-NRLF 
 

LIBR 1Y 
 
 1 UNIVERSITY OF 
 ^CALIFORNIA 
 
PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL; 
 
 OR, 
 
 HARRY KINGSLEY S TRIAL. 
 
 BY MRS. M YERS. 
 
 " Twixt truth and error is this difference known : 
 Error is fruitful, truth is only one." 
 
 THREE ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 Nero TJork : 
 
 PUBLISHED BY CAKLTON& POUTER, 
 
 SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION, v><> MUI.BKKKY-STBRKT. 
 

 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1861, by 
 CARLTON & POUTER, 
 
 in the Clerk s Office of the District Court of th* United States 
 for the Southern District of New York. 
 
* ff^6 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 
 I. THE HOME IN THE MOUNTAINS ? 
 
 II. THE REDE ON HORSEBACK 26 
 
 III. THE PET DEER 38 
 
 IV. THE CROW S NEST 52 
 
 V. THE MILLER S BOY 59 
 
 VI. OLD WALTER S VISIT 77 
 
 VII. TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF 93 
 
 VIII. PARSON HUBERT AT HOME 100 
 
 IX. NEW COMPANIONS AND NEW RULES 112 
 
 X. A MOONLIGHT FLITTING 147 
 
 XI. HARDER LESSONS THAN THE FIRST 162 
 
 XII. TRUTH is ALWAYS BEST 188 
 
 XIII. ANOTHER MISADVENTURE 200 
 
 XIV. A DAWNING OF BETTER THINGS 221 
 
 XV. A CHRISTMAS PARTY . . .237 
 
 (Uttstoiiffits. 
 
 HENRY S DANGEROUS RIDE 2 
 
 PARSON HUBERT S 105 
 
 HENRY PLAYING SOLDIER . . , 212 
 
 749 
 
f 
 
PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE HOME IN THE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 FOR a long time that part of Pennsyl 
 vania which borders on the State of New 
 York was considered a perfect wilderness, 
 and received that name, which it partially 
 retains even at this day. Mountain on 
 mountain, some conical, some long-ridged, 
 but mostly crowned with rocky summits 
 starting abruptly out of the pine forest, 
 rose innumerable; and wooded precipices, 
 brawling brooks, or foaming cascades 
 were not wanting to give variety to the 
 scene. Deep forests of beach, chestnut, 
 oak, or maple, abounding in game, and 
 for a long time never traversed except by 
 
8 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 the trapper or Indian, clothed the plains 
 lying at the foot. 
 
 But after the Revolution, when the tide 
 of emigration fairly set in, and adven 
 turers began to explore the wilderness in 
 search of other treasures than those be 
 longing to a primitive state, masses of 
 rich ore, principally iron, were found hid 
 den in the bosom of the earth, and na 
 ture in her rich providing furnished 
 every facility of wood and water for 
 having those mines worked to advant 
 age. 
 
 There are few difficulties which perse 
 verance cannot overcome. A rich En 
 glishman, filled with the love of specu 
 lative adventure, then becoming so 
 prevalent, with men and means at his 
 command, took up thousands of acres ; 
 the forests were hewed down, roads open 
 ed, buildings erected in the denuded 
 spaces, and the work of civilization once 
 commenced went on rapidly. 
 
 It has been said that a store, tavern, 
 and blacksmith s shop constitute an 
 American village; if so the clearing or 
 
THE HOME IN THE MOUNTAINS. 9 
 
 settlement of " George s Valley," for so 
 it was called, might have been almost 
 termed a city, for smelting furnaces and 
 forges soon began to mingle their sulphur 
 ous smoke with the pure air ; workmen s 
 cottages were seen standing in rows, or 
 else placed here and there in the most 
 romantic spots, and a busy population, 
 intent on the same ends, made Rushton 
 Furnace a miniature world. 
 
 Many farms were also rapidly cleared 
 in the neighborhood ; the head w r aters of 
 the Susquehanna affording a means of 
 water carriage for lumber or grain to the 
 cities. The face of the whole region was 
 soon changed from that of primitive wil 
 derness to one of smiling plenty and rural 
 beauty. 
 
 Enough, however, of the original for 
 ests remained to harbor plenty of game ; 
 large tracts of mountain woodland afford 
 ed a resting-place for deer; bears and 
 wolves found a lair in the caverns or 
 among the rocks, and gunning or the 
 chase was pursued as pastime by the 
 sturdy farmers. 
 
10 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 Mr. Kingsley, the Englishman who 
 owned the iron works, had found his 
 speculation succeed beyond his utmost 
 expectations ; he built a house in the 
 English style, furnished it elegantly, lived 
 in wealth and comfort to extreme old age, 
 and bequeathed his honorably acquired 
 wealth to his only son. 
 
 Many years passed away in increasing 
 prosperity and happiness, until one day, 
 as the younger Mr. Kingsley was riding 
 through the coaling grounds in the mount 
 ains, his horse fell with him, and he was 
 taken up for dead. Life, however, still 
 remained. He was taken into a collier s 
 cabin, laid upon a bed of leaves, and af 
 ter a few hours of suffering expired. 
 
 Old Walter Rowley, who in his boy 
 hood had accompanied the elder Kings- 
 ley from England, and who was now an 
 old gray-headed man, filling the place of 
 overseer or steward of the farms, had gone 
 out to help measure the wood and note 
 the arrangement of the coal-pits. Great 
 ly attached to the son of his old friend, 
 he had obtained his confidence in a high 
 
THE HOME IN THE MOUNTAINS. 11 
 
 degree, and with almost the feelings of a 
 father for an only son, he stood beside 
 the dying man and received his last 
 charge. 
 
 " I am dying, Walter," said Mr. Kings- 
 ley ; "leaving the world in the fullness of 
 my strength and manhood; my son will 
 have great wealth, which may prove a 
 snare to him ; promise me that you will 
 watch over and faithfully admonish him 
 when you find it necessary. I do not 
 know any one to whom I would rather 
 trust him than yourself, for you always 
 do your duty." 
 
 Walter promised, and, as he held the 
 hand of the dying man in his own, he re 
 solved that nothing should ever make 
 him swerve from the performance of the 
 high duty to which he had thus dedicated 
 himself. 
 
 Great was the consternation and dis 
 tress which the tidings occasioned at 
 Rushton Furnace. The shock was too 
 much for Mi s. Kingsley, who was in fee 
 ble health, and after the funeral solemni 
 ties were over she was seized with a nerv- 
 
12 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 otis fever which brought her to the 
 borders of the grave. Gradually she 
 grew better, but the effect of the nervous 
 prostration still remained. She imagined 
 herself very ill, never left her darkened 
 chamber, and could not bear even the 
 slight disturbance of a foot-fall. 
 
 Out of a large family only one son re 
 mained, and, as may be supposed, he was 
 regarded by his mother as her greatest 
 treasure. Mr. Kingsley during his life 
 had not been blind to the faults of his 
 son, and tried his best to counteract the 
 effect produced upon the boy s character, 
 not only by his mother s indulgence, but 
 the subservience of the work-people on 
 the estate. He therefore kept him in 
 check by a discipline mild, as dictated 
 by a parent s heart, but firm, as became a 
 man and a Christian who believed in the 
 wisdom which inculcated the precept to 
 " train up a child in the way he should 
 
 go." 
 
 Under the steady rule of this judicious 
 parent, Harry had passed for a good kind 
 of a boy; he never transgressed the bounds 
 
THE HOME IN THE MOUNTAINS. 13 
 
 of propriety so greatly as to outrage the 
 rude and ignorant people who formed the 
 world around him at Rush ton Iron Works ; 
 nevertheless there were latent disposi 
 tions which had been kept down under 
 the correct guidance of his father, but 
 were ready to break forth as soon as op 
 portunity was offered for their full devel 
 opment. 
 
 Harry w r as nine years old when he had 
 the misfortune to lose his father, and the 
 sad state into which his mother had fallen 
 rendered her totally incapable of doing 
 the double duty now imposed upon her ; so 
 the boy might, indeed, have been con 
 sidered an orphan, left w T holly to his own 
 guidance. 
 
 As there w r as no suitable school in the 
 neighborhood, a tutor had been provided 
 for him. Mr. Arnold had been well rec- 
 com mended, and proved himself capable. 
 During Mr. Kingsley s life he had con 
 ducted himself so prudently that his real 
 character had never been suspected by 
 any one in the household. The poor 
 mother, having the most implicit confi- 
 
14 PAKSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 dence in Mr. Arnold, gave her son en 
 tirely into his charge, and as the utmost 
 quiet was enjoined by her physician, and 
 his room was in a distant part of the large 
 building, she saw but little of him. 
 
 Harry cared very little to visit his 
 mother. The windows were darkened 
 with heavy curtains, the floor covered 
 w r ith thick carpets. All was gloomy and 
 quiet. He could not spin his humming 
 top, he could not see to read the funny 
 stories in his picture books, or paint the 
 ink engravings with the water colors of 
 which he was the proud possessor. Thus, 
 although he could not help observing 
 what pleasure it gave his mother to see 
 him, and he loved her too, he was too 
 fond of self to make the least sacrifice of 
 his time, give up one single amusement, 
 or remain a moment longer in the sick 
 chamber than he could possibly help. 
 
 His mother often sent for him. If he 
 obeyed the summons, he showed himself 
 restless and uneasy during the short time 
 he stayed. Mostly, however, he excused 
 himself from going at all, urging that he 
 
THE HOME IN THE MOUNTAINS. 15 
 
 had some lessons to learn, or was going to 
 the fields or woods to gather plants with 
 Mr. Arnold, or to ride with Walter Rowley 
 and help to measure the wood in the 
 clearings. 
 
 Thus was the poor mother deceived, 
 and the more readily, as Harry was cun 
 ning enough to evince great interest and 
 affection when he did visit her ; and his 
 tutor, in order to preserve his situation 
 and save the invalid from increase of suf 
 fering, always gave favorable reports of 
 Harry s great diligence and progress, 
 which sent gleams of comfort to her 
 troubled heart and lightened the burden 
 of her sorrow. 
 
 But our poor Harry ! Released from 
 the discipline exercised over him by his 
 excellent father, and exulting in the lib 
 erty thus afforded him of being his own 
 master, he was in most dangerous circum 
 stances, for the road to ruin is easy. He 
 had many fine traits of character, and for 
 the most part had been a favorite with the 
 retainers on the estate. Rude and igno 
 rant as they were, he had been taught to 
 
16 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 treat them with the courtesy which is 
 ever due from one human being to an 
 other, remembering that God has created 
 them, and they too are heirs of immortal 
 ity, partakers of the justification purchased 
 by the blood of the atonement. 
 
 Now, however, this was changed. Flat 
 tered by the designing as the heir of this 
 great estate, he became proud and 
 haughty, began to act the great man, 
 never spoke but in a tone of command, 
 until, from being beloved, he became dis 
 liked by all who knew him, although 
 some, for purposes of their own, vailed 
 their true feeling under an appearance of 
 the most affectionate humility. 
 
 This foolish pride, prompting such a 
 ridiculous assumption of superiority, was 
 not the worst evil which the removal of 
 wholesome restraint produced in the char 
 acter of the poor boy. To pride, diso 
 bedience, and idleness was added false 
 hood, the greatest and most abhorrent of 
 all faults, because it is the fostering moth 
 er of all other vices. And for the rapid 
 growth of all these pernicious propensi- 
 
THE HOME IN THE MOUNTAINS. 17 
 
 ties his tutor was greatly to blame. In 
 the false reports sent to his mother lying 
 was taught. Harry knew they were not 
 true, and although at first his conscience 
 reproached him when she kissed his brow, 
 praised his diligence, and called him her 
 sole comfort, that monitor soon became 
 silenced. Sometimes the faithful old 
 Walter, who was no stranger to the gen 
 eral impression made by his conduct, 
 would expostulate with him. Harry only 
 mocked at the "old gray-beard," and 
 turned his words into ridicule. Some 
 times the old man would go to Mr. Arnold, 
 and beg him to control or punish the boy 
 on the commission of some outrageous 
 prank, and tell him of his father s last in 
 junction, but without any better success. 
 Mr. Arnold excused everything on ac 
 count of the waywardness of youth, and 
 contented himself with replying that the 
 boy would see the error of his ways long 
 before he arrived at manhood. 
 
 " Ah!" said Walter, "with such a be 
 ginning as you are allowing him to make 
 he will never see manhood. You, sir, are 
 
18 PARSON HUBERTS SCHOOL. 
 
 not doing your duty, and will help on 
 with the ruin of this boy. I will, how 
 ever, be faithful to my promise ; I will 
 make my way to his mother and tell 
 her all." 
 
 As these occasions became more fre 
 quent Mr. Arnold was alarmed. He knew 
 the determined character of the old farm 
 er, and perfectly aware of the estimation 
 in which he was held, rather dreaded the 
 effect of an interview with Mrs. Kingsley 
 It was certain that whatever statement 
 Walter might make would be believed, 
 and then what would be the consequences 
 to himself? Assuming, therefore, as the 
 case grew more urgent, a different man 
 ner from that at first exhibited, he dis 
 suaded the old man from seeking the 
 invalid, and promised that in future he 
 would exert a stricter rule, and punish 
 him in case of actual transgression. 
 
 With this the farmer was obliged to be 
 contented. Nevertheless, only half be 
 lieving in the promise, he from time to 
 time endeavored to gain admittance to 
 the presence of Harry s mother. This 
 
THE HOME IN THE MOUNTAINS. 19 
 
 measure, however, lie could not by any 
 means effect ; and if Mr. Arnold did, 
 according to his promise, alter his present 
 rule to one more strict, there was no ap 
 parent change in the conduct of his pupil. 
 His lessons were read over, not studied. 
 Slight smatterings of various branches 
 were learned, and served barely to cover 
 up the deficiences truly present ; and the 
 same wealth which, rightly used, would 
 have proved the greatest advantage, was 
 likely to become the worst evil. 
 
 Mr. Arnold, finding himself at perfect 
 liberty, and in the enjoyment of a good 
 salary, used his independence as one would 
 suppose such a man would. He was fre 
 quently absent on country rambles for 
 half days, sometimes for whole, deeming 
 a couple of hours in the forenoon sufficient 
 for all the purposes of study. 
 
 But where was Harry all this time? 
 Where did he pass those priceless hours 
 which no after diligence can redeem? 
 " In the morning sow thy seed, and in the 
 evening withhold riot thy hand," had 
 never been taught to Harry ; and so, in- 
 
20 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 stead of laying up those stores of knowl 
 edge which afterward prove so useful in 
 the journey of life, he passed his time in 
 the stable with the horse-boys, or went off 
 to the woods after nuts or to hunt birds- 
 nests with the very lowest of the furnace 
 lads. 
 
 It is not to be supposed that he always 
 returned from these expeditions without 
 damage. On the contrary, his clothes 
 not seldom were torn into tatters, his shoes 
 left behind in some swamp, and his face 
 and hands scratched by the briars and 
 branches ; and worse than all, his morals 
 did not escape unscathed. This was cer 
 tainly much harder work than sitting in 
 a pleasant room over a book ; but Harry 
 liked it and the companionship into which 
 it brought him better, and that, in his 
 opinion, was quite reason enough why he 
 should do it. 
 
 Sometimes, indeed, ready as was his 
 invention, he was at a loss how to frame 
 an excuse to his mother ; but Mrs. Ean- 
 dall, the housekeeper, only too much of 
 the spirit of Mr. Arnold, would help him 
 
THE HOME IN THE MOUNTAINS. 21 
 
 out of the scrape by some deceptive means 
 which she, being older, better understood. 
 
 As time rolled on, and he was now 
 growing a large lad, it was not hard to 
 calculate that at no very distant period 
 he would be master here. She was quite 
 as well satisfied with her place as was the 
 tutor with his; and so, believing it was 
 her interest to wink at his errors and help 
 him out of every scrape, is it to be won 
 dered at that Harry soon took the reins 
 into his own hands? He did exactly as 
 he pleased, and learned to deceive the 
 housekeeper and tutor when it suited 
 him, just as they deceived his unsuspi 
 cious mother. 
 
 Mr. Arnold did in truth love books, 
 and would sometimes insist that Harry 
 should be more studious, and took some 
 pains to mark out the lessons he should 
 get. One day, being called to the school 
 room, he told his teacher he could not 
 come, that his mother had sent for him. 
 and he was to pass the whole forenoon 
 with her ; and being believed, was only 
 too readily excused. 
 
22 PAESON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 He went out, not to find his suffering 
 mother, or to speak a word of comfort to 
 her, but to the stable, for he had heard 
 one of the men say they were going to 
 exercise the horses. Mrs. Kingsley had 
 strictly forbidden his riding on horse 
 back, except in company with Walter. 
 The accident to her husband which caused 
 his death made her so nervously timid as 
 to amount to weakness. She could not 
 bear that Harry should mount a horse ; 
 he certainly would be killed as his father 
 was ; and therefore she made him promise 
 that he never would ride without her 
 permission. Falsehood cost Harry no 
 trouble. Caring little for anything but 
 that he had outwitted Mr. Arnold, he 
 arrived at the stable just as one of the 
 young grooms brought out a saddled 
 horse, which he w r as about to mount. 
 
 " Where are you going to ride, Tom ?" 
 asked Harry. 
 
 " Old Rowley said I should go down to 
 the mill-clearing with a message to the 
 woodcutters," was the reply. 
 
 "Tom, just let me get into the saddle 
 
THE HOME IN THE MOUNTAINS. 23 
 
 for a few minutes and ride round the 
 meadow." 
 
 " No, Master Harry," was the answer ; 
 " this horse is too wild. And besides, old 
 Rowley has forbidden us to let you ride. 
 He says your mother charged him partic 
 ularly, and he will turn off the first one of 
 us that disobeys." 
 
 "Rowley is an old fool, Tom Hardy, 
 and so are you," said Harry in an angry 
 tone. "I tell you I am master here, and 
 I will ride. See here, old fellow, I ll give 
 you a shilling if you will just let me ride 
 round the meadow." 
 
 "No, Master Harry, I m not to be 
 bought," replied Tom firmly. " You cer 
 tainly would not wish me to lose my 
 place, which I would be sure to do if I let 
 you ride ; and besides, Rattler is so wild 
 that it often puts me to my trumps to 
 hold him." 
 
 " I ll tell you what, Tom," rejoined 
 Harry, " you shan t lose your place, for I 
 can do as I please with mother. But if 
 you are- so dreadfully afraid, just help 
 me into the saddle and hold Rattler by 
 
24 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 the bridle, and lead him round the 
 meadow." 
 
 The honest fellow hesitated. He hated 
 to disobey, and equally to disoblige, and 
 not perceiving any great harm in letting 
 the boy ride round the meadow on a walk 
 while himself had the bridle in his hand, 
 he yielded, and placed his young master 
 in the saddle. 
 
 Rattler stepped along at first very 
 steadily, and the journey round the field 
 might have been performed successfully 
 if Harry could have kept his word arid 
 behaved as he ought. This he could not 
 do. No sense of honor toward the poor 
 lad w r ho, above bribery, had risked so 
 much to oblige him, restrained the pur 
 pose he had in view from the beginning. 
 First of all he begged Tom to give the 
 bridle into his hands, urging, "You see, 
 Tom, Rattler is just as quiet as a lamb." 
 Next he touched the horse on the ears 
 with a little switch he held in his hand. 
 The spirited animal became slightly im 
 patient, but Tom only held him tighter 
 and kept him in check. 
 
