Rose for something. After a few momtnts of painful
waiting. Dr. Rose said blunderingly that he supposed he was
in duty bound to thank Mr. Colton for having saved Mrs.
Rose's life, "but" he added, petutantly, ''perhaps if Mr. Colton
had known who was in the water, he wouldn't have went to
10 much trouble."

"ladies and gentlemen" said Nicholas, "I shall not reply to
this gentleman's baseless insinuation, as I have come to the
conclusion that he is as incapable of recognizing the claims of
our common humanity, as he is of appreciating the niceties of
our *'Brave old English Tongue."

The applause that followed this snappy sentence was anything
but pleasing to Dr. Rose, and he remains as blissfully ignorant
to-day as he was then, of what Nicholas Colton 'was driving at.'

On reaching the next port the medical gentleman and his
wife left the Chancellor, on pretence of requiring rest ashore.

CONCLUSION.

Edward Jackson is still doing good work in No. 7, but bis
9ikf9ei there will soon be cut short. Turner has had an offer

.yf

m op-
•ollect
t him-

theta
lerable
do had
ithoat

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7. It5

from a diTinity student to "hire*^ as teachei at three bandred
dollars a year, and as the understanding is that the said
divinity student shall board with Mr. Lloyd Jones, it is ^aay
to predict Jackjson's fate in Harden.

The Kev. Mr. Haivers, the Rev. Mr. Horrooks and the Bey.
Mr. Bigsby are still agitating the question of the Bible in Pub-
lic Schools. Those who are best acquainted with the Ker. Mr.
Haivers assert that his main object in maintaining the discus,
aion is to keep himself before the public, in the hope that his
hitherto ignored claims to the moderatorship of the Aspembly
may be recognized. The Rev. Mr, Horrocks, and the Rev.
Mr. Bigsby also continue to argue in favor of the point, simply
because they think it right and proper (that is, orthodox) to do
80, and in the belief that the more biblical instruction is im-
parted in the secular schools, the easier will the task of minis-
ters become.

The Rev. Mr. Gubbin of Gobblersville labors away in his
far-fetched attempts at Talmagian oratory, and peruses prayer-
fully the weekly modicum of the the New York pulpit
^mountebank, as doled out in the columns of his (Mr. G's)
church organ. His sermon last Sunday evening was, as he
announced it himself, "On the Final and Complete £nd*of all
Things Subluniary and Terresterial in this Sin-burdened World.
In proof of his contention that this great catastrophe was in
the near future, he referred pathetically to the fact that "the
forests of this country were year by year becoming depleted
annually" and that "stove coal was now selling for eight dollars
a ton, and only 2000 lbs at that 1"

Of that guileless gentlemen the Rev. Oliver Twiddleton, M.
A.,L.L.D., Ox., it is unnecessary to say anything tirther than
that although refusing to co-operate with 'mere dissenting fel-
lows* in their onslaught upon the non-denominational character
of oar school system, he 'longs vehemently' for their success
thereby hoping for the ultimate establishment of schools in
which episcopal pupils may receive a truly apfistolic education.

The worthy inspector Solonion T. Bunt, Esq., B.A., main-
tains his ground — apparently, and only so, for his villainy is
becoming as notorious to members of the County Council, as
it has long been to a few outsiders. Educational financial ac-
counts, containing fifty and one hundred dollar postage items
have done something by way of eye-openers, and ignorance,
pretension, officiousness, impertinence and braggadocio are
gradua^lly weakening his grasp of a position he ehould never
have been permitted to hold.

Sleeping partners we hare all beard of, and in the tame
sense Mr. Solomon T. Bunt acts as the sleeping agent of W.

106

THE ADVENTURES OF NO. 7.

J. Graves & Son, publishers. By the judicious adminstration
of metaphorical tatty to a few of the principal teachers in his
district, and the bull-dozing of others, he usually manages to
carry his? point in favor of his firm, who pay him from time
to time, a noat little sum for his totally unselfish, intermediary
offices in their behalf.

"W. Horatio Soraers is buried in Grand Rapids, Michigan,
where he died of typhoid fever, (much to the relief of Mr.
Bunt) within throe months after reaching the United States.

Chairmau-secretary-treasurer Turner is putting forth super-
human exertions for the councilorship Schuntz continues

diligently to attend to the interests of his farm, and to the

consumption of *blauk-strap.' and Jones lives a lazy, but,

mayhap, contented life in the proud consciousness that he is a
*selt-made mau — 'zackly' and fitted for the performance of
things far higher than the pursuit of agriculture.

The married life of the Roses is not all that' the doctor's
fancy painted it. "Polly dear," as he always calls his wife, hae
forsaken the piano almost completely, and has settled herself
down to a course of "Ouida," Victor Hugo, and Miss Braddon.
She never visits her parents — her mother, she actually despises ;
she iticeives no company, keeps her house untidy even with
the assistance of a servant, remains in her bedroom until after
breakfast lime, dresses negligently, seems best pleased when
querulously fault-finding with ''James dear," and compensates
for all her indoor short-comings by acting as a monthly tract
distributor in the village.

"Daddy" and "Mammy" Martin live to denounce the base in-
gratitude of a spoiled child "Mammy" says "Lawk-a-daisy
who ever could a forsaw the likes of it?" and "Daddy" replies
"Darn if I could," then by the way of appendix, as it were,
"and I won't vote for Turner, nuther, see if I do."

Mr. Abraham and Mrs. Abigal Doopelsnipe are, we feci sorry
to state, not only still alive, but, so faras appearances go,
likely to prolongs their earthly pilgrimage||for raanyyears.

Dr. Vain has retired to enjoy the well-earned luxury of an
orange-grove property in Florida, where, it is said, he fails not
day or night to denounce Canada and the Canadians.

On a small ranche adjoining the larger establishment of
Maurice O'Flynn Tom Horsfall is settled and prosperous, and
last of all, Dick Ferrand is away with Nicholas Colton on a
North West surveying expedition, while Mrs. Colton residet
in a handsome cottage within a few doorsof Mrs. Pollock, vho
is hale, hearty and happy, and likely to enjoy for many years
the companionship of her good step'daughter.

THE BND.

yj^ Atf,^^^

II I ■- ".'■ffl^w'n^

J "!.■ 'Y ,»ii»wwijnt», I

'^A

• f