THE HOME IN THE MOUNTAINS. 25 
 
 They had now nearly accomplished the 
 round of the meadow, and as Rattler had 
 behaved very well, the groom felt his 
 anxiety to abate, although he did not les 
 sen his hold on the reins. No sooner, 
 however, had they reached the end of the 
 course, where the bars, being down, afford 
 ed an opening into the high road, than 
 Harry was determined to perform a feat 
 by which he should at once prove himself 
 a skillful horseman and assert his inde 
 pendence of old Rowley and every one 
 else. Accordingly, watching an oppor 
 tunity, he struck Tom over the hand with 
 his switch, so that in the pain and surprise 
 occasioned by the blow the poor fellow 
 lost his hold on the bridle, and Harry and 
 Rattler were alike free. 
 
26 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 CHAPTER II. , 
 
 THE RIDE ON HORSEBACK^ 
 
 THE horse, released from all restraint, 
 dashed through the opening into the road 
 , which led to the forest, and Harry, de 
 lighted at accomplishing his purpose, 
 shouted aloud in an ecstasy of joy. . Poor 
 Tom, in agony of dismay at the conse 
 quences of his yielding, followed at a full 
 run, hoping to overtake Rattler ere he 
 should reach the wood. 
 
 It was not long before Harry began to 
 find some difficulty in maintaining his 
 seat ; yet nowise alarmed, he pulled at 
 the reins, called aloud to the horse, and 
 at length, really provoked, struck him 
 with the switch. This made matters 
 worse; Rattler broke into a full gallop. 
 Harry dropped the reins, and as he was 
 -obliged to grasp the mane in order to 
 preserve his balance, his early delight was 
 changed into terror, and forgetting his lato 
 
THE EIDE ON HORSEBACK. 27 
 
 bravery, lie screamed to Tom for help ; but 
 Tom was left far behind. 
 
 The danger, now increasing .every mo 
 ment, was truly great to the thoughtless 
 rider. The road through the forest was 
 very rough and narrow ; the branches of 
 the overhanging trees, striking the already 
 frightened animal as he flew beneath them, 
 seemingly careless of his light burden, 
 increased both his speed and terror. Harry 
 screamed and wept alternately, for he 
 now expected every moment to be dashed 
 against a tree. 
 
 What could save him ? Where was 
 help to come from, since no one save Tom 
 knew anything of the circumstance? But 
 the kind Providence that watches over all 
 sent deliverance in the moment when the 
 danger was greatest. Old Walter Rowley 
 had been hunting in the forest, and now, 
 on hearing cries of distress, came forward 
 with his gun on his shoulder. In a mo 
 ment he was aware of the state of the 
 case, and throwing down his game-bag 
 and gun, stepped resolutely into the patli 
 directly in front of the horse. Seizing the 
 
28 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 bridle with a strong hand, he arrested the 
 course of the foaming animal.* Although 
 he reared upon his hind feet and dragged 
 the old man some steps forward, still 
 Walter maintained his hold on the bridle, 
 although he received several blows on his 
 breast from Rattler s hoofs. 
 
 "And what," asks the reader, "became 
 of Master Harry ?" 
 
 He slipped quietly down from Rattler s 
 back, and alighted on the soft bed of 
 grass and leaves with which the earth 
 was overspread, happily without injury to 
 his bones, which were unbroken, and his 
 body, which escaped being bruised. An 
 ugly scratch which he received on his 
 face from the rough bark of an oak was 
 the only trophy of this headlong adven 
 ture, and gave him more uneasiness than 
 would a severer wound elsewhere, since, 
 unfortunately for him, it could not be 
 hidden, and might prove a tell-tale. 
 
 Tom Hardy soon came up, and taking 
 the bridle from the half fainting old 
 farmer, who could not speak a word of 
 See Frontispiece. 
 
THE RIDE ON HORSEBACK. 29 
 
 reproof or otherwise, tied him fast to a 
 tree, and finding Harry so little hurt, left 
 him to himself and assisted Walter to his 
 home, which was close by. 
 
 During his absence Harry had full time 
 for reflection. The pain from his slight 
 flesh-wound was not sufficiently acute to 
 demand much attention, and was a very 
 trifling punishment for the self-willed act 
 which had so nearly cost the life of the 
 faithful Rowley. He wept with real sor 
 row when he thought of what the conse 
 quences of his self-willed act might 
 have been ; and when he reflected 
 how greatly his mother would grieve 
 when she should hear of the transaction, 
 his grief was for the moment deep and 
 sincere. With all his falsehood and dis 
 obedience he really loved his mother, 
 and now the knowledge of how much 
 she would suffer, caused him more 
 mental pain than he had ever yet expe 
 rienced. 
 
 When Tom returned he offered him all 
 his pocket money if he would not tell 
 any one of the affair, and promised also 
 
30 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 that he would never again tease the sta 
 ble boys to let him ride. 
 
 "No, Master Harry," answered the lad, 
 " keep your money ; I am a poor man s 
 son, but I am not to be bought. This 
 affair may cost me my place, for may be 
 old Walter will have me turned off. I 
 won t tell it for your mother s sake ; but 
 if they ask anything about it I ll tell the 
 truth. 
 
 While yet speaking he mounted the 
 still panting horse, and rode him round 
 the fields until he was calm, and then 
 proceeded to execute the business which 
 had been so greatly interrupted by the 
 self-willed Harry. 
 
 The young gentleman left thus to him 
 self had time to think; but his medita 
 tions were by no means pleasing ; he was 
 indeed greatly mortified at the issue of 
 his adventure; but instead of mentally 
 resolving to profit by the experience so 
 dearly bought, he began to study an ex 
 cuse for the scratch on his face. It is to 
 be wished that we could tell the reader 
 that he resolved to pursue the most he- 
 
THE RIDE ON HORSEBACK. 31 
 
 roic course, which would have been to go 
 boldly forward and tell his mother the 
 whole truth, and save poor Tom, who, 
 although poor and ignorant, had proved 
 himself possessed of more principle than 
 the heir of this vast estate. But false 
 hood had become so habitual that, al 
 though to speak the truth would, in this 
 case, be easier than to frame a lie, he yet 
 preferred taking the latter course. 
 
 Having studied the part he should act, 
 he returned home by a side path which 
 led across the fields, and entering the 
 house by a back door crept sneakingly to 
 his own room. 
 
 Falsehood is always cowardly. Harry, 
 although he could invent the specious 
 tale which was to deceive, could not 
 boldly face those to whom it was to be 
 told. Tom, on the other hand, went 
 straight to Walter Rowley, confessed the 
 whole affair, and threw himself upon his 
 mercy, and having ever borne a good char 
 acter, was believed and kept in his place. 
 
 The old farmer was greatly wounded 
 both in mind and body. He knew a great 
 
32 PARSON HUBP:RT S SCHOOL. 
 
 deal of Harry s character, and his love 
 for and promise to his late employer 
 prompted him to force his way into the 
 presence of the invalid mother, and entreat 
 her to take some summary step toward the 
 reformation of her son. This, however, 
 was at this time impossible; the injury 
 received from the blows of Rattler s 
 hoofs was great, and confined him for 
 several days to his bed ; but aided by 
 temperate habits his iron constitution pre 
 vailed, so that he soon recovered so far 
 from his injuries as to resume his usual 
 duties, and never breathed a word of the 
 affair to any one. 
 
 The reader might readily suppose that 
 Harry would have gone to see, and at 
 least thank him for the important service 
 he had performed. Not so, however. 
 Walter, with Torn s assistance, had left the 
 place long before Harry had recovered 
 from his fright, and afterward, when he 
 did think of it, he comforted himself by 
 saying, ;c The old fellow gets well paid for 
 all he does, and he did no more than he 
 ought to do ; he has always got his living 
 
THE RIDE ON HORSEBACK. 33 
 
 through our family, and it is no more 
 than right that he should serve me." 
 
 For a day or two, as his mother was 
 more than usually ill, he was able to 
 keep out of her room ; but this not con 
 tinuing long, he would be obliged to ex 
 plain the cause of the ugly sore scratch 
 on his face. As several days passed over 
 and Walter did not come near the house, 
 (for he lived at some distance,) and being 
 assured that Tom had kept his promise 
 and told no one, Harry began to feel 
 quite easy, and the only trouble he now 
 had was to invent a suitable pretext to 
 deceive his unsuspecting mother. 
 
 Mr. Arnold had received permission to 
 have a gymnasium erected at the lower 
 end of the garden, where he assisted and 
 instructed him in performing those feats 
 of agility considered useful in training 
 the muscular system. It was of simple 
 construction, and at first Harry was 
 greatly delighted with the exercise ; he 
 hated books and lessons, but to climb the 
 ladder, hang upon the cross bars, or swing 
 upon the hook he could not sufficiently 
 
34: PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 practice while it was new. Without 
 steadiness, and indulged in every new 
 whim, he was tired of everything; and 
 although quite carried away by the nov 
 elty of this amusement for a week or so, 
 he soon began to complain that it tired 
 him. " It cost too much exertion," he 
 said ; " if he must learn to climb there 
 were trees enough in the woods ; the rope 
 scratched his hands, his head swam if he 
 went to the top of the ladder, and to clear 
 the ditch with a leaping pole hurt his 
 breast ; he wished the old thing had 
 never been thought of. Dr. Martin and 
 Mr. Arnold might use it if they pleased, 
 as they had invented it; but for his part 
 he wished somebody would cut it down." 
 
 In his facility for ready invention, he 
 determined to make the wound an his 
 face the useful agent for the removal of 
 the hated gymnasium, and therefore on 
 the first day of his admittance to his 
 mother s room he was ready to utter the 
 falsehood boldly. 
 
 "Why, Harry!" exclaimed Mrs. Kings- 
 Icy, "where have you been, or what have 
 
THE RIDE ON HORSEBACK. 35 
 
 you been doing to get such a dreadful 
 wound on your face ? you will certainly 
 be killed yet." 
 
 " O this is nothing ! do not be alarmed, 
 dear mother," replied Harry in a tone of 
 indifference. " I have you know Dr. 
 Martin says I must exercise to practice 
 my gymnastics every morning. The day 
 before yesterday, when I had climbed to 
 the topmost round of the ladder I got 
 giddy and fell down ; that is, however, 
 nothing, for Mr. Arnold says that every 
 one has to get a few falls and bruises be 
 fore he can become expert." 
 
 This was enough to cause great anxiety 
 to the poor mother ; her diseased imagin 
 ation magnified every possibility into 
 actual reality ; she was perfectly certain 
 that Harry would be killed in some of 
 those neckbreaking exploits,- for he had 
 taken especial care not to let her know 
 that he had never, practiced the simplest 
 gymnastic feat without Mr. Arnold s 
 assistance. 
 
 She sent for Mr. Arnold ; he was out, 
 so she was forced to spend a sleepless 
 
36 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 night, and watched impatiently for the 
 morning, when she could tell the tutor 
 to have the gymnasium taken down, 
 as she was sure Harry would break his 
 neck. 
 
 " Let me assure you, madam," was the 
 answer, " there is not the slightest danger ; 
 but in order to save you any unnecessary 
 anxiety, I will obey your wishes at once." 
 " All the better for me," he added, laugh 
 ing, after he closed the door ; " I shall 
 have more time to myself;" and after 
 having given the order to a workman, he 
 took up his fishing-rod and went off with 
 a friend to the brook. 
 
 Harry was perfectly delighted with his 
 success. He felt that he had achieved a 
 great exploit in cunning, and watched the 
 taking down of the whole structure with 
 the greatest glee. Such was now the evil 
 course pursued by this poor boy, who, from 
 once being a great favorite, was cordially 
 disliked by every one who knew him. He 
 had no friend except his mother, but for 
 this he did not care ; and full of self- 
 esteem, and believing himself very^clever, 
 
THE BIDE ON HORSEBACK. 37 
 
 he assumed a tone of authority and bore 
 himself haughtily toward all. 
 
 Mrs. Randal, the housekeeper, who had 
 great influence with Mrs. Kingsley, was 
 the only one who did not speak against 
 him. No more his friend than were the 
 others, she yet pretended to treat him 
 with great favor ; for she knew if he ever 
 complained of any one to his mother he 
 was readily believed, and as her sway 
 was as absolute in the household as if the 
 whole had been her own, she sacrificed 
 to her own interest, and made him be 
 lieve she was all she seemed. 
 
38 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 CHAPTEE III. 
 
 THE PET DEER, 
 
 As months passed by and Harry grew 
 older, he became more and more imperi 
 ous; the servants and workmen s boys 
 were obliged to render him the most sub 
 missive obedience, since there was no re 
 dress. True, they complained to Mr. "Ar 
 nold, who, although he sometimes admon 
 ished him, would declare to the complain- 
 ers that he could do nothing with him, as 
 his mother would not allow him to be 
 punished ; and also to old Walter, who, 
 becoming more uneasy as new causes of 
 complaint met his ear, made every effort 
 to see Mrs. Kingsley, which Mrs. Kandal, 
 who did not like him, was careful to 
 prevent. 
 
 Constantly in need of some new play 
 things, no sooner was Harry rid of the 
 obnoxious gymnasium, than he gathered 
 np a number of dogs ; but he that cannot 
 
TEIE PKT DKKR. 39 
 
 treat his brethren of the human race well 
 will not be kind to animals, so he soon 
 tired of the dogs and they of him ; if they 
 saw him coming they would run away, 
 and therefore after a few weeks trial they 
 were given up. 
 
 It was by no means uncommon in those 
 forest regions for the huntsmen to take 
 young fawns and tame them. One of 
 these beautiful creatures had been brought 
 to Rushton Iron Works some months be 
 fore and shown to Mrs. Kingsley, who 
 seemed to take more interest in it than 
 she had evinced for anything since her 
 affliction. She could not, however, her 
 self attend to it, but as it became a gene 
 ral pet, it received ample care ; every one 
 caressed the gentle little animal. It 
 grew and thrived, became perfectly tame, 
 following those it knew like a dog. Harry 
 was at once ready to claim the ownership, 
 and begged that Jacky should be given 
 to him as his exclusive possession ; and 
 having gained his mother s consent, his 
 first act was to forbid any one s meddling 
 with his property. But, as usual, his un- 
 
40 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 kindness made the gentle creature shun 
 him ; and although our spoiled boy took 
 great delight in witnessing Jacky s 
 graceful gambols, and would play for 
 hours in the orchard with him, still he 
 treated him at times very cruelly; and an 
 imals soon learn who are or are not their 
 friends. In order to adorn the neck of 
 this his latest favorite, more, however, 
 from pride than affection, Harry had pur 
 chased a handsome collar ; but, like other 
 wearers of costly ornaments, the poor an 
 imal soon found his happiness was by no 
 means increased by the new possession. 
 Therefore, when Jacky found the sport 
 rougher than he liked, he would break 
 away from his young master s hold, run 
 to a safe distance and then stand and 
 look back as triumphantly as if he had 
 achieved a conquest. The collar, how 
 ever, gave the young tyrant a great ad 
 vantage, as he could by it drag Jacky 
 where he pleased. One day Harry, al 
 though by no means in a sunny humor, 
 went out into the orchard in search of 
 something new, and was not sorry to find 
 
THE PET DEER. 41 
 
 his pet companion there. The weather 
 having been bad for a week or more, 
 Jacky seemed on this morning particu 
 larly to enjoy his liberty ; and bounding 
 about in the exuberance of delight, he re 
 fused to obey the call of his young master, 
 and turning his full dark eyes upon him 
 seemed almost to say, " Catch me if you 
 can." Chasing after the animal for some 
 time, and finding that he paid no atten 
 tion to his call of " Jack, come here, 
 Jack," the wayward lad at length grew 
 very angry, and seizing the fallen branch 
 of a tree, advanced threateningly toward 
 him. The animal understood the mean 
 ing of the movement ; he knew well 
 what was in store for him if caught, and 
 flying toward an opening in the fence 
 where the bars happened to be let down, 
 passed right into the garden, which lay next 
 the orchard. Finding himself still pursu 
 ed, and becoming more and more fright 
 ened, he dashed over flowers and vegeta 
 bles, making terrible havoc, and finally 
 stopped in the middle of a large strawberry 
 bed, where the fruit was just ripening. 
 
42 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 It is impossible to describe the rage of 
 Harry at this juncture ; he called to the 
 gardener s boy, who was at work close 
 by, and with his help Jacky was soon 
 captured. 
 
 " I ll pay him well for not minding me," 
 exclaimed Harry, as he beat him with a 
 fishing-rod which he found placed against 
 a tree. 
 
 "Do not beat the poor thing; he did 
 not know any better," said the gardener s 
 boy. " What would you expect from a 
 dumb brute that cannot understand a 
 word ? I m mighty sorry for the straw 
 berries, though. Mrs. Randal, won t she 
 scold ! I wouldn t like to catch it. O 
 Master Harry, don t beat Jacky so hard 
 on the head ; you ll kill him, you will." 
 
 " Do you keep quiet ; I don t want any 
 advice from you. I ll teach him to obey," 
 was the answer, and taking the still resist 
 ing deer by the collar, he partly led ? 
 partly dragged him into a little stable 
 used only for storing fodder. It was now 
 nearly empty, but the rack was still there 
 and contained a little hay and oats, just 
 
THE PET DEEK. 43 
 
 about enough to tempt a hungry animal. 
 Finding a rope, he tied poor Jacky fast 
 to a post not far from the manger, and left 
 him as he said in punishment. 
 
 This conduct, alike cruel and thought 
 less, was productive of sad effects. The 
 deer, left for a longer time than usual with 
 out food,, (for Harry had gone off after 
 something else and forgot him,) and find 
 ing some oats on the floor, endeavored to 
 reach them ; but not being able, for the 
 halter was too short, in the effort had 
 twisted the rope about his neck, and was 
 strangled. It was almost evening when 
 Harry, remembering his favorite, went 
 to release him ; but what was his conster 
 nation to find his late playfellow lying 
 dead on the floor. In great distress and 
 self reproach, he wept most bitterly over 
 his Jacky, for he was indeed fond of him ; 
 he was so gentle and came every morning 
 at his call to be fed by his hand ; and now 
 his cruelty had killed him. 
 
 What should he do? Every one would 
 blame him, and Sam Stokes, the garden 
 er s boy, knew all about the affair and 
 
44 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 would tell. Falsehood in this case would 
 not avail, that was plain ; and so he resolv 
 ed to go at once to Mr. Arnold and tell 
 the whole truth. 
 
 His regret was truly sincere ; and, as 
 with many tears he confessed his offense 
 to his tutor, he did not attempt to palliate 
 a single circumstance, but for once in his 
 life declared his conduct admitted of no 
 excuse. 
 
 " What will your mother say, Harry ?" 
 asked Mr. Arnold ; " Jacky was the only 
 thing but yourself that she ever inquired 
 after ; and now who will like to tell her 
 that the beautiful little fawn is dead, 
 killed by your cruelty? Harry, no one 
 dare tell her but yourself." 
 
 " O I cannot ! I cannot !" exclaimed 
 Harry with renewed weeping, " only 
 do not tell her this time, and I will change 
 my whole course. O if you knew how 
 sorry I am ; I would give anything if I 
 could bring Jacky to life again ; I shall 
 miss him so much for I loved him so 
 dearly," and he continued to weep most 
 bitterly. 
 
THE PET DEER. 45 
 
 "You see," admonished Mr. Arnold, 
 " the necessity of considering the conse 
 quences of an act before you perform it. 
 Your favorite only pursued his natural 
 propensity for play ; was altogether uncon 
 scious of the mischief which, forced by 
 you, he was doing ; and for this you pun 
 ished him with a cruelty far exceeding the 
 offense, and which has killed him. Still, 
 as you promise better conduct for the fu 
 ture, I will not tell your mother this time, 
 but be careful how you transgress again." 
 
 Great was the surprise and -regret occa 
 sioned by Jacky s singular death ; all 
 wondered how he had got into the stable, 
 or what made him die ; for Harry had 
 taken the rope from his neck before any 
 one saw him. Sam Stokes, however, 
 gave some hints of what had occurred to 
 the servants, and they guessed the truth. 
 The young heir s cruelty and ill temper 
 were much commented upon in the do 
 mestic conclaves which assembled around 
 the kitchen fire ; and the conclusion was, 
 that without a change he would come 
 to no good. Mrs. Kingsley herself was 
 
46 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 the only one of the whole family who 
 had no suspicion of the cause of Jacky s 
 death. 
 
 On this occasion we must confess that 
 Mr. Arnold fulfilled his duty to his pupil ; 
 finding him in a more subdued mood than 
 he had ever known him heretofore, he 
 warned him of what would be the conse 
 quences of indulging his fierce temper, 
 how such acts of cruelty would lessen 
 him in the eyes of those over whom he 
 would one day be placed, rendering him 
 an object of dread to his inferiors and 
 hatred to his equals. 
 
 Harry listened to the reproof very sub 
 missively, and for a time his conduct 
 underwent a visible change ; the affair, 
 although much commented on by the 
 family, was carefully concealed from Mrs. 
 Kingsley ; but as the recollection of poor 
 Jacky s sad fate faded from the memories 
 of the cruel boy and the sympathizing 
 servants, everything gradually resumed 
 its old course. Mr. Arnold relaxed his 
 vigilance and pursued his accustomed 
 pleasures, idled his time away in fishing, 
 
THE PET DEER. 47 
 
 or rambles with the neighboring school 
 master, and his hopeful pupil, now relieved 
 of all apprehension, turned once more 
 into the unsafe path which for a time he 
 had left. 
 
 He had seldom met old Walter since 
 the horse affair ; nobody mentioned 
 Jacky in his presence ; the warning of 
 his teacher had no longer a place in his 
 memory ; new acts of disobedience, new 
 deceptions, tricks, and falsehoods were 
 constantly practiced, and although many 
 prophesied the ruin of the wayward boy, 
 not one could be found who would venture 
 into Mrs. Kingsley s presence and arouse 
 her to a discharge of her duty. 
 
 Mr. Arnold had often expostulated with 
 Harry on the impropriety of his associa 
 tions, and forbidden all companionship 
 with the stable and collier boys, and he 
 was in a measure obliged to obey. It 
 was, however, but the seeming of obedi 
 ence ; for no sooner was the teacher s back 
 turned, (and we have spoken of his fre- % 
 quent absences,) than the lad was off, 
 either to the stables or the coal-pits, where 
 
48 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 he would go birdnesting with the collier- 
 boys. How greatly he enjoyed this cruel 
 sport, robbing nest after nest, caring little 
 for the anxiety of the old birds, and ex 
 ulting in the paltry spoil he obtained in 
 the possession of a few spotted eggs. 
 
 There was a lad in the employ of Wal 
 ter Rowley of whose company Harry was 
 particularly fond. Barney Quin was an 
 honest, good-natured Jfellow, and much 
 liked by old Walter and every one else; 
 but as his yielding temper peculiarly un 
 fitted him for companionship with the 
 wayward heir, all intercourse had been 
 forbidden both by Mr. Arnold and the 
 farmer. Barney was by no means sorry 
 at the prohibition. He knew he was no 
 match in cunning for Harry ; and as he 
 could not resist his entreaties or com 
 mands to do thus and so, he had often got 
 into trouble, and Rowley had at length 
 declared that he should be discharged for 
 the first complaint urged against their 
 intercourse or joint offense. 
 
 The simple-hearted boy promised obe 
 dience, and determined to keep his word. 
 
THE PET DEEK. 49 
 
 Harry well knew of the interdict, and was 
 equally resolved to do as he pleased, and 
 make Barney obey his bidding. 
 
 We have said game was very abundant 
 in that wooded region, and Barney was 
 often sent out to snare rabbits or shoot 
 birds, and thus became quite an expert 
 huntsman. Very often when he was set 
 ting his snares Harry would join him, and 
 in the enjoyment of the sport both would 
 forget alike the promise and the prohibi 
 tion. All went on for a time without any 
 trouble ; but disobedience is sure to bring 
 its own fruit, and in this case it was most 
 bitter. 
 
 One day (it was in the beginning of 
 summer, just before harvest) Harry, in 
 stead of being at his studies, was roaming 
 about the fields, and saw Barney going to 
 the woods. He had a gun on his shoulder, 
 and a gamebag by his side ; and although 
 the young heir knew that he had a Latin 
 lesson to get, and his tutor had threatened 
 punishment if he did not know it, he de 
 cided at once on accompanying him. He 
 had his book in his hand, pretending to 
 
50 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 study as he walked ; but now he joined 
 Barney, and declared his intention of going 
 with him. 
 
 "An sure," said Barney, " an by your 
 lave you can t, Master Harry. Ould 
 Eowley would take the ears off me if I 
 tuk ye alongst. An it s only blackbirds 
 I be going to shoot, because they are bad 
 on the corn." 
 
 " I tell you, Barney, I m going," replied 
 Harry ; " what harm can there be if I just 
 sit down on a stump and look at you firing 
 among the black flock ? Do, Barney, be 
 good, and let me go this once ; I won t 
 ask you again for ever so long." 
 
 "Och, an it s yerself knows how to 
 coax everything out o me," said Barney, 
 beginning to yield ; " but ould Walter bid 
 me shoot a rabbit if I found one, and ye 
 always make sich a noise, Master Harry, 
 that ye ll scare everything away." 
 
 " No, Barney," urged Harry, " indeed 
 I won t ; I ll keep as quiet as a mouse. It 
 will be rare fun to fire in among the 
 blackbirds ; won t they fly like everything 
 when the shot rattles in among them !" 
 
THE PET DEER. 51 
 
 " I reckon," was Barney s laconic answer, 
 for he was by no means pleased to have 
 Harry with him, and he dreaded that they 
 might meet Walter ; but he was one of 
 those good-natured fellows who cannot 
 muster up courage to say " no," although 
 convinced that the utterance of that im 
 portant monosyllable is often of vast im 
 portance. 
 
 They walked on in silence for a little 
 way. Barney, being by no means inclined 
 to talk, listened in silence to Harry s won 
 dering if Mr. Longears, as he called the 
 rabbit, would really come out and suffer 
 
 himself to be shot. 
 
 4 
 
52 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE CEOWS 1STEST. 
 
 WE have said that Barney was on this 
 occasion quite averse to the companion 
 ship of his young master, and therefore, 
 when any questions were asked him, his 
 replies were extremely laconic. 
 
 "Is your gun loaded, Barney?" asked 
 Harry. 
 
 " Sure an it is. D ye take me for a fool, 
 to travel in the fields to shoot blackbirds 
 widout a load in the gun ?" was the answer. 
 
 " I hope there will be plenty to shoot," 
 rejoined Harry ; "I mean rabbits, for 
 blackbirds are always plenty." 
 
 " May be," said Barney, and he walked 
 along very fast, hoping to tire the young 
 gentleman. 
 
 " I aint a bit afraid of a loaded gun," 
 continued Harry ; " and if it is too heavy 
 for you, Barney, I will carry it part of 
 the way." 
 
THE CROW S NEST. 53 
 
 " Indeed ye won t," answered Barney ; 
 " not a bit will I give it to ye. I d sooner 
 give one finger of my left hand to be cut 
 off than let a boy like ye carry a loaded 
 gun, so ye need not ask it, Master Harry ; 
 ye can t come that over me, any how." 
 
 When Harry made the proposition it 
 was more on account of wishing to say 
 something than of having any real inten 
 tion of carrying the gun. Barney was, 
 in his estimation, nothing better than a 
 beast of burden, whom, no matter how 
 much he had been oppressed, he would 
 never have thought it his place to 
 relieve ; but now, somewhat angry at this 
 unexpected denial and firm refusal of the 
 hitherto gentle and yielding Irish lad, and 
 determined to frighten as well as provoke 
 him, he began to plan how he should 
 possess himself of the gun. Barney should 
 find that his wishes were to be regarded 
 as a law, and although he knew quite 
 well what Walter had threatened if the 
 lad disobeyed his injunction of keeping 
 by himself, and he was more than a little 
 afraid of a loaded gun, besides being alto- 
 
54: PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 gether insincere in his proposal of cany- 
 ing the gun, which he would only have 
 done for a few steps, he was now deter 
 mined to do as he pleased, and let his 
 companion see he would not be refused. 
 
 He was mean enough to beg : " Barney, 
 just let me carry the gun one minute." 
 
 "Indeed I will not," again reiterated 
 Barney ; " it s no use to ask, for I won t 
 let you have it." 
 
 " But I will have it," was Harry s men 
 tal resolve ; but now assured that he could 
 not accomplish his purpose either by force 
 or entreaty, he began to consider by what 
 trick he could ensnare poor Barney and 
 get possession of the gun. 
 
 " You need not make such a fuss about 
 carrying an old gun," said he in a tone of 
 indifference; "you think yourself a great 
 man because you can shoot blackbirds ; 
 still I don t think there is much fun in 
 carrying a heavy gun. I think, after all, 
 you were right to refuse, for I am sure it 
 would have bruised my shoulder. When 
 I grow up, Barney, and am my own mas 
 ter, I intend to hunt a great deal, and you 
 
THE CKOW S NEST. 55 
 
 shall always carry my gun. But you 
 shall not wear such shabby clothes ; I will 
 pay you so well that you can dress like 
 any gentleman. But what is that up 
 there in that pine? aint it a crow s nest?" 
 
 u Yes, indeed," said Barney; "it is a 
 crow s nest, but I think there is nothing 
 in it." 
 
 " O I have always wanted a crow to 
 pet," rejoined Harry ; " they are such 
 funny things." 
 
 " Sure, then, it s great thieves they are, 
 and be s always stealing," was Barney s 
 answer. "Ye ll get tired enough of 
 them." 
 
 " Well, get me the nest if it is empty," 
 cried Harry. "I have two doves in a 
 cage, and I will put it in for them. But 
 then it hangs so high ; I do not believe 
 any one could climb to that limb." 
 
 "Pooh! that s nothing," said Barney; 
 " I can climb there easily, and will get it 
 for you if you want it." 
 
 "No, no, Barney, you might fall and 
 break an arm or limb, and then I should 
 be so sorry," was Harry s rejoinder. 
 
56 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 "And besides, Barney, you don t look as 
 if you could climb." 
 
 " Can t I?" asked Barney; " an sure 
 it s myself that can do that same, and I ll 
 bring the nest." 
 
 The pride of the simple-hearted lad was 
 now aroused, and it was a point of honor 
 to prove his skill as a climber and bring 
 away the nest. He forgot old Walter s 
 threatening, his own promise, his late 
 resolution; and somewhat dazzled by the 
 prospect of promotion when Harry should 
 be of age, he determined to get the nest, 
 even if it had been on the very top of the 
 church steeple, whereas it was at a height 
 on the limb which was by no means 
 dangerous. 
 
 Throwing off his tattered jacket he laid 
 it on the earth, placed the gun on the top 
 of it, and as quick as possible began to 
 ascend the tree, his steady gaze still di 
 rected toward the nest. Ah ! it hangs 
 very high ; the branch is harder to reach 
 than Barney at first supposed, and when 
 he had ascended half way he was obliged 
 to stop and rest. It was but for a mo- 
 
THE CROW S NEST. 57 
 
 ment, and proceeding upward he was soon 
 so deeply buried in the green branches 
 that he neither heard nor saw anything of 
 Harry, who was left standing below. 
 
 This was just what the tricksy youth 
 expected and wished. He stole quietly 
 to the spot where the unsuspicious Barney 
 had left the gun, raised it very carefully 
 to his shoulder, and smiled with inward 
 delight at the prospect of the poor 
 climber s dismay when he should find 
 out how nicely he had been outwitted. 
 He had his speech already framed ; when 
 at a convenient distance he would cry 
 out: " Aha, Mr. Barney, I have the gun 
 in spite of you. You said you would 
 rather lose your finger than give it to me 
 for a moment ; I told you I would have 
 the gun and my own will. Come, now, 
 and get it, for I have done with it since I 
 have showed you that I know how to have 
 my own way." 
 
 But as the schemes of the wicked and 
 designing are often frustrated just at the 
 moment they seem to be accomplished, so 
 Master Harry failed of his mark. A little 
 
58 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 rosy-cheeked, bare-footed boy came out 
 from a little sunny spot which, cleared of 
 heavy wood, lay on one side of the forest, 
 and Harry, attracted by the presence 
 of the new comer, forgot the gun, nest, 
 Barney, and even the speech by which, 
 when spoken, he expected to enjoy the 
 consternation of his good-natured com 
 panion. 
 
THE MILLER S BOY. 59 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE MILLER S BOY. 
 
 THE little galopin who now advanced 
 upon the scene had nothing in his appear 
 ance to attract the notice of a boy like 
 Harry. His clothes were coarse and 
 common; a straw hat, with a piece of 
 red woolen tape for a band, adorned his 
 head, and from his truly rustic exterior he 
 might have formed a study for a painter. 
 
 The young heir, however, had no eye 
 for the picturesque ; but he had for some 
 thing the boy was carrying, namely, a 
 large earthen dish full of ripe strawber 
 ries, which he had just gathered in the 
 little close, where the sun was now shining 
 brightly. Harry was somewhat heated 
 by his walk and carrying the gun, and he 
 at once thought how refreshing would be 
 these strawberries, they were so ripe and 
 inviting, so he called out in the tone ol 
 command habitual to him : " Ho, there. 
 
60 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 you fellow, what will you take for your 
 strawberries ?" 
 
 The boy looked as if he did not under 
 stand him. 
 
 "I say," cried Harry again, "what will 
 you sell your strawberries for ? I ll buy 
 them of you," and he put his hand in his 
 pocket and began to rattle some money. 
 
 "I won t sell them at all," answered 
 the rosy-cheeked boy ; " they are for my 
 sister, who is sick with the measles. But 
 I ll give you a handful," and pulling a 
 few green leaves, he pinned them together 
 by their stems so as to form a kind of dish, 
 and filled it with the fruit and offered it 
 to our self-willed friend. 
 
 Harry turned away indignantly. " Don t 
 you know that all the ground and woods 
 here belong to my mother ? And those 
 berries belong to her also. I can take the 
 whole dish from you if I please, for you 
 have no right to gather them on our 
 ground. But I am willing to buy them ; 
 say, what will you take ? I have not 
 time to stand here talking to a country 
 booby." 
 
THE MILLER S BOY. 61 
 
 Harry was really angry, and expected 
 to frighten the little rustic ; he was so 
 used to practicing this behavior and suc 
 ceeding in it that he had no idea of further 
 refusal on the part of the boy. What, 
 however, was his astonishment to find that 
 instead of obeying, the little fellow stood 
 eyeing him almost contemptuously as he 
 returned the disdained berries to the dish, 
 and said mockingly : " Your mother s 
 land, indeed ! that close belongs to my 
 father, as well as the mill-pond meadow. 
 I never gathered a strawberry in your 
 woods ; and since you are too proud to 
 take what I offered to give you, you 
 shan t have any unless you gather them 
 for yourself." 
 
 Harry was now very angry. "You 
 dumb blockhead !" he cried, " I will have 
 the dish with the strawberries. That 
 ground doesn t belong to your father ; so 
 give me the berries or I will take them 
 from you." 
 
 "Try it!" said the boy coolly; "you 
 think I am afraid of you because you are 
 carrying a gun, and think yourself so 
 
62 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 rich. My father is rich enough too if he 
 don t dress us so fine as you are ; but you 
 are not going to get my berries," and as 
 he spoke he turned into a side path which 
 led toward his home. 
 
 " Aint you afraid I ll shoot you?" asked 
 Harry, although he had not the slightest 
 intention of using the gun, which, indeed, 
 he would not have known how to fire off. 
 
 " Not I," said the boy ; " you know 
 better than to do that." 
 
 At this moment Barney made his ap 
 pearance with the empty nest in his hand. 
 He had not till this time observed that 
 Harry had inarched off with the gun. 
 He turned to show him the prize, but the 
 poor lad s consternation can hardly be 
 described when he heard the noise of 
 quarreling, and saw Harry walking 
 about with the gun on his shoulder. 
 "Harry! Master Harry!" he cried out, 
 " you ll ruin me ! please lay down the 
 gun." 
 
 The wayward boy, in his strife about 
 the strawberries, had entirely forgotteu 
 Barney and the crow s nest; but at the 
 
THE MILLER S BOY. 63 
 
 sound of his voice he turned and saw the 
 lad coming toward him. 
 
 " I ll put it down, Barney, just where 
 I got it; don t take it from me;" but as 
 he quickened his pace considerably, in or 
 der to avoid having it taken from him, he 
 stumbled over a root and fell. The gun 
 went off, a thick cloud of smoke prevent 
 ed any object from being seen. Barney 
 uttered a cry of terror, and hastened to the 
 spot where Harry had fallen. He found 
 him terribly frightened, his face black 
 ened with powder, but entirely unhurt. 
 
 A little further on, extended at full 
 length on the ground, was the miller s 
 boy ; the earthen dish lay beside him 
 broken ; he was sobbing, but not loudly, 
 and a small stream of blood which was 
 trickling from his leg down over his na 
 ked foot on to the grass showed that he 
 was wounded 
 
 Two steps brought Barney to his side ; 
 he bent over the moaning boy and tried 
 to raise him; but he could not stand. 
 " Bill," said Barney, " do stand up, there s a 
 good boy ; sure ye can stand if ye ll but try P ; 
 
64: PAESON HUBKliT S SCHOOL. 
 
 "I have tried, Barney, but I can t," 
 answered Bill. " O if father would only 
 come and carry me home, for I can t 
 jvalk." 
 
 Harry was frightened, but at first only 
 for himself. Finding himself unhurt and 
 deserted by Barney, he advanced toward 
 the spot where Bill was. Barney had 
 placed him against the trunk of a tree, 
 and was doing everything he knew of to 
 stop the flowing blood. He gazed upon 
 the wounded foot with horror, and sitting 
 down beside little Bill he burst into tears, 
 less from compassion, although he pitied 
 the boy, than from remorse for the act of 
 self-will which was likely to have such a 
 sorrowful ending. Bill Allen might die ; 
 poor Barney would certainly lose his 
 place ; his mother how would she bear 
 the tidings of her son s conduct? for it 
 could not be concealed from her; and 
 then Bill s father, the miller, everybody 
 who came to the mill would hear of it, 
 and what would everybody think of him ? 
 He wept as he had never wept before in 
 all his life, and felt at the moment that 
 
THE MILLER S BOY. 65 
 
 he would cheerfully change places with 
 the wounded hoy. 
 
 Bill tried hard not to cry, although he 
 was in great pain ; he believed Harry 
 was about to take his strawberries, which 
 lay spilled on the ground, and turning to 
 Barney he begged him to take care of 
 them and pick them up. . " Lizzie is so 
 sick, and wants them badly ;" and turning 
 to Harry, added, " and you shan t have 
 one if you want them ever so much." 
 
 " Bill," said Harry, in a subdued voice, 
 " I don t want them ; I couldn t eat one. 
 Let Barney gather them up for your sick 
 sister. But tell me, does your foot pain 
 you much, and are you very angry with 
 me? O Bill, I am so sorry; I never 
 thought the gun would go off so by it 
 self," and he burst into a renewed fit of 
 weeping. 
 
 The little rustic, seeing how much 
 Harry felt, looked in his face as if he 
 wished to comfort him. " Don t fret, 
 Master Harry; you didn t want to do it, 
 and I reckon it won t be very much." 
 
 He spoke the last words slowly, for his 
 
66 PAKSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 head began to swim, strange noises like 
 the rushing of waves sounded in his ears, 
 his rosy cheeks turned white as the blos 
 soms of the sloe-thorn in the spring, 
 darkness overspread his senses, and he 
 sank fainting on the earth. Barney, ter 
 rified almost beyond thought, raised him 
 in his arms and carried him to the mill 
 where he gave him into the care of his 
 parents. 
 
 " It s only a faint," said Barney; "he ll 
 come round after a bit; there was not 
 much in the gun but powder, so don t be 
 too much skeered," and the good-natured 
 lad went back to gather up the strawber 
 ries for the sick girl because "poor Bill 
 bid him do so." 
 
 He found Harry wandering round in 
 the greatest distress. " Barney," he cried, 
 " I have ruined you ; Bill will die, and 
 my dear mother what will she say ? I 
 am most unhappy." 
 
 " Sure, then, Master Harry, you need 
 not trouble about me," answered Barney. 
 " Ould Walter will sind me off, sure 
 enough, for I ll tell him the truth ; but I 
 
THE MILLER S BOY. 67 
 
 reckon I can get a place somewhere 
 among the farmers. Master Harry, you 
 shouldn t have served me so ; but I ll 
 never lie, and so I m just off to ould Row 
 ley," and as he spoke he resumed his old 
 jacket and game bag, shouldered the 
 gun, and taking the road which led to the 
 farmer s house, was soon out of sight. 
 
 Harry was now left alone. He had 
 never in all his life been so miserable ; 
 but, alas! he was suffering more on ac 
 count of the consequences of his sin than 
 the sin itself. Had not the gun gone off 
 and hurt the boy he would have cared 
 little that he had deceived Barney by a 
 lie, imposed on his good-nature, and be 
 haved so haughtily to little Bill. 
 
 It was late in the evening before he 
 returned home; his eyes were swelled 
 with weeping, his face black with pow 
 der, his hair hanging in tangles round 
 his head ; he did not look at all like the 
 neat boy who had gone forth a few hours 
 before. 
 
 Yet his heart was comparatively light 
 ened of its burden. He had wandered in 
 5 
 
68 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 the neighborhood of the mill, had seen 
 Bill Allen s father go to the neighboring 
 town and bring Dr. Martin, and, all im 
 patient, he waited close by the house at a 
 turn of the road to meet and ask after 
 the wounded boy. The busy clack of the 
 mill was hushed ; the rushing of the wa 
 ter as it fell over the dam, and the un 
 wonted silence of the place had some 
 thing so melancholy about it it seemed 
 deathlike, and increased the pungency 
 of his feelings. His heart beat loudly ; 
 what was he to hear when Dr. Martin 
 should come along? Ah, great was his 
 anxiety caused by the consequences of 
 his sin ! 
 
 He watched the door ; he saw the doc 
 tor, accompanied by the miller, come out, 
 and from his hiding-place heard the 
 words which were most likely the answer 
 to some question : " Make yourself easy, 
 friend Allen ; the boy will do well, al 
 though he must suffer some pain and 
 have some fever. There is not the least 
 danger of his dying or being lame. It is 
 well it is no worse, for if it had been 
 
THE MILLER S BOY. 69 
 
 little higher up, or in the knee, it would 
 have made him a cripple for life." 
 
 As Harry, \vith every faculty sharpened 
 by anxiety, heard the words distinctly, 
 there was no need of meeting with Dr. 
 Martin, who would likely have given him 
 a lecture ; he felt as if a heavy load had 
 been removed from his breast, and he 
 flew rather than walked back to his home, 
 from whence he had been absent many 
 hours. 
 
 He found his tutor and the rest of the 
 family in great anxiety concerning his 
 non-appearance. The supper bell had 
 long since rung to call stragglers to their 
 evening meal, but the heir of the house 
 was not among the number who came. 
 Mr. Arnold was uneasy, and had just 
 dispatched some of the servants to look 
 after him ; they went to every place where . 
 he was likely to be found, except to the 
 mill, and were returning from an unsuc 
 cessful pursuit, when they overtook him 
 on the bridge which led from the wood to 
 Hush ton Furnace. Pale, with swollen 
 eyes and disordered hair, they wondered 
 
70 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 and inquired what was the matter ; but 
 to every question of where he had been 
 so long, or what had happened to make 
 him look as he did, he coldly answered 
 he was tired and hungry. This was the 
 truth, for he had left home after an early 
 dinner, and boys do not love long fasting. 
 Mr. Arnold suspected he had been in 
 some new mischief; but as he could not 
 gain any other information than what 
 Master Harry chose to give, namely, that 
 of being " half starved," he bade him eat 
 his supper and troubled himself no further. 
 
 Having satisfied the cravings of his 
 stomach, his aching limbs admonished 
 him of the need of rest. Gladly would he 
 have sought his bed, and at another time 
 would have done so ; but now, in his soft 
 ened mood, and more humbled than he 
 had ever been in his life, he conquered 
 his selfishness and resolved, weary as he 
 was, to go to his mother s room and bid 
 her good-night. 
 
 She had for some time been growing 
 better ; indeed, Dr. Martin said that if she 
 would exert herself to some active un- 
 
THE MILLER S BOY. 71 
 
 dertaking she would soon be altogether 
 well ; and so when Harry knocked at 
 her chamber door he found ready admit 
 tance. 
 
 Conscious of his own bad conduct, and 
 fully humbled as he believed he was, no 
 thought of confessing to any one ever 
 entered his head. The terrible apprehen 
 sion which at first filled his mind being 
 now laid to rest, he believed all would go 
 on quietly, as in the case of the pet deer. 
 Still, we cannot say that the unusually 
 soft and gentle manner in which he 
 greeted and returned the caresses of his 
 mother were insincere ; most likely he 
 just then felt that she was the only real 
 friend he had in the world, for, throwing 
 his arms around her neck, he whispered : 
 " My dear, dear mother, I will never give 
 you any trouble, but try to be everything 
 you wish." 
 
 " You do everything, my dear Harry, 
 that you can to please me," she answered 
 as she smoothed his rumpled hair with 
 her pale hand : " I have no cause to com 
 plain of you, I am sure ; Mr. Arnold sends 
 
72 PAESON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 me the best reports of your progress in 
 your studies and conduct." 
 
 A deep blush of shame, on meeting 
 with praises he knew were so undeserved, 
 increased the hue of his already heated 
 face ; his heart throbbed with the most 
 painful emotion ; he longed to unburden 
 the secret which pressed so hardly upon 
 it, and was about to confess the whole, 
 when the housekeeper made her appear 
 ance and announced that George Allen, 
 the miller, was below, and wished to see 
 Mrs. Kingsley on very particular busi 
 ness. 
 
 Harry on hearing these words almost 
 fainted from excess of terror, and his face, 
 from being of a deep red, became deathly 
 pale. His mother remarked the sudden 
 change, and as the former unwonted ex 
 citement of his whole system had not 
 escaped her observance, she concluded 
 he must be very ill. Maternal solicitude 
 for this, the only treasure left her of her 
 once large family, overcame every other 
 feeling. "Tell the miller to go to Walter 
 and transact any business he has with 
 
THE MILLER S BOY. 73 
 
 him," said Mrs. Kingsley; "I wonder 
 that he comes to me, as he knows I am 
 always satisfied with what Walter does ; 
 and, Randall, send George for Doctor 
 Martin ; I am sure Harry has a fever." 
 
 " No, mother," cried Harry, " I have no 
 fever ; don t send George Allen away ; I 
 know and will tell you all about it. His 
 son Bill provoked me dreadfully, arid in 
 deed he is not a bad boy. I begged him 
 to sell me some strawberries he gathered 
 in our woods. He said the mill-pond 
 meadow and the clove was his father s, 
 and and then " 
 
 " Yes, that s it," said Mrs. Randall ; " I 
 expect the miller has found it all out, and 
 is coming to excuse his son s insolence. 
 And now I remember he said the busi 
 ness he had with Mrs. Kingsley was 
 something about his Bill and Master 
 Harry. But I can settle all that without 
 troubling you, madam." 
 
 " Don t be angry, mother," begged 
 Harry, scarcely able to breathe. " I can 
 not bear that you should be vexed." 
 
 Poor Mrs. Kingsley, who had been very 
 
74: PAKSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 far from comprehending the true state of 
 the case from Harry s disjointed confes 
 sion, imagined that her son, although 
 greatly insulted by Bill Allen, was now 
 interceding for indulgence toward him, 
 and pleased with the benevolent spirit he 
 manifested, kissed him again and again, 
 calling him her good son. At first Harry 
 felt that he would rather have borne stern 
 reproof than undeserved praise ; but, and 
 we are loth to say it, he at length began 
 to consider the affair a very trifling mat 
 ter, and Bill much more blameable than 
 himself. Such cases of self-love are very 
 common. 
 
 " Indeed, madam," said the house 
 keeper, "I think it was real impudent in 
 Bill Allen to talk that way to Master 
 Harry. Why could he not sell the ber 
 ries ? He could easily have gathered 
 more." 
 
 She did not say it would have been 
 quite as easy for the young heir to have 
 gathered berries for himself as for Bill 
 Allen to have done so, and Mrs. Kings- 
 ley never thought her son could do wrong. 
 
THE MILLER S BOY. 75 
 
 We cannot tell the reader what argu 
 ments Mrs. Randall used with the miller. 
 He went away without seeing Mrs. Kings- 
 ley, and Harry, on inquiring what he 
 said, was answered : " Do not be uneasy 
 about it ; I have settled it all nicely, and 
 your mother need never know a word 
 about it, so go to bed now, for you look 
 tired." 
 
 Harry, thus fully comforted, and, as he 
 thought, with the whole affair amicably 
 settled, retired to rest rather than to 
 sleep. Conscience, whose reproaches no 
 one can fully silence, is a great retributive 
 agent, and sent in great mercy to prevent 
 human beings from growing callous, now 
 asserted her right to be heard. Notwith 
 standing that his fears were allayed by 
 the representations of the housekeeper, 
 and the declaration of Dr. Martin, which 
 he had overheard, his slumbers were 
 broken and uneasy. He dreamed over 
 the exciting occurrences of the day ; the 
 shot, the low-moaning of the wounded 
 boy, the quiet reproach of poor Barney, 
 who he knew would lose his place, all 
 
76 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 these came forward in phases of vivid 
 brightness and with magnified force. He 
 tossed uneasily from side to side ; his 
 luxurious pillow was as one of thorns ; 
 and again and again, as the pictures 
 changed and showed deeper shadows, he 
 resolved to conquer his tendency to false 
 hood, arrogance, and self-will, seeing how 
 greatly he and others had suffered from 
 the exercise of those evil propensities. 
 
 But these compunctious feelings were 
 of short duration ; by the next morning 
 all was forgotten, the sun arose bright and 
 beautiful, the woods were filled with 
 melody, and he heard that one of the 
 clerks was going to the mountain clear 
 ings to count the ranks of felled wood. 
 His uncle had, shortly before this, made 
 him a present of a quiet pony, which 
 he was permitted to ride whenever he 
 pleased. He asked his mother s permis 
 sion to go with Mr. - ; this being 
 granted, he set forth gayly, and the late 
 painful consequences of his self-will were 
 entirely forgotten. 
 
OLD WALTER S VISIT. 77 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 OLD WALTER S VISIT. 
 
 In the course of the day, and during 
 Harry s absence In the clearings, the 
 affair had been made quite public, and 
 the miller, finding no admission to Mrs. 
 Kingsley s presence, forced his way to 
 Mr. Arnold, and told him of the whole 
 occurrence : " I ll tell you what, sir." said 
 he ; " that boy is considered the pest of the 
 neighborhood, and if you do not take him 
 in hand somebody else will, for, even if 
 he is so rich, we are not going to let him 
 carry on this way. Everybody knows 
 that my Bill is a good boy, and never 
 harms any one ; and then poor Barney 
 Quin, that has to help his mother, has 
 lost his place with old Rowley, just be 
 cause he obliged Master Harry, instead 
 of driving him off as he ought to have 
 done." 
 
 Mr. Arnold was more troubled than he 
 
78 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 had ever before been on. Harry s account. 
 He felt himself somewhat answerable, for 
 if he had been discharging his duty to his 
 pupil as he ought it could not have hap 
 pened, and therefore he determined to 
 chastise him as he deserved. But when 
 he began the preliminary reproof, he was 
 surprised to find himself met with inso 
 lence. 
 
 "I wish you would try a stick on me," 
 retorted the boy boldly. "I told my 
 mother all about it. The miller was here on 
 the same evening it happened. I don t 
 see why there need be any more fuss, as 
 mother has forgiven me and says she 
 don t want to hear another word about it. 
 If you don t believe me you can ask her 
 or Mrs. Eandall ; but I tell you you had 
 better not try chastisement on me." 
 
 Harry knew well that no questions 
 would be asked of his mother, and that 
 the housekeeper might be depended on ; 
 she would tell no tales which would re 
 dound to Harry s discredit, neither for his 
 own sake or that of Mrs. Kingley So 
 the affair, although much talked of, went 
 
OLD WALTER S VISIT. 79 
 
 unpunished ; and it is hard to tell where 
 the evil would have stopped had not one 
 true friend, caring less for self-interest 
 than the love of truth and right, come 
 forward to the rescue. 
 
 Viewing the occurrence in the serious 
 light it deserved, and as no one seemed 
 to have the courage to tell Mrs. Kingsley 
 of Harry s flagrant conduct, Walter Row 
 ley, remembering the promise made to 
 the dying father, resolved to undertake 
 the arduous duty himself. For this pur 
 pose he one evening made his appearance 
 at the " great house," as they called it, 
 and boldly demanded to be admitted to 
 Mrs. Kingsley s presence, as his business 
 was of the highest importance, and could 
 not be communicated to any one but herself. 
 
 The message was carried to the house 
 keeper. Wondering what his errand was, 
 she tried in vain to find out what could 
 have happened. She dared not ask, for 
 she was rather afraid of the stern old man, 
 who she knew would not submit to be 
 trifled with. Had she suspected it was 
 about the affair concerning the miller s 
 
80 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 boy, she would have used every effort to 
 prevent the interview ; for when she 
 heard it spoken of, she always insisted 
 it was nonsense to make such a fuss as 
 had been made about such a little thing 
 as an accidental wound in the leg. Not 
 being able, therefore, to get anything out 
 of old Walter, she thought it best to 
 admit him to her mistress s presence, for 
 in that way only could her curiosity be 
 gratified, and so she showed him in the 
 sick chamber herself. 
 
 It was a long, long time since Rowley 
 had seen Mrs. Kingsley, and, not prepared 
 for the change in her whole appearance, 
 he was greatly shocked. He had heard she 
 was recovering. This was true ; but as 
 he saw her sitting in an arm-chair, so pale, 
 and seemingly so weak, and recalled the 
 thought of the sad occurrence which had 
 robbed her of her health and bloom, he 
 felt ready to give up his purpose. How 
 could he add to her affliction? how tell 
 her the tidings so calculated to wound 
 her, and which she ought to know the 
 conduct of her only son ? 
 
OLD WALTER S VISIT. 81 
 
 Tears of emotion filled his eyes, and nt 
 first he could not find words wherewith to 
 begin his narration. But the promise 
 given to the dying father, whom he had 
 loved as a son ; whom, when a child, he 
 had often nursed on his knees, and never 
 believed he could have outlived, all came 
 up vividly before his memory, and manned 
 him for his duty. 
 
 Mrs. Kingsley saw how much he felt, 
 and scarcely less moved, reached him her 
 hand, and bade him be seated. " You 
 have always proved yourself a true friend 
 of our family, Walter ; why is it that you 
 have never, since that sad day, come to see 
 me ? Speak your wishes ; whatever they 
 may be they shall be granted, for you 
 never ask anything unreasonable." 
 
 " My good lady," replied Walter, sud 
 denly restored to himself, "my. affection 
 for the Kingsley family is unchangeable. 
 You know how that when a boy I came 
 with them from my own country, and 
 have never left their service for a single 
 day. But I have not come to ask any 
 favor for myself; I have all I want, thanks 
 
82 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 to your kindness. I am a plain, blunt 
 old man, and I will tell you plainly 
 what I came for. It concerns Master 
 Harry." 
 
 " What ! what !" exclaimed Mrs. Kings- 
 ley, starting from her chair; "I know 
 Harry went to ride ; has anything hap 
 pened to my son ? Speak ; tell me the 
 worst quickly." 
 
 " Do not be uneasy, madam," said 
 Walter quietly ; " Master Harry has met 
 with no bodily harm. But, (I am sorry 
 to pain you,) he has for some time been 
 going astray, treading on a path from 
 which only a very strong hand can turn 
 him. Out of false tenderness, those around 
 him have concealed his errors from you, 
 glossed them over as of small account, 
 although they have talked hardly of him 
 behind his back. It is not yet, however, 
 too late to remedy the evil. And- now, if 
 I may advise, which in all humility I do, 
 if you, dear madam, would attend a little 
 more to see how he is being instructed I 
 am a poor and uneducated man, but as I 
 understand things, it would help you 
 
OLD WALTER S VISIT. 83 
 
 greatly to forget jour trouble for Master 
 William s death if you " 
 
 " Walter," interrupted the invalid moth 
 er, " I can bear a great deal from you on 
 William s account, for I know how well 
 he esteemed you ; but the heart of a 
 mother is a tender thing, and I think you 
 might have spared me this trial. Are 
 you riot too stern, and do you not judge 
 too harshly of my poor boy ?" 
 
 Walter, touched to the heart by this 
 appeal, had no answer just ready; but 
 moved by a sudden impulse, and rising 
 from his chair, he unbuttoned his woolen 
 blouse, opened the bosom of his shirt, arid 
 exposed to the eye of the astonished 
 mother several red and seemingly fresh 
 scars which marked his breast. " I hard 
 and harsh toward any of the Kingsley 
 family?" he asked. "I have lived by 
 their favor all my life, and how much I 
 am devoted to their interests these scars 
 are witness. I received the wounds that 
 left them on my breast the day when 
 Master Harry deceived Sam Stokes into 
 letting him ride Eattler. The horse ran 
 6 
 
84 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 away with him into the forest, and he 
 would have been killed if I had not placed 
 myself in the way and relieved him. You 
 may remember the scratch on his face. 
 I am ashamed," he added, "ashamed in 
 deed of saying anything like boasting of 
 a good deed, but I could not bear your 
 reproof, which was undeserved, since on 
 that occasion I placed my life in danger." 
 
 "What?" inquired Mrs. Kingsley, al 
 most breathless; "did Harry mount that 
 wild horse when I had so expressly for 
 bidden him? And you, Walter, saved 
 his life at the risk of your own ? You 
 will be rewarded, Walter, both here and 
 hereafter. I remember the scratch, but 
 Harry told me he hurt his face in prac 
 ticing gymnastics on the bars of the 
 ladder, and I ordered it to be taken 
 down. Has he really told me such a 
 downright falsehood?" and the thought 
 seemed entirely to overcome her. 
 
 "There is no need for alarm now," said 
 Walter. " We ought to be very thankful 
 that it had no worse ending." He was 
 sorry he had shown his scars or told the 
 
OLD WALTER S VISIT. 85 
 
 circumstance, since it affected her so 
 much ; and lie was greatly astonished to 
 find that she was entirely ignorant of the 
 whole occurrence. He saw, however, that 
 she had been imposed upon by great 
 falsehoods, and now, more than ever con 
 vinced of what was the right course, was 
 determined to proceed faithfully with the 
 painful duty he had commenced, although 
 he was at a loss for words to begin with. 
 It took him some time to consider. 
 
 Mrs. Kingsley was however the first to 
 speak. Laying her pale hand on the 
 brawny arm of the old farmer, she bade 
 him tell her the worst. " Speak openly, 
 Walter," said she ; " tell the deceived 
 mother the truth ; the physician wounds 
 that he may heal, and I thank you from 
 my very heart that one has been found 
 faithful enough to tell me of my boy s 
 errors while there is yet time to cure him." 
 
 " I am sorry to pain you, but I will tell 
 you the plain truth," replied Walter, and 
 accordingly he gave a full, but unvarnished 
 statement of all that we have related. 
 He showed her how ruinous was the indul- 
 
86 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 gence which had allowed Harry to pursue 
 his late course unpunished, how his self- 
 will had increased and brought falsehood, 
 that hateful vice, in its train, and what 
 serious consequences, save for the inter 
 vention of a kind Providence, might have 
 ensued from his tyranny which caused the 
 quarrel with the miller s boy in the wood. 
 
 He spoke of poor Barney also, and de 
 clared how much grieved he was to be 
 obliged to discharge him. He would not 
 break his word, and so he sent him off, 
 but procured him an excellent place, for 
 he said he was a good boy, and always 
 told the truth. 
 
 Most modestly and impressively he en 
 treated, in his own homely manner, that 
 she would rouse herself from the further 
 indulgence of her unavailing sorrow, and 
 attend to the duties which, as a living be 
 ing and a mother, it was incumbent on 
 her to perform. " Life," said he, " is a 
 glorious gift, and we are answerable for 
 the use or disuse of every moment; and 
 we sin greatly when we do not use the 
 talents committed to our charge." 
 
OLD WALTER S VISIT. 87 
 
 Mrs. Kingsley listened attentively, and 
 offered no interruption to the old man 
 while he spoke. She felt assured that 
 Harry now required a stricter rule than 
 she would be able to maintain ; a stronger 
 hand than hers would be required to with 
 draw him from the dangerous path she 
 saw he was treading. " I can make the 
 sacrifice," she said ; " I will send him 
 away, although it will break my heart to 
 part with the only possession I care for." 
 
 "Dear madam," said Walter, deeply 
 touched by her sorrow and the noble 
 spirit with which, in spite of grief and 
 sickness, she resolved to fulfill the stern 
 duty now before her, " do not forget with 
 how many blessings a kind Providence 
 has surrounded you. He who cannot err 
 did indeed remove your greatest earthly 
 blessing with a stroke, but see what is left : 
 wealth and a son, who, if you raise him 
 properly, may prove a blessing to the 
 humble community of workmen who 
 live on your property. Think, too, how 
 much you can do by which they can be 
 made better and yourself happier." 
 
88 PAKSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 "In what way, Walter?" inquired the 
 invalid ; " tell me what one so weak as I 
 can do?" 
 
 " Build a little church, and set an ex 
 ample to these poor, ignorant people who 
 have no idea what religion is, by going 
 yourself to hear the Gospel preached ; es 
 tablish a Sabbath-school ; have the children 
 who now go birdnesting and fishing on 
 that sacred day, gathered up and be 
 taught what is the true duty of all who 
 live." 
 
 " I feel that you are right, Walter," said 
 Mrs. Kingsley, " but am I able for such 
 an effort? How shall I bring myself to 
 part with Harry ?" 
 
 "There is no duty which we know to 
 be right, however hard it may be, in which 
 we will not be aided in the performance 
 by a better strength than our own. And 
 remember the case of Eli, how he was 
 punished for the iniquity of his sons. He 
 did reprove them when it was too late; 
 he had been threatened with evil to his 
 whole house, and admonished them, but 
 he took no summary step to try to reform 
 
OLD WALTER S VISIT. 89 
 
 
 
 them. Therefore, saith the Scriptures, 
 have I told him that I will judge his 
 house forever for the iniquity which he 
 knoweth; because his sons made them 
 selves vile, and he restrained them not. 
 So, also, if a child is not trained up in 
 the way that he should go, the man sel 
 dom chooses the right path." 
 
 Mrs. Kingsley did not answer, and 
 Walter sat with his hat in his hand, ready 
 to leave, but still waiting for her to speak. 
 The sun was setting, but his last rays, 
 faintly penetrating the thick curtains, 
 made the gloom of the sick chamber 
 more apparent. The old farmer gazed 
 on the thin form and pale face of the 
 mother, whose heart he thus felt himself 
 .obliged to pain, and wondered what in 
 deed would be her decision. The silence 
 seemed almost ominous. Lost in thought, 
 she appeared to be altogether unconscious 
 of the presence of any one, until the in 
 creasing darkness warned Walter that it 
 was time to depart. 
 
 The slight noise made as he pushed 
 back his chair aroused her to recollec- 
 
90 PAKSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 tion. " You are- going, Rowley ?" she 
 said, as with a melancholy smile she 
 reached forth her hand for leave-taking : 
 " Come soon again, or no, wait until I 
 send for you ; I will think over all you 
 have said, for I respect you as the only 
 one who has had the courage or been 
 friendly enough to tell me the truth. 
 
 The old man bowed his answer and left 
 the room, only now feeling how hard had 
 been the duty he had forced himself to 
 perform. Pie had fulfilled his promise 
 made to the dying ; he had spoken the 
 truth as it was right he should do, but 
 then by so doing he had raised the vail 
 and let in the light upon that sad heart, 
 depriving it of the last happiness (treach 
 erous indeed, and better removed) which 
 she possessed in the belief of her son s 
 goodness. 
 
 He found the housekeeper in the outer 
 room, and remarked her agitated looks. 
 She had listened at the key-hole, and 
 heard all that had been said. Most glad 
 ly would she have given the " old bear," 
 as she always called him, u a piece of her 
 
OLD WALTER S VISIT. 91 
 
 mind," but somehow, she never could 
 think why it was, she never could talk to 
 him as she could to others. Eude in ap 
 pearance, stern in looks, there was still 
 something so dignified in his manner that 
 familiarity or rudeness were alike repel 
 led. Was it not the reflex of the pure 
 mind concealed under this rough exterior 
 that forbade any intrusion ? She therefore 
 accosted him courteously, invited him to 
 stay and partake of the supper which she 
 said was " just now ready, and surely he 
 would not take such a long walk as he 
 had before him without having eaten 
 something." Walter, however, declined 
 the invitation, and proceeded homeward, 
 while the housekeeper went to find Har 
 ry and tell him all that she had over 
 heard. 
 
 Great was his indignation ; but assured 
 that any exhibition of it would be of no 
 avail, and knowing well how to dissem 
 ble, when he went to pay his evening 
 visit to his mother, he behaved just as 
 usual. Neither did she mention anything 
 of the farmer s visit; her plans were scarce- 
 
92 PAESON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 ly yet projected, and very much excited 
 by the conversation with Walter, she was 
 too much exhausted to say anything about 
 that which had occurred, and was to 
 prove productive of a great change to the 
 wayward boy. He therefore went to bed 
 quite happy in the thought that Mrs. Ran 
 dall must be mistaken, or that, even if she 
 had heard rightly, his mother was not 
 going to let that u old bear Rowley " per 
 suade her to send him off to school. 
 
TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF. 93 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF. 
 
 WHATEVER had been the character of 
 Mrs. Kingsley s meditations during the 
 night, it is certain that Mrs. Randall re 
 marked a great change in -her whole 
 manner when she entered her chamber in 
 the morning. Although she endeavored 
 by adroit questioning to find out what 
 was likely be the result of the conversa 
 tion of the preceding day, she was entirely 
 baffled by the unusual silence and brief 
 answers she received. At length she 
 ventured to name Walter Rowley; but 
 Mrs. Kingsley, either not hearing what 
 she said, or not choosing to answer, de 
 sired her to order that her carriage 
 should be sent for Dr. Martin. This 
 seemed very strange to the housekeeper, 
 as that gentleman had been to see her 
 only on the day previous, and there was 
 no sudden indisposition apparent to make 
 
94: PAKSON HUBEKT S SCHOOL. 
 
 a visit necessary, as the invalid had risen 
 earlier than she had done for months, and 
 dressed herself without aid from any 
 one. 
 
 Dr. Martin came; a long conversation 
 ensued of which Mrs. Randall could not 
 overhear a word, for Mrs. Kingsley had 
 left her sick chamber for the first time 
 and received him in the drawing room, 
 where there was no good place for listen 
 ing. Nevertheless, as she told Harry, 
 " these closetings boded no good, find she 
 was really afraid that old Walter s advice 
 would, after all, be taken." 
 
 The doctor having taken his departure, 
 Harry was summoned to his mother s 
 room. Nowise alarmed at the tale told 
 him by Mrs. Randall, for he was de 
 termined not to go from home, and never 
 doubted but that he should gain his point, 
 notwithstanding old "Walter s influence 
 with his mother, he obeyed the bidding 
 readily. He was in great glee, having 
 just returned from a ride on his new po 
 ny, and flying up to Mrs. Kingsley he be 
 gan to overwhelm her with caresses, and 
 
TURNING OVER A NEW LEAP. 95 
 
 declare his great delight at being the 
 master of " such a beautiful little horse." 
 The reception, singular as new, whicli 
 he now met with, at once convinced him 
 that something was wrong. "My son," 
 said his mother seriously, as she shrunk 
 from his caresses, " you have been de 
 ceiving me, and but for the faithfulness 
 of one true friend I should still have been 
 in error concerning your conduct. How 
 could you come to me with falsehood 
 when you knew that good old Walter had 
 been so much injured in saving you? 
 And now I have determined that in less 
 than a fortnight you must go from home 
 to be under the charge of a strict teacher, 
 who has been recommended to me as one 
 particularly capable of teaching you 
 your duty and reclaiming you from the 
 evil way into which you have fallen. O 
 Harry ! how you have deceived me. I 
 believed you a good, obedient boy, and now 
 how hard it is to find that you have been 
 uttering falsehood upon falsehood, and 
 acting toward your inferiors in the most 
 tyrannical and heartless manner. Prom- 
 
96 PAKSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 ise me to try and conquer these hateful 
 propensities which I now know you to 
 possess, and give happiness to my heart 
 by proving yourself a truthloving and 
 obedient boy. which until yesterday I 
 believed you." 
 
 " Indeed I will not go one step from 
 home, mother," cried Harry, half fright 
 ened and half angry; "I will not obey 
 anybody but you." 
 
 "You have no right to say what you 
 will or will not do," rejoined Mrs. Kings- 
 ley firmly ; " you must now learn how to 
 submit your foolish and stubborn will to 
 the wholesome rule of others, and so you 
 must prepare to obey without one word 
 of objection. You have acted in disobe 
 dience to God s holy law and will, de 
 ceived with falsehood, and rejected the 
 counsels of those who in wisdom he placed 
 over you ; your mother, your teacher, and 
 other well-meaning friends. But I will 
 not be too hard upon you, for I know that 
 1 am much to blame in giving way to 
 sadness wiien I would have done better 
 in overseeing your education. But as 
 
TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF. 97 
 
 the course hitherto pursued has been so 
 faulty, it is necessary that double dili 
 gence be used in order to make up for 
 lost time ; and so you must yield to neces 
 sity, and make no ado about going. " 
 
 " Never !" cried Harry, bursting into 
 tears ; " I won t go from home, where I 
 shall never see you. I do not love any 
 body but you, and I will die if you send 
 me away." 
 
 " Stubbornness is an iniquity, and 
 obedience is better than sacrifice, " said 
 his mother firmly as he hung on her neck, 
 and with violent sobbings promised to try 
 to overcome his faults, and be all that she 
 wished. But even in this outburst of 
 violent emotion the pride and self-will of 
 his character was apparent ; and as he 
 would not listen to any explanation from 
 his mother, she, finding the excitement 
 too much for her feeble health, at length 
 rang for a servant, and bade him be taken 
 to his own room. 
 
 The fortnight which was to pass before 
 he left his home passed only too quickly 
 in the vain hope, each day, that his 
 
98 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 mother would relent, and keep him with 
 her. He would not believe she could live 
 without him. In this Mrs. Randall en 
 couraged him; and it was not until the 
 last day that he began to view the affair 
 as really serious. 
 
 But feeble and sick as Mrs. Kingsley 
 was, she had at length recognized her 
 duty, and was determined to perform it. 
 One morning, after having been duly pre 
 pared, Harry was awakened at an earlier 
 hour than usual, and on descending to the 
 breakfast room found a good meal in 
 readiness, and Doctor Martin waiting for 
 him. The trunks were standing in the 
 hall, and he heard the carriage wheels 
 grate on the gravel as it drew up before 
 the door. It was really true, then ; he 
 was going in earnest; but he was de 
 termined not to yield without a struggle. 
 He wept loudly ; declared he would not 
 go a step from home ; insisted that he 
 would run off on the first opportunity, 
 and, in short, behaved as badly as pos 
 sible. But all was of no avail. Before 
 he had half recovered from his passion ho 
 
TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF. 99 
 
 found himself in the carriage beside Doc 
 tor Martin, and rolling away at a swift 
 rate from his home and the scenes of his 
 youthful pleasures. 
 
 Mr. Arnold was dismissed on the same 
 day, and greatly to his own regret, as he 
 knew it might be long before he could 
 obtain another so desirable a situation. 
 
 Mrs. Kingsley of course suffered much 
 at the parting with her son ; but her duty 
 was plain, and she was determined to 
 make a great effort to overcome self. She 
 did so, and succeeded. 
 7 
 
100 PAKSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 PARSON HUBERT AT HOME. 
 
 will not attempt to describe Harry s 
 mood as the carriage rolled onward and 
 bore him toward the place of his " impris 
 onment," as he termed it. Doctor Martin 
 kindly endeavored to amuse and interest 
 him, by describing the perfect amiability 
 of the family he was about to enter, and 
 told him he was sure if he conducted him 
 self properly he would find himself happy, 
 and the time of his absence from home 
 would depend entirely on the reports of 
 his good or bad behavior. To this our 
 sullen boy at first returned no answer ; 
 but having wept until he was weary, 
 leaned back among the cushions and went 
 to sleep. 
 
 He could not, however, sleep all clay ; 
 and when at length he awoke, the change 
 of scene and novelty of the country through 
 which he passed were not without some 
 
PAKSON HUBERT AT HOME. 101 
 
 influence upon him. He began to listen 
 to Dr. Martin s remarks, then to answer 
 respectfully, and at last was so far gained 
 over as to promise that he would not, 
 while in Parson Hubert s family, make 
 any disturbance by any useless act of re 
 bellion, which would call for severity on 
 the part of his teacher. We will not de 
 tail Dr. Martin s exhortations, but simply 
 state that, while he described Parson Hu 
 bert as a most learned and pious man, 
 gentle as a child, entering into all the 
 feelings and sports of the boys who board 
 ed in his family, he was yet a stern disci 
 plinarian, who could not be disobeyed 
 with impunity. 
 
 " And now, Harry," he added in conclu 
 sion, u although obedience and a straight 
 forward course will prove rather a hard 
 task to one who has been accustomed to 
 have his own way, I advise you to yield 
 to the superior power. It will be the first 
 step toward conquering self; it will lessen 
 the term of your probation, and make 
 you happier than you have been for a 
 long time." 
 
102 P ARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 The journey was long. They traveled 
 one whole day and part of another, and it 
 was four in the afternoon when they 
 reached a small village, beautifully situ 
 ated in a little valley encased in a frame 
 work of hills. They passed through it, 
 and at a little distance beyond, towering 
 above the tall poplars by which it was 
 surrounded, was seen the spire of Parson 
 Hubert s church. 
 
 A little further on was the pastor s 
 house, a rather large building, of two 
 stories, the exterior of which, though plain, 
 was very inviting. It stood in the midst 
 of a large lawn, inclosed by a green fence, 
 which separated it from the high road. 
 A large, strongly built gate gave entrance 
 to the lawn, which was filled with shrub 
 bery and beds of flowers, and seemed to 
 have been kept in the most perfect order. 
 In front of the house was. what in these 
 days is called a verandah, in those of 
 which we write a porch, with pillars, not 
 of the Corinthian order, but of trunks of 
 young pines, stripped of their bark and 
 varnished. Harry thought it " an odd- 
 
PARSON HUBERT AT HOME. 103 
 
 looking porch," but the beautiful climbing 
 vines that entwined their clasping tendrils 
 and mounted to the very roof, perfected 
 an attraction never surpassed by any work 
 of art. The blue and purple vesteria hung 
 ^in long tassels between the dark leaves 
 of ivy; the sweet brier and prairie rose 
 mingled lovingly together as members of 
 one family. A large kitchen garden was 
 seen running along the back of the house, 
 and a long row of bee-hives, ranged out 
 side the fence, placed most conveniently 
 near the flowers from which the busy* 
 wanderers, now returning homeward, had 
 extracted the sweets. All presented a 
 picture of rural beauty, comfort, plenty, 
 and neatness; and even our wayward boy, 
 although determined not to be pleased, 
 could not restrain some expressions of 
 admiration. 
 
 The cows were coming home to be 
 milked, the horses were being loosed 
 from the plow, the merry calves were 
 bounding playfully around the trough into 
 which a rustic looking lad was pouring 
 milk from two buckets which he carried. 
 
104: PAESON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 A little in closure on one side of the lawn 
 was strewn with sand ; here two little 
 boys were playing ball; two larger lads 
 with green woolen bags filled with plants, 
 insects, and pebbles, thrown over their 
 shoulders, were just entering the gate. 
 They were just returning from a walk 
 through the fields, where they had beeu 
 collecting specimens for the study of 
 natural history. 
 
 " Well, Harry, this is our place 
 of destination," said Dr. Martin as the 
 .carriage stopped outside the large 
 green gate. "Don t you think you will 
 be able to get along quite comfortably 
 here ?" 
 
 " Tis a horrid out of the way place," re 
 plied Harry peevishly, " but I ll try, on 
 mother s account, to like it; but if it gets 
 too bad I ll run off." 
 
 " You had better not try that trick," 
 said Dr. Martin laughing; "it would be 
 a real piece of foolhardiness,. which is as 
 different from true courage as night is 
 from day. No, Harry," he added more 
 seriously, " the true heroism in your 
 
Parson Hubert s. 
 
PARSON HUBERT AT HOME. 107 
 
 case is to conquer self; and now that you 
 are brought into companionship with 
 other boys, you will know what kind of 
 warfare that is." 
 
 By this time they had reached the 
 verandah. An elderly gentleman an 
 swered the knock, and Harry was much 
 surprised that it was Parson Hubert him 
 self who opened the door. " Where is 
 the servant ?" he said to himself ; " they 
 must be mighty queer people if they 
 keep no servant, and admit strangers 
 themselves." 
 
 Nor were these self-communings ended 
 when he entered and was introduced to 
 the different members of the household. 
 First was Mrs. Hubert, (" Aunt Pattie," 
 as the boys who boarded there called her,) 
 a plain, neat little person with one of the 
 sweetest countenances in the world. She 
 received him with almost maternal kind 
 ness, which made but little impression on 
 the wayward boy, who, determined not 
 to be pleased with anything, wondered 
 what his mother could possibly mean by 
 sending him to learn submission and self- 
 
r 
 
 108 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 conquest from such unfashionable looking 
 people as these. 
 
 The low ceilings of the rooms, with 
 their small windows, he declared were 
 enough to smother him ; and again he 
 promised everything if Dr. Martin would 
 take him home again, as he "really could 
 not exist in such a place." 
 
 " I think," answered the doctor dryly, 
 " that where one person can exist another 
 can ; and truly every one of the family I 
 have yet seen wears an appearance of the 
 very best health." 
 
 And, indeed, this remark was true, for 
 three finer, more blooming, and happier 
 looking boys than they who now came 
 forward to greet him could not be found 
 anywhere. They came up without any 
 boyish bashfulness and offered the hand 
 of fellowship, which Harry indeed took 
 very coldly. They invited him at once 
 to join them in their sport ; -but he re 
 fused on plea of weariness. The truth 
 was, however, he was too proud to play 
 with boys two of whom were younger 
 than himself, and mentally resolved to 
 
PARSON" HUBERT AT HOME. 109 
 
 keep aloof from the "young rustics," as 
 lie was pleased to term them. So he sat 
 by the window silent and sullen, looking 
 out at the distant village, or replying only 
 monosyllables when addressed. 
 
 If all without was in perfect order, not 
 less so was all within. Mrs. Hubert 
 (" Aunt Pattie") was a little woman, who 
 in her simple cap and country-made 
 gown was the very emblem of neatness, 
 and every way worthy to be the wife of 
 such a man as the good parson. 
 
 Finding her cordiality neglected, and 
 that she could make no impression on the 
 new comer, of whose character she was 
 perfectly aware, she left him to his medi 
 tations, and busied herself in preparing 
 the evening meal. The table was covered 
 with a cloth of the whitest diaper, and 
 every eatable upon it was prepared in 
 the best manner. The nice home-baked 
 bread, the fresh butter, the cheese made 
 in her own dairy by her own hands, the 
 preserved as well as fresh fruit, coffee, 
 and plenty of excellent milk, all tempting 
 to a good appetite, were spread out most 
 

 
 110 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 * invitingly. Harry, however, would not 
 eat, declaring he was not hungry, al 
 though a dish filled up with rich white 
 honey in the comb, and which was 
 brought forth in honor of the new guests, 
 had almost tempted him to forego his 
 resolution. 
 
 For this one night he occupied the 
 " spare room " with Dr. Martin, who on 
 taking his leave after breakfast again 
 admonished our wayward boy, who still 
 declared he would run away. " Really," 
 said the doctor, " you ll find that no easy 
 matter, and your wisest course will be to 
 behave yourself and learn all you can." 
 
 To this no answer was made, except a 
 violent fit of anger which vented itself in 
 loud sobbings ; but no notice being taken 
 of it, he finally subsided into a sullen in 
 difference. He went about all day re 
 jecting everything offered him. The 
 . boys called him to come and play, or all 
 three clustering around offered him books, 
 or tried to draw him into conversation. 
 Aunt Pattie still spread her inviting table. 
 No, he would not play, he would not talk, 
 
PAKSON HUBERT AT HOME. Ill 
 
 he would not eat ; he would starve himself 
 Into sickness, and then they must send 
 him home ; he "never would submit, no, 
 that he would not." And so he tried to 
 make himself altogether disagreeable, and, 
 we must confess, fully succeeded. 
 
112 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 NEW COMPANIONS AND NEW RULES. 
 
 IF Harry thought to gain his point by 
 the course of conduct we have just nar 
 rated he reckoned without his host. He 
 looked at the boys as with great appetite 
 they devoured the evening meal, and 
 would not believe that anything could 
 ever induce him to become familiar with 
 such rustic looking fellows, or that the 
 quiet, friendly pastor, who seemed to 
 enter into all the sports of the boys and 
 even joke with them, was the one who 
 was to give him the moral as well as in 
 tellectual training he so much required. 
 
 Bat Pastor Hubert was one of those 
 wise people who think that work should 
 be work and play play ; so at times he 
 gave his boys full liberty, and even made 
 himself quite a boy among them all. 
 Yet it was easy to see that amid all the 
 freedom he used, and allowed them to 
 
NEW COMPANIONS AND NEW RULES. 113 
 
 use, it " was merely the pleasant conde 
 scension of a supreme ruler, so certain of 
 his authority that he could afford to let 
 the reins loose at times." 1 But firm in all 
 things, he never allowed the slightest 
 breach of discipline ; his will in all things 
 was a law, his "yea" was yea, and his 
 " nay," nay, and no one under his rule 
 ever dreamed of opposing him. 
 
 Such was the person whom Dr. Martin 
 had chosen to conduct the education of our 
 hitherto neglected boy; how he succeeded 
 the further course of our history will show. 
 
 " My son," said he, addressing Harry 
 after Dr. Martin had departed, " I will 
 not require you to begin your studies to 
 day, so, being for the present our guest, 
 you can amuse yourself in the manner 
 that pleases you best. I wish you, how 
 ever, to observe the two simple rules that 
 are strictly maintained throughout my 
 household, namely, order and punctuality. 
 The boys will show you the class-rooms 
 and tell you the order of the lessons. 
 Every hour is regularly filled up, as you 
 will find, either for study, recreation, or 
 
114 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 play. To-morrow morning it will be re 
 quired of you to rise and perform the 
 same duties with the other boys, and after 
 breakfast I will examine how far you are 
 advanced in your studies, and give you a 
 proper place in the class. Six is the hour 
 for rising ; for a week your comrades will 
 awaken you ; after that you will be accust 
 omed to wake at that hour, and remember 
 that punctuality is required invariably." 
 
 This was all spoken in the quietest 
 manner imaginable, but yet so deter 
 minedly as to admit of no doubt of its 
 being intended to be obeyed. And it 
 was astonishing with how little trouble 
 he did manage his school. He never 
 thrashed the boys, nor ever scolded in 
 the passionate manner many teachers do ; 
 but he reduced the conflicting elements 
 which go to compose that miniature world, 
 a school, to a discipline and order per 
 fectly marvelous. And why ? How could 
 he effect so easily what most deem so 
 difficult? Only because, "like all good 
 rulers," he first governed that very difficult 
 subject, self. Truth, temper, conscien 
 
NEW COMPANIONS AND NEW RULES. 115 
 
 tiousness never failed, and a knowledge 
 of the weakness of human nature ren 
 dered him lenient to the offender even 
 while he made him wince under the quiet 
 discipline he inflicted. 
 
 Harry gazed into his eyes as he was 
 speaking, and a foreboding that there 
 could be no trifling with Pastor Hubert 
 filled him with deeper gloom than even 
 that which had from the hour of his arri 
 val overshadowed him. Altogether cast 
 down, he sauntered into the garden, where 
 he seated himself in a vine-covered arbor, 
 and as he gave way to the apprehensions 
 of coming evil, amused himself with kick 
 ing up the sand and earth with the toe of 
 his boot. Here he remained until the 
 recitations were finished, and the day 
 scholars departed, a fact he was speedily 
 made aware of by the shouts and laughter 
 of the three boys to whom, as boarders 
 of the family, he had been introduced. 
 
 Harry looked up to see what caused 
 their merriment, and was made aware of 
 the presence of "Aunt Pattie," who wao 
 gathering dry beans which had ripened 
 
116 PAESON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 in a large bed close beside the arbor 
 where he sat sulking. So quiet and 
 noiseless had she been in pursuing her 
 work that Harry had not heard her. 
 
 " May we help you, auntie ?" asked 
 Charles Harding, the eldest of the boys. 
 
 "Yes, indeed," replied she laughing, 
 " and when we have finished we will go 
 and pull the early plums, each one shall 
 have a pocket full, for the laborer is 
 worthy of his hire." 
 
 " O the early plums ! the early plums !" 
 shouted the two lesser boys, Will Tracy 
 and Ned Hartly, little ISTed they all called 
 him ; " what a dear good auntie you are," 
 cried the latter, " to give us so many plums ; 
 there is nothing better than ripe plums." 
 
 At this moment, his eyes glancing to 
 ward the arbor, he observed Harry. 
 " There is the new boy," said he, " and 
 he looks so lonesome. Charlie, you are the 
 biggest, go and bring him to play." 
 
 "That means to help pull plums," replied 
 Charlie, who, as he spoke, went forward 
 and invited the stranger to come and as 
 sist in their work and share the reward. 
 
NEW COMPANIONS AND NEW KULES. 117 
 
 " No, thank yon," he replied coldly ; 
 44 1 have no fancy for shelling beans, and 
 I am astonished that such a large boy as 
 you can enjoy such childish sport." 
 
 " Our work is play," answered Charlie ; 
 " but don t you like plums ?" 
 
 " Yes," replied Harry, " but I could al 
 ways get enough at home without shelling 
 beans for pay. My mother has the greatest 
 quantity of fruit in her garden ; I could get 
 it whenever I wanted, and now I have 
 plenty of money, so I ll buy what I want." 
 
 " Well, well," said Charlie good-natur 
 edly, " we thought you would like the 
 fun, and it was no more than right to ask 
 you ;" and so without a further word he 
 went back to the boys, leaving Harry still 
 venting his ill humor on the sand. 
 
 " Won t sulky come?" asked Will 
 Tracy. "What a blockhead the young 
 gentleman must be. For my part I ll 
 leave him alone in his glory. : 
 
 " So will I," rejoined Charlie. " I ll" 
 he did not say what he would do, for just 
 at this moment the gentle voice of Aunt 
 Pattie interposed its soft accents. 
 8 
 
118 PAKSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 " Hush, boys," she said ; " remember 
 that charity suffereth long and is kind, 
 thinketh no evil, is not easily provoked, 
 but hopeth all things. Be kind, there 
 fore, to the poor boy, who has left a 
 luxurious home and an indulgent mother. 
 Most likely he is home-sick, and I am sure 
 you all know what it is to be home-sick. 
 Have you forgotten how sad each one of 
 you was upon the first day you came ?" 
 
 " O yes, indeed, on the first day," said 
 little Ned ; " but then the next day you 
 told me such pretty stories that I forgot 
 all about it. Don t you remember, 
 aunty?" 
 
 "O yes, I do," interrupted Will Tracy, 
 " and that you showed me how to write a 
 letter to my father and mother ; you told 
 me all what to put in it, and then I felt a 
 great deal happier to think I could tell all 
 my thoughts to my dear parents if I was 
 separated from them. I am sorry I called 
 him sulky and a blockhead." 1 
 
 "Ah, Will," said Aunt Pattie, "you 
 have a great deal to learn yet. It is so 
 wrong to call names ; and that c charity 
 
NEW COMPANIONS AND NEW RULES. 119 
 
 of which we have been speaking is c not 
 easily provoked, and never behaves itself 
 unseemly. 
 
 Charlie, who was a very steady boy, 
 and did everything well, thought right to 
 give his testimony. "I was very home 
 sick," said he, " but I did not like to 
 show it. I suppose Uncle Hubert found 
 it out; you know he finds out everything 
 some how ; so he took me out to the 
 meadows down there by the swamp- wil 
 lows, and showed me plants, flowers, 
 beetles, and butterflies, and told me all 
 about Natural History, which I had never 
 heard mentioned in our school at home. 
 And so, with reading the books he gave 
 me, which told of the traits of the animals, 
 and the arrangement of my beetles, but 
 terflies, and flowers, I had no time left to 
 fret about home. Uncle Hubert has 
 always told me that employment is the 
 best cure for useless sorrow. I believe 
 it, and although I have nothing to trouble 
 me just now, except that we can t please 
 the new boy, I propose we begin at 
 once picking our beans." 
 
120 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 As they pursued the task at once of 
 employment and sport, and the sound of 
 their merry voices reached the arbor where 
 Harry sat and sulked, lie began to wish 
 he had accepted the invitation to join 
 them. It would indeed have been the 
 best plan, for his sullenness affected no 
 one but himself. Time hung very heav 
 ily ; the shouts and laughter of the happy 
 boys contrasted with and increased his 
 dejected mood, and in order to get rid of 
 his bad feelings he began to recall all the 
 pleasant home scenes and home possessions 
 which he had forfeited by his own self-will. 
 He thought of his pony, the gift of his 
 kind uncle, (and he did so love to ride on 
 horseback,) how it was standing idle in the 
 stable; of his pigeons this was about the 
 hour when he used to feed them ; of his 
 little watch yes, and he wondered where 
 it was ; he was so hurried on the morning 
 
 7 O 
 
 of leaving home he must have forgotten it, 
 and may be the housekeeper had purposely 
 neglected to put it in his trunk. Out of 
 humor with himself and everybody else, 
 he was ready to shed tears over what he 
 
NEW COMPANIONS AND NEW RULES. 121 
 
 considered his hard lot. but pride and 
 shame kept them back. 
 
 The task, or rather play, of bean shell 
 ing was ended, and now the merry lads 
 were ready for something else. Harry 
 despised them in his heart (despised was 
 the word he used ; perhaps envied would 
 have been a more suitable ane) as being 
 very silly boys, who could find pleasure 
 in such a trifling recreation as shelling 
 beans or pulling a few plums ; and perhaps 
 some of our young readers may be of the 
 same opinion, while others are not. To 
 the latter we would offer as an excuse for 
 Harry, that he had never associated with 
 boys of his own age, and was a stranger 
 to the happiness which light-hearted lads 
 can find in every employment, whether, 
 like this, trifling, or more laborious. His 
 associations had all been with persons 
 older than himself, and now he held these 
 boys, whose brains, even those of the least 
 one among them, were better furnished 
 than his own, in utter contempt. 
 
 But now, the task being ended, they 
 were going to the plum-trees, and, in 
 
122 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 accordance with a hint from Aunt 
 Pat-tie, once more invited him to join 
 them. 
 
 No, he would not ; and although sincere 
 in their invitations, they would not coax 
 him, so off they ran, no way affected by 
 his sullenness, to continue their sport. 
 There hung the inviting fruit, now fully 
 ripe ; surely it was worth some trouble to 
 gather it when, covered with its purple 
 bloom, it looked so temptingly from among 
 the green leaves. Charlie, being the 
 largest, shook the tree ; Will and Ned 
 gathered the plums, and thought it great 
 sport when one hit either of them on the 
 nose, which was very often. 
 
 Harry, as he witnessed their gambols 
 while they ran over the potato beds to 
 pick up those that rolled away, almost 
 yielded to the desire he felt to join them, 
 but his pride would not allow him. He 
 loved fruit, arid Aunt Pattie s plums were 
 very fine ; and the boys, who were every 
 day being instructed in the law of kind- 
 ness, having at length finished and filled 
 their pockets, came once more to the 
 
NEW COMPANIONS AND NEW RULES. 123 
 
 arbor showing their stores, and offered to 
 share with him. 
 
 He was ashamed to accept, and felt 
 that he did not deserve so much kindness, 
 therefore he replied coldly : " No, I thank 
 you ; I would rather buy them." 
 
 The boys looked at each other with au 
 expression which seemed to say: "What a 
 silly fellow is this who has come among 
 us !" and they once more ran off a little 
 distance arid began some new play. 
 
 Harry now rose from his seat and went 
 into the house, in order to find some one 
 who could tell him where he might buy 
 some plums. The only person he met 
 was Annie, the servant girl. " Can you 
 get fruit here? does any one keep it to 
 sell ?" was his question. 
 
 " Yes, indeed," answered Annie, " plenty 
 of fruit, for everybody in the village has 
 a garden and some fruit-trees, which bring 
 them as much as they want. So then, as 
 they all have as much as they use, no 
 body sells it. But we have plenty of all 
 kinds of fruit, arid I am sure, if you ask 
 Mrs. Hubert, she will give you whenever 
 
124: PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 you want, for indeed, nobody here ever 
 buys or sells fruit." 
 
 Harry was perfectly astonished to find 
 that in this poor looking village fruit was 
 to be had for the asking, but not to be 
 bought. For once in his life his money 
 was of no use to him. 
 
 He disliked the independent tone and 
 manner of the servant girl, and his ill- 
 humor was by no means lessened. " P 
 am not accustomed to such familiarity," 
 said he to himself; " at home I was always 
 called Master Harry, and that rude serv 
 ant girl just now spoke to me as if I was 
 no better than little Bill Allen, the miller s 
 son. I ll write to my mother and tell her 
 what a queer place this is ; she has no 
 idea of it, and I know she will send for 
 me as soon as she hears how unhappy 
 I am." 
 
 He resolved to begin the letter at once, 
 his anger would make it eloquent ; and 
 he went into the house to look after writ 
 ing materials, when all at once he recol 
 lected he did not possess any. This thought 
 rather dampened his ardor. Writing must 
 
NEW COMPANIONS AND NEW KULES. 125 
 
 be given up for this evening, at least ; 
 and more than all, he was obliged to con 
 trol his appetite for fruit, as there was no 
 future prospect of obtaining any except 
 by performing some kind of service for 
 Aunt Pattie, for which he would receive 
 two or three pears or a handful of plums. 
 He was ready to cry for shame and mor 
 tification ; but he restrained his tears, for 
 lie was afraid the boys would laugh at 
 him. 
 
 There is, however, nothing better calcu 
 lated to bring a fro ward lad to his senses 
 than hunger. By supper time our young 
 hero began to think of the nice white 
 honey he had disdained on the previous 
 evening, and that it looked as if it would 
 taste very good. He determined, there 
 fore, to make a good meal. It did not on 
 this occasion make its appearance on the 
 supper-table ; but aided by the best sauce, 
 namely, hunger, he ate his good bread 
 and butter, and drank a bowl of rich milk 
 without any coaxing. 
 
 Before the three boys went to bed 
 Harry was this night to sleep in the same 
 
126 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 room they brushed their clothes, cleaned 
 their boots, and arranged their wardrobes, 
 of which there were four in the room. 
 Harry looked on in amazement. Pastor 
 Hubert certainly would not expect that 
 he should brush his own clothes or clean 
 his own boots? indeed, he would soon 
 show them that he would not do it. At 
 home the servants always did such things ; 
 and so he now got into bed, leaving his 
 "clothes on the floor, and his boots still 
 covered with the dust of the arbor, which 
 he had kicked while venting his ill humor. 
 
 The six o clock bell rung. "It is time 
 to get up, Harry," said Charlie as he shook 
 him ; " come, we must be down in time 
 for prayers ; breakfast is always ready at 
 half-past seven, but if you are not up 
 when the rest are ready for worship you 
 will not get any breakfast." 
 
 This was bad news for Harry, but, as 
 there was no help for it, he was obliged 
 to put on his unbrushed clothes. He 
 went, however, so lazily about the task of 
 dressing, that both Will and Ned were 
 down before him ; but Charlie who was a 
 
NEW COMPANIONS AND NEW RULES. 127 
 
 generous lad, assisted and waited for him, 
 and they both reached the room barely in 
 time for prayers. 
 
 The service was performed in the im 
 pressive and serious manner it usually is 
 in country places, where the glorious 
 attributes of a heavenly Father come 
 more distinctly before men than in large 
 communities. Poor Harry, to whom in 
 his neglected education nothing of the 
 kind had been taught, thought that pray-* 
 ers were very tedious and very useless, 
 and was glad when they w r ere ended and 
 the bell rang for breakfast. 
 
 The keen eye of Pastor Hubert was 
 not slow in remarking the disorder of our 
 hero s dress. He said nothing, however, 
 and soon after breakfast was over the ex 
 amining of the new pupil commenced. 
 Harry was older than any of the other 
 boys ; but, although not wanting capacity, 
 was, for one of his age, very far back in 
 his studies. His tutor had indeed often 
 remonstrated with him on account of his 
 idleness, but that was all ; he learned 
 what and when he pleased ; always de- 
 
128 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 clared he hated arithmetic, and that it was 
 no use for him to cypher, for he de 
 tested figures, and could never learn to do 
 sums, he was sure. 
 
 "Little Ned has the same lessons as 
 yourself, Harry," said Parson Hubert 
 very mildly ; " he will help you to do your 
 sums if you do not understand them." 
 
 A deep blush of shame overspread our 
 hero s face. Little Ned with whom he had 
 .been ashamed to play, whose childish inno 
 cence he termed silliness and laughed at as 
 a blockhead, this same little Ned was to be 
 his teacher. Surely, it seemed that nothing 
 but humiliation and mortification awaited 
 him here. Yet he dared not refuse the 
 offered aid, and the discovery each mo 
 ment made of little Ned s superior knowl 
 edge and advancement, compared with 
 his own, was by no means calculated to re 
 store his self-complaisance. He was, how 
 ever, more angry than ashamed to find 
 himself so far behind this little fellow, 
 whom he despised, not only because he 
 was much younger, but also because ho 
 was more plainly dressed than himself. 
 
NEW COMPANIONS AND NEW KULES. 129 
 
 Mr. Hubert observed his ill-humor, but 
 gave him no further reproof than to say : 
 "It is not, my son, always a sharne to 
 be ignorant, but it is certainly a shame 
 not to learn when there is opportunity; 
 and it will now depend on yourself 
 whether you will use your present ad 
 vantages to good purpose or not. If you 
 are diligent you can soon come up with 
 the elder boys." 
 
 It was altogether something new to 
 Harry to be obliged to admit his own de 
 ficiency in the ordinary branches ; he 
 had heretofore considered himself very 
 smart, because he knew the names of 
 those fabulous characters who were called 
 gods by the superstitious Greeks and 
 Romans ; but of the history of those two 
 great nations he knew little or nothing. 
 He could not have told where or by 
 whom printing was invented, neither 
 could he name the boundaries of the 
 state in which he lived. The passage of 
 Hannibal over the Alps he had never 
 heard of, but he loved to talk about the 
 Argonauts who sailed after the Golden 
 
130 PAESON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 Fleece. The places of some of the con 
 stellations had been pointed out to him ; 
 but he did not know which city was the 
 capital of the United States, or that 
 France was in Europe. 
 
 He tried to show off some of his knowl 
 edge before Charlie, (who he was ob 
 liged to admit was a smart boy,) and 
 chatted about galvanism, etc., and how r 
 zinc and copper, being brought into con 
 tact, produced electricity; but how glass 
 was manufactured, or even common salt 
 was made, he did not even care to know. 
 The little knowledge he had was very 
 superficial, and had been studied entirely 
 for show and- effect, as is, it is to be re 
 gretted, too much the fashion in the pres 
 ent mode of education. 
 
 Mr. Hubert remarked that it was well 
 enough to study the constellations, and so 
 forth ; but he advised Harry to go back 
 at once to the rudiments, and thus lay 
 a good foundation on which to build. 
 " You cannot expect to excel unless you 
 begin right ; therefore you must conquer 
 your pride and submit to make up for 
 
NEW COMPANIONS AND NEW RULES. 131 
 
 lost. time. I think you have not studied 
 the word of God at all ; I hope that from 
 this day you will begin to search the 
 Scriptures, for in them ye have eternal 
 life. " 
 
 Our froward boy soon perceived that 
 he could not get along without the aid 
 of the other boys unless he would remain 
 far behind; this his pride would not sub 
 mit to, and so at length he resolved to 
 change his sullen behavior, and enter into 
 friendly intercourse with them. A few 
 days passed over ; the same routine was 
 observed, prayers, breakfast, lessons, play, 
 and study hours. Harry complied with 
 the rules regarding prayers and break 
 fast, but he would not brush his clothes, 
 nor clean his boots, and declared to Char 
 lie he " never would do it." 
 
 Mr. Hubert had not as yet chosen to 
 notice his disordered dress save by an ad 
 monitory glance, which the boys under 
 stood, and which Harry saw, but did not 
 choose to notice. 
 
 "Do brush your jacket, Harry," said 
 Charlie one day ; " Mr. Hubert will come 
 
132 J ARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 down upon you when you are least think 
 ing. He never scolds, but I can assure 
 you he never allows a rule to be broken." 
 
 " I don t care," replied Harry ; " I 
 never brushed my clothes at home or 
 cleaned my boots, and I will not do it 
 here." 
 
 Harry had been something more than 
 a week at school when Mr. Hubert, on 
 dismissing the class in the forenoon, told 
 the boys they were to have a half-holiday. 
 " Our neighbor, Mr. Wharton, is coming 
 to visit us this afternoon, and will bring 
 his son Albert with him," said he, " so, 
 as you have studied very well lately, you 
 can put away your books until to-mor 
 row." 
 
 But who was Mr. Wharton ? Harry 
 had never heard of him, arid as little Ned 
 was now his helper in everything, and in 
 many his teacher, he applied to him for 
 information. 
 
 " O don t you know Albert Wharton?" 
 cried Ned ; " he used to be a pupil here, 
 as we are now ; but when he was ready 
 for higher studies he left. His father 
 
NEW COMPANIONS AND NEW KTJLES. 133 
 
 lives only a few miles from here, and 
 they often come over, for they think a 
 great deal of Mr. Hubert and he of them." 
 He has a tutor at home just now, but he 
 always goes to New York in the winter, 
 and he will soon enter college." 
 
 Harry was delighted with the descrip 
 tion Ned gave of Albert Wharton. At 
 last he would have a playfellow of his 
 own age, a gentleman s son, rich, who 
 like himself had a tutor at home, and, 
 passing every winter in New York, 
 would be able to tell him so much of 
 city life which they, living in the coun 
 try, knew nothing about. 
 
 The roll of a carriage was heard, and 
 shortly after Mr. Hubert made his ap 
 pearance in the school-room, announced 
 the arrival of the Whartons, and gave 
 the boys permission to invite their late 
 comrade to a walk in the meadow 01 a 
 play in the garden. 
 
 Harry was getting out, with little Ned s 
 
 help, a sum in simple division; he 
 
 hardly waited to hear the last word 
 
 when he threw his scratched slate on 
 
 9 
 
134 PAKSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 one side, and took up his cap in readi 
 ness to go. 
 
 Parson Hubert, however, arrested the 
 movement, but in the gentlest manner. 
 Laying his hand on Harry s arm he said 
 mildly: "You can stay and finish your 
 sums, Harry ; your clothes and boots 
 have not been brushed for a week, and 
 you certainly cannot make your appear 
 ance before strangers looking as slovenly 
 as you do. It is my rule that no boy 
 here shall take his seat at the breakfast 
 table with disordered dress or uncleaned 
 boots, and I should have forbidden your 
 doing so, only that I do not like to be too 
 severe, and never punish willingly a fault 
 committed through mere thoughtlessness; 
 nor would I now punish you, as I feel I 
 am right in doing, had you not had the 
 example of the other boys for a whole 
 week, and I know Charlie told you what 
 was required, and offered to assist you. 
 You refused, and now you must bear the 
 penalty of your own self-will, for no one 
 here transgresses my rules with impunity. 
 To-morrow morning you will certainly not 
 
NEW COMPANIONS AND NEW RULES. 135 
 
 forget to appear at .breakfast with your 
 clothes in proper order." 
 
 Harry, blushing with shame, could not 
 raise his eyes from the floor ; a thought, 
 however, struck him, and he was about to 
 ask if he might not put on his best suit 
 for this time only; but Mr. Hubert had 
 left the room, and our wayward hero 
 found himself left alone to reckon not 
 by figures, however why or how it was 
 that this quiet, gentle, and ofttimes familiar 
 little man, who would talk to the boys 
 as if he was a boy himself, could not be 
 resisted or disobeyed. His arithmetic did 
 not exhibit any rule by which he could 
 solve the difficulty and obtain the result 
 he wished, so he gave up thinking about 
 any regular method for (Counteracting 
 what he termed the " old man s tyranny," 
 but at the same time began to plan 
 how he could meet it and come off con 
 queror. 
 
 " Sums, indeed ? he would do no sums ; 
 no, nor he would not read." What then 
 did he do ? 
 
 In a very ill-humor, he remained in the 
 
136 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 school-room alone, and looked out of the 
 window at the other boys as they ran 
 round in the meadow playing " prison 
 base," or " commons." He saw that 
 Albert Wharton, although older than 
 Charlie, appeared greatly to enjoy the 
 sport, particularly when they showed him 
 the new gymnasium, which was erected 
 at the bottom of the garden. Besides the 
 ladder and the bars, they had a tall pole 
 with a bird on the top. This was a tar 
 get for their tiny arrows, and loud shouts 
 proclaimed the joy of the victor, whose 
 well-directed aim brought the bird from 
 his perch. 
 
 Harry s moodiness increased every mo 
 ment. At first he wondered that a large 
 boy like Albert could find any pleasure in 
 such childish sports, and concluded that 
 he must be a silly kind of a boy. Grad 
 ually, however, his mood grew softer, 
 and as the simple archery went on it be 
 came suggestive of the painful scene in 
 the wood, and recalled the memories of 
 poor Barn.ey and the miller s boy. And 
 now, for the first time, it occurred to him 
 
NEW COMPANIONS AND NEW EULES. 137 
 
 that this last act of self-will was the oc 
 casion of his banishment from home. 
 " Poor Barney," he sighed, " lost his 
 good place because he obliged me ; and 
 little Bill, if he had -been lamed for life I 
 could never have borne to meet him. 
 How they must hate me. Ah ! if I had 
 only played the harmless plays of these 
 boys ; if I had chosen to obey rather than 
 to command, I would still have been at 
 home ; and my dear mother, I do not 
 know whether she is sick or well." 
 
 Tears now began to flow plentifully 
 over the slate which still lay before him, 
 and burying his face in his hands, he 
 wept bitterly as the shouts of boyish 
 merriment came up at intervals to his ear 
 from the garden. At a louder burst than 
 usual he wiped the tears from his face, 
 and advancing to the window, saw that 
 Albert had brought the bird from his 
 perch, and the others were crowning him 
 as the victor with a garland of leaves. 
 
 Mr. Wharton and his son remained 
 until after tea ; Aunt Pattie on this oc 
 casion brought forth the dish of white 
 
138 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 honey and several other delicacies only 
 enjoyed on festival times, to which the 
 guests gave due honor. Harry was not 
 invited to the table; nevertheless a portion 
 of all the good things was sent to his 
 room, which he, like most froward lads 
 on similar occasions, refused to eat. 
 
 " This is too much," cried he, as his 
 late repentant mood became changed into 
 one of anger. " I will not submit to any 
 such treatment, I ll write to my mother 
 at once ;" and going to his desk he tore a 
 leaf out of his copy-book, and began a 
 letter to his mother. He complained bit 
 terly of the treatment he received, spoke 
 of Parson Hubert as a great tyrant, and 
 declared that he would die if he remained 
 at the parsonage, for the boys were all 
 too young and too childish to be suitable 
 companions for him. It was fully dark 
 by the time he had finished ; but at length 
 it was folded and sealed, and placing it 
 in his pocket, he resolved to give it in the 
 morning to the boy who carried the let 
 ters to the village post-office. 
 
 Just then the boys made their appear- 
 
NEW COMPANIONS AND NEW KULES. 139 
 
 ance, looking as bright and happy as only 
 boys do, and after telling Harry that it 
 was time to go to bed, proposed repeating 
 some of the many stories they had heard 
 down stairs. " They were so funny," 
 said Ned ; " Uncle Hubert and Mr. 
 Wharton made us laugh ; but Albert told 
 the best one, and if you would like to 
 hear it I will tell you." 
 
 " No, thank you," answered Harry 
 coldly, as he prepared for bed ; " I am 
 tired and sleepy ; besides, I have not 
 taken any fancy for Albert; he seems 
 to be a silly kind of fellow for one of 
 his age." 
 
 He did not care to hear anything more 
 about one who, older than himself, could 
 take so much pleasure in the sports of 
 children, and tell tales to them. His in 
 terest in Albert was at an end. Poor 
 Harry, he did not love reading ; he had 
 never read any of those instructive books 
 which are so useful to children ; nobody 
 -had ever told him tales calculated to in 
 struct ; the few stories he had heard 
 were all about ghosts or fairies, or trifling 
 
14:0 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 adventures of chickens or pigs, and only 
 tit for little people. 
 
 Charlie did not fail to remind him that 
 he ought to brush his clothes if he would 
 wish to avoid an unpleasant scene in the 
 morning. " Come, Harry," said he, " get 
 at your brushing and I will help you ; it 
 is very easy and will only take a few 
 minutes." 
 
 "I know it," Harry answered snappishly, 
 "without your telling me;" for he was 
 still in a bad humor, and it made him 
 angry to be reminded of his duty, which 
 he had not forgotten. " I can get up a 
 little earlier in the morning and do it," 
 he added, "but I am too sleepy just 
 now." 
 
 This was not true, and only proceeded 
 from a spirit of opposition, for he wished 
 to show the boys that he was determined 
 to do just as he pleased, accepting neither 
 advice nor assistance. Charlie made no 
 reply, but proceeded, as did the two 
 other boys, to perform their tasks, 
 while Harry got into bed and was soon 
 fast asleep. 
 
NEW COMPANIONS AND NEW KULES. 141 
 
 On the following morning he was 
 awakened by little Ned. " Yon know, 
 Harry," he urged, "you must get up a 
 little sooner as you have your clothes to 
 brush ;" but Harry bade him let him 
 alone, and turning over on the other side 
 was soon sound asleep. The other boys 
 rose at the sound of the first bell. 
 " Come, Harry," cried Charlie, " I will 
 help you if you get up now." 
 
 No ; our wayward hero never rose at 
 home until it suited him, and full of his 
 new plan of steady rebellion, he would 
 now let them all see that he would lie 
 abed as long as he pleased. He therefore 
 made no answer to Charlie s offer of as 
 sistance, but at last he forced himself to 
 leave his bed, and with very visible re 
 luctance began to dress. But his clothes ; 
 ah, they were to be brushed, and he set 
 about beginning the task, very awkwardly 
 indeed, whereupon Charlie good-natur 
 edly offered to assist him. He had, how 
 ever, just taken the brush in his hand 
 when the prayer-bell sounded, and he 
 was obliged to go without having per- 
 
142 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 formed his generous intention, which was 
 to save Harry the mortification which he 
 knew must ensue on the failure of his duty. 
 
 Prayers were ended and breakfast was 
 over before Harry made his appearance, 
 and great was his dismay at finding the 
 table cleared and no breakfast set aside 
 for him. Nobody seemed to have noticed 
 that he had been too late except Annie, 
 the servant girl, who was taking her 
 morning meal in the kitchen, who offered 
 to give him a slice of bread and butter, 
 which he disdained to accept. 
 
 The hour for school arrived, and Harry 
 took his place in the class. Mr. Hubert 
 made no allusion to his nonappearance at 
 the breakfast table, but attended to the 
 lessons as usual. More angry than ever, 
 Harry opened the letter he had written 
 to his mother to add a postscript, in which 
 he detailed this new indignity at full 
 length, and then sent it to the post-office, 
 without, as he believed, any one having 
 noticed it. How greatly was he aston 
 ished on the next morning to find it lying 
 unopened on his desk. Who could have 
 
NEW COMPANIONS AND NEW RULES. 143 
 
 laid it there, as he had given it himself to 
 the post-boy and saw him put it in his 
 pocket. He was determined, however, 
 not to be baffled. An old soldier who 
 was somewhat of a cripple used to go 
 about the village with a hand-organ ; 
 sometimes in an evening he came out as 
 far as the school, and as he was really an 
 object of pity he was never driven away. 
 The letter was given into his charge by 
 Harry ; but, strange to tell, next day it 
 was once more lying on the desk. 
 
 It was now time to give up ; Mr. Hubert 
 could not, it seemed, be cheated ; so, with 
 a determination which exerted in a better 
 cause would have been praiseworthy, he 
 walked boldly into the pastor s room, and 
 unblushingly demanded why his letter 
 could not be sent. 
 
 " Because," answered Mr. Hubert mild 
 ly, u you have not complied with the rules 
 respecting letters being sent to the post. 
 I never refuse to send any letters left on 
 my table ; but, at the same time, I never 
 permit any clandestine proceedings." 
 
 " Sir, may I beg that this letter be sent 
 
144: PARSON- HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 to my mother, as those of the other boys 
 are sent to their homes ?" 
 
 " Certainly," was the quiet answer ; but 
 words cannot well describe the anxiety of 
 our fro ward hero lest Mr. Hubert should 
 open the letter and read it. This he did 
 not do, but taking a new envelope, on the 
 inside of which he wrote a few words, he 
 inclosed and sent it in Harry s presence 
 to the post. 
 
 In a few days an answer came ; it was 
 addressed to Mr. Hubert, with a letter 
 inclosed to Harry. It was from his 
 mother, who assured him that it was for 
 his own good alone she had chosen to 
 part with him, and advised him to submit 
 to all the rules of the establishment, tell 
 ing him that no complaint or act of rebel 
 lion on his part would meet with any 
 countenance from her. More than this, 
 she added, after assuring him of her un 
 altered affection : " I wish you to show 
 this letter to good Mr. Hubert, whom I do 
 thank for the watchful care of which you 
 complain. You cannot fail to be happy 
 and improve if you do right, which will 
 
NEW COMPANIONS AND NEW RULES. 145 
 
 be in submitting your own will to that of 
 those whom God in his providence has 
 placed over you, for 4 obedience is better 
 than sacrifice. " 
 
 Greatly ashamed and very much 
 grieved, Harry had no thought of dis 
 obeying his mother s injunction. Blush 
 ing deeply, he handed his letter to his 
 teacher, who, after reading, returned it to 
 him without a single word either of re 
 proof or otherwise. Harry, however, had 
 no thought of submitting in the manner 
 recommended by his mother. He would 
 run away; he would leave this hateful 
 place, this stern teacher, and those silly 
 boys whom he could not bear. He would 
 let every one see that he could not be 
 forced to clean his own boots and brush 
 his own clothes ; he had a will of his own, 
 as well as Parson Hubert, and he would 
 use it. Robinson Crusoe he knew a lit 
 tle of that story ran off and went to sea; 
 he had no particular fancy for the sea, 
 but the wide world was for everybody, 
 and he would go forth and try it. 
 
 His Uncle Alfred, who had sent him the 
 
146 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 pony, was a brother of his mother, and 
 lived in the city of A. He thought, as he 
 had plenty of pocket money, he could 
 slip out at night, reach the turnpike road 
 before morning, and wait for the stage 
 coach, which was sure to pass. The silly 
 boy ! he did not know what was the dis 
 tance, or how far his money would reach. 
 He saw, like many others, only one 
 side of the picture ; all the lights but none 
 of the shadows. There was now beautiful 
 moonlight, and on the next night he was 
 resolved to begin his flight. 
 
A MOONLIGHT FLITTING. 147 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 A MOONLIGHT FLITTING. 
 
 " ONLY one day more to be a slave," 
 was Harry s mental observation, when on 
 rising he found the sun shining clear and 
 bright, and all seeming to promise success 
 to his plan of running away. He con 
 sidered and, as he thought, perfectly ar 
 ranged his route, never deeming that any 
 obstacle, either from his entire ignorance 
 of all the roads in the neighborhood or 
 otherwise, would arise and frustrate his 
 purpose. He had some pocket money, 
 for here there was no inducement to 
 spend ; and as he had no idea of what it 
 costs to travel, he never dreamed that his 
 money might not enable him to reach the 
 place where his uncle lived ; indeed, 
 he did not know what was the distance 
 to it. 
 
 " The stage-driver can tell me," he said 
 to himself. " I will give him my money, 
 
14-8 PAESON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 and say where I want to go ;" and thus, 
 quite at ease for the success of his expe 
 dition, he passed a more pleasant day 
 than he had done since his arrival. 
 
 In order that his purpose should not be 
 guessed, he chose to be singularly obliging 
 and obedient to all the rules ; he also forced 
 himself to be very pleasant to his com 
 panions, studied his lessons, which he re 
 cited without a mistake; and although not 
 asked by Charlie, assisted him in tying 
 up some trailing vines which had fallen 
 from their trellis, and gathered some ripe 
 seeds for Aunt Pattie. 
 
 For these slight services he was re 
 warded by a full share of delicious fruit, 
 which on this occasion he did not disdain, 
 and thought it tasted better than any he 
 had ever tasted at home. He did not 
 know until now how sweet are the fruits 
 of honest labor ; yet it never entered into 
 his mind that it was the having earned 
 the plums made them taste so good. 
 Truly, he never would do such work 
 again ; it was just what Sam Stokes, the 
 gardener s boy, did at home ; the vines 
 
A MOONLGHT FLITTING. 149 
 
 scratched his hands, and rubbing the 
 seeds made them rough ; he was no day- 
 laborer, and he would not work. He 
 would tell his uncle what a dreadful place 
 this was where he had been living, and 
 concluded that his mother would be in 
 duced by her brother s representations to 
 recall him. 
 
 The day wore on, as we have described, 
 and Harry counted the hours as they 
 passed. Supper, studies, prayers, and at 
 length bedtime came, all in due order. 
 Harry brushed his clothes and polished 
 his boots, wondering all the time at his 
 own dexterity ; surely he performed the 
 task as well as any of the other boys, who, 
 he did not doubt, had cleaned their own 
 shoes all their lives. 
 
 The preliminary tasks ended, the lads 
 crept, into bed, Harry however, not to 
 sleep, but think. He listened to the re 
 treating footsteps of the family as they 
 retired one by one ; counted the half 
 hours as the clock proclaimed how time 
 was passing until it sounded twelve. 
 This was the hour he had fixed to put his 
 10 
 
150 PAESON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 plan into execution. The boys were 
 sleeping soundty. He rose from his bed 
 without making the least noise, dressed 
 himself hastily, turned the handle of the 
 lock cautiously, and opening the door 
 found himself in the passage. So far all 
 had succeeded ; he had made a good be 
 ginning, yet his heart beat wildly as he 
 passed the door of Mr. Hubert s chamber ; 
 he listened for a moment, but no sound 
 from within gave the least cause for 
 alarm. The front door was reached, it 
 was locked, but the key was in its socket, 
 and the iron bolt above was easily pushed 
 back. This, however, could not be done 
 without some noise, and Harry trembled 
 so violently as nearly to be unfitted for 
 the task. At one moment he thought he 
 heard a window open, and he feared to 
 meet the dreaded Mr. Hubert ; but all re 
 mained silent, and he then concluded he 
 had been deceived. Leaving the house 
 he found himself in the court-yard, and 
 experienced a great feeling of relief as he 
 breathed the pure air and imagined him 
 self free. How he exulted in the success 
 
A MOONLIGHT FLUTING. 151 
 
 of his plan, and as he believed lie was 
 about to take leave of this hated place 
 forever, he could scarce refrain a shout 
 of joy. 
 
 The parsonage, as we have already de 
 scribed, was situated with a lawn in front, 
 inclosed on each side by offices and sta 
 bles ; one large gate with a smaller one 
 at the side gave an opening on to the 
 high road. 
 
 The moon shone clear and beauti 
 ful, illumining the path down which he 
 flew rather than walked; there was the 
 gate ; one moment more and he would 
 be his own master, when, sad to tell, he 
 found it locked and the key gone. In 
 vain he tried to open the larger ; he shook 
 and shook it, but it did not yield ; the 
 two wings were fastened by an iron bar 
 which was placed across them, and Harry 
 was not tall enough to reach it. 
 
 Terrified and anxious, he began to look 
 round for something on which to climb, 
 so that he might remove the bar ; no 
 friendly ladder, block, or piece of wood, 
 which would aid his purpose, came with- 
 
152 PAKSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 in his view. All here was kept in srich 
 perfect order; "a place for everything 
 and everything in its place " was one of 
 Parson Hubert s rules, and Harry in this 
 case found it carried out to the fullest 
 extent. Nothing lay about; no stable 
 door was left open ; if there had been he 
 could certainly have found a ladder; but 
 as it was, all so orderly, nothing could be 
 done, and our hero began to despair. 
 Ah ! he now remembered his behavior 
 respecting the practice of gymnastics; 
 had he pursued those exercises as his 
 teacher wished he would have had agility 
 enough to have climbed over the gate, 
 and in spite of bolts and bars have se 
 cured his liberty. But all hope of escape 
 was now at an end ; he saw his project 
 entirely upset, and angry and disappoint 
 ed he turned away, not to give it up, but 
 to consider what preparation ought to be 
 made for carrying it into effect. 
 
 Nothing now remained but to return 
 to the house as quietly as he had left it, 
 and creep into bed. With feelings of min 
 gled rage and grief he turned away from 
 
A MOONLIGHT FLITTING. 153 
 
 the gate, and retraced the path he had so 
 lately trodden with joy at the prospect 
 of freedom. But when the front door 
 was reached, and he turned the handle 
 of the lock, it only moved, and gave no 
 admittance. After jnany fruitless en 
 deavors to effect an entrance he was ob 
 liged to give up; but how it happened he 
 could not imagine, unless, as he said to 
 himself, the door shut with a spring, and 
 thus had locked of itself. 
 
 What was now to be done ? That was 
 a question more easily asked than an 
 swered. The night was cold, for it was 
 autumn ; and to make matters worse the 
 moon, which in the earlier hours had 
 shone forth in such benevolent bright 
 ness, was now overcast, and a heavy dew 
 or rather drizzle began to fall. Harry, 
 altogether at a loss how to proceed, lean 
 ed against the door-post, and in an agony 
 of impatience wished now to get into the 
 house even more anxiously than a short 
 time ago he had desired to get out of it. 
 "It is too bad," he said, half crying; " I 
 have had nothing but trouble and mis- 
 
154 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 fortune ever since I came to this unlucky 
 place." 
 
 But, while blaming the place and cir 
 cumstances for his present unpleasant di 
 lemma, he never once thought of blaming 
 himself, or recognizing that it was his 
 own self-will and folly which placed him 
 in it. He possessed, however, some firm 
 ness, for he did not at once give up, but 
 waited for more than an hour before he 
 could force himself to beg for admission. 
 Alone in the darkness, wet with the 
 rain, and trembling with cold, how he 
 longed to be in his warm bed, of the 
 comfort of which he was now, for the 
 first time in his life, fully sensible. He 
 wept aloud, struck his brow, as if he 
 wished to rake up some thought which 
 would suggest a way to get out of this 
 scrape, and ran about examining every 
 window in hopes one might be found 
 unfastened. In vain; no one ever caught 
 Parson Hubert napping; nothing ever 
 disturbed the perfect order and regu 
 larity of the appointments at Lock wood 
 School. 
 
A MOONLIGHT FLITTING. 155 
 
 Aftei exhausting himself and Ins anger 
 in the wa;y we have mentioned, he found 
 that nothing was left for him but to call 
 Mr. Hubert. At length he did so. 
 
 " Harry, my son, is it you ? How did 
 you get into the court-yard ? Is it not 
 rather a bad night to be abroad in ?" 
 inquired the good parson as, on opening 
 the door, he beheld our poor hero as he 
 stood trembling with agitation rather 
 than cold. No answer being returned he 
 continued: "Very strange indeed, as 1 
 put down the night latch myself at bed 
 time ; I had not the least idea of any one 
 being out." 
 
 Why did not our poor Harry now tell 
 the truth at once ? Surely it would have 
 been better for him to have confessed his 
 fault openly, and begged the forgiveness 
 he was sure to receive. He had no inten 
 tion, however, of acknowledging what had 
 been his purpose, although defeated ; false 
 hood had become habitual and easy, and his 
 ready invention at once suggested the lie. 
 
 " I expect I must have come down and 
 opened the door in my sleep," said he ; 
 
156 P ARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 " at home I often got up, dressed myself, 
 and went out, particularly in moonlight 
 nights. But how I got down hero I can 
 not tell. I found myself outside the door, 
 and it is not moonlight now." 
 
 Mr. Hubert was by no means deceived. 
 Harry did not move so quietly but that he 
 awaked him ; the night-latch, as it fell into 
 its place, was not unheard ; and suspecting 
 what Harry was planning, he rose from 
 his bed and watched the whole proceed 
 ing from his window. 
 
 " Ah," said he, " this is bad, and argues 
 an unsound state of health. No one who 
 is really well ever walks in his sleep. But 
 as I know how greatly your mother would 
 grieve if- any accident would befall you. 
 I shall take all possible care that you do 
 not make another excursion in your sleep. 
 Therefore I will have your bed at once re 
 moved to my room, where, as I am always 
 awakened by the slightest noise, I will 
 have you under rny constant care, and I 
 trust be able to cure the malady which 
 causes your sleep-walking." 
 
 With these words, which threatened an 
 
X 
 
 A MOONLIGHT FLITTING. 157 
 
 increase rather than diminution of our 
 young hero s misfortunes, he sent him to 
 bed, and calling Annie, he bade her pre 
 pare some herb tea, in order, as he said, 
 to prevent the bad effect which might en 
 sue from this night- wandering. He waited 
 until it was brought, and handing the 
 bowl to Harry, bade him, in the kindest 
 manner, drink it. 
 
 " You will tind it very bitter, my son," 
 said he ; " but we have in this world to 
 take many bitter things to cure both our 
 moral as well as physical maladies, and 
 after the cure is perfected we are thankful 
 for the means, however bitter they seemed 
 at the time." 
 
 Harry, although bursting with anger, 
 drank the tea without the least hesitation. 
 Although Mr. Hubert had not exhibited 
 the slightest symptom of anger, although 
 not asking a single question or uttering 
 one word of reproof, the wayward lad 
 felt that he had received from his new 
 teacher the hardest lesson he had ever 
 learned. Was everything here in league 
 with this country schoolmaster to disap- 
 

 158 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 point and humble him ? Was it acci 
 dental, or what could have made Mr. 
 Hubert acquainted with all that had oc 
 curred ? Did he suspect the plan of run 
 ning away, or doubt the story of his pro 
 pensity to walk in his sleep ? All these 
 questions pressed painfully on Harry s 
 mind and added tenfold to his unhap- 
 piness. 
 
 It was not, however, by accident that 
 Mr. Hubert discovered our young hero s 
 intention. His long experience in teach 
 ing had made him observant and quick to 
 detect the symptoms of rebellion, even 
 when scarcely begun to develop. He 
 saw at once what were Harry s greatest 
 errors, and having a full account of all 
 that had occurred at home from Dr. Mar 
 tin, he resolved to cure him of his faults 
 by letting him experience their conse 
 quences. This plan he was now pursuing, 
 trusting more to its efficacy than a course 
 of admonition and reproof, which would 
 only have been mocked at by the way 
 ward boy. 
 
 A violent cold was the consequence of 
 
A MOONLIGHT FLITTING. 159 
 
 Harry s night-wandering; his head and 
 limbs ached, and for several days he was 
 obliged to keep his bed. And now he 
 longed more than ever for his home ; and 
 as he had full time to think, his reflec 
 tions, which in spite of himself would 
 turn to his own misdeeds, brought noth 
 ing but self-reproach in their train. 
 Could he only see his mother; ah, how 
 many lying excuses had he made to 
 avoid visiting her sick chamber, and that 
 too when he knew that his presence 
 soothed and comforted her more than 
 anything else. 
 
 A physician was called in, not because 
 he was very ill, but the measles were very 
 prevalent in the neighborhood, and Mr. 
 Hubert did not know whether or not he 
 had ever had them. His bed was there 
 fore removed into another room adjoining 
 that of Mr. Hubert, where Aunt Pattie 
 attended to him with all the tender care 
 of a mother. 
 
 Harry now longed for the companion 
 ship of the boys quite as much as he had 
 formerly avoided it. He was very lonely. 
 
160 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 but he bore the tedium silently ; he was 
 still too proud to ask a favor. Parson 
 Hubert, however, was as considerate as 
 sagacious, and pitying his loneliness, as 
 his eyes were too weak to allow him to 
 read, gave little Ned, who had had the 
 measles the year before, leave to stay 
 with Harry whenever he wished after 
 his lessons were over. 
 
 Our wayward hero at first thought 
 Charlie might be spared as well as Ned, 
 who was younger than himself; but the 
 little fellow was so pleasant, cheerful, and 
 obliging, that Harry, almost in spite of 
 himself, began to love him dearly. "Ned," 
 said he one day when thus alone, " don t 
 you want to go home and see your moth 
 er ? I think I shall never be well until I 
 get home." 
 
 " I suppose I would want to be at home 
 more if my parents were living, but my 
 father and mother are dead ; and I live 
 with my uncle, who is very good to me, 
 but still nothing is like one s father and 
 mother." 
 
 " But you always seem so happy, Ned. ; 
 
A MOONLIGHT FLITTING. 161 
 
 " That is because I think I ought to be 
 happy. To be sure, I often think of my 
 parents and wisb they were living; but 
 then I consider there are many orphans 
 in the world who have not such kind 
 friends as I have. My uncle and aunt 
 are very kind to me ; and as for Mr. Hu 
 bert and Aunt Pattie, they were as good 
 as any parents could be when I was sick 
 with the measles. And, Harry, if you 
 will only mind the rules, you will soon 
 be as happy as any of us, for indeed I 
 think, as you know all boys have to be 
 sent away from home some time, we could 
 not have found a better home." 
 
 Harry thought Ned was easily pleased, 
 but made no answer, and he was glad 
 he did not, for the bright face of Aunt 
 Pattie, who just then entered with a 
 plate of fruit, which she placed before 
 him, made him for the time a half con 
 vert to little Ned s opinion. 
 
162 P ARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 HARDER LESSONS THAN THE FIRST. 
 
 HARRY S illness was by no means alarm 
 ing ; but Mr. Hubert being particularly 
 careful of the boys health, thought it best 
 he should remain in his room until en 
 tirely recovered. His eyes continuing 
 very weak, he dared not read ; this, could 
 he have amused himself out of doors, 
 would have been no privation, as he pre 
 ferred active pursuits to study. He had 
 often laughed at Ned for loving to read 
 stories arid fables, which he said were too 
 childish for such big boys as they were. 
 Nevertheless one day, when the little lad 
 came as usual to his room with a book 
 in his hand, he begged him to read a 
 story or anything else he chose. 
 
 "I am afraid you will not like this 
 book, Harry," he replied ; " the story I 
 was reading is a sort of fable, and you 
 always laugh at fables, although Mr. 
 
HARDER LESSONS THAN THE FIRST. 163 
 
 Hubert says that they are full of meaning, 
 and teach many useful lessons." 
 
 " Let me hear what it is about," said 
 Harry, " maybe I can learn something 
 from it too." 
 
 " Well," replied Ned, opening his book, 
 44 it is about the Mayflower that would 
 have its own way. You know, Harry, 
 although the fables make birds and flow 
 ers talk, we are not to believe they did so, 
 because we know nothing has the gift of 
 speech but human beings ; they are only 
 written so to teach us a lesson." 
 
 " I know all that, for I am not quite a 
 blockhead," rejoined Harry somewhat 
 pettishly ; " but do begin, Ned, and let 
 us see what we can pick out of it." 
 
 Ned waited for no further urging, but 
 taking up his book, read aloud about 
 
 "THE LITTLE MAYFLOWER THAT WOULD 
 HAVE ITS OWN WAY. 
 
 u Everybody knows the little Mayflow 
 ers, with their white flowers and green 
 leaves, that grow in the woods and mead 
 ows, and children go out and gather 
 
164 PAKSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 them in handfuls, for the} 7 are among the 
 earliest flowers of spring. As soon as the 
 snows are gone and the fields begin to 
 grow green, these little flowers begin to 
 peep out of the ground, and seem to look 
 round curiously as if to see if old winter 
 is really gone. 
 
 "Springing up then in clusters, they 
 spread forth their white cups to the sun 
 and invite the bees, butterflies, and even 
 beetles to their acquaintance. Nor these 
 only ; they do not bid farewell to the 
 earth until all the birds of passage, except 
 the sparrow, have come and gone, and 
 until the fields have lost all their summer 
 beauty. Sometimes, indeed, they tarry 
 until the first snow falls, and then they 
 get their noses frozen ; that is the reason 
 so the country people say why the tip 
 of their leaves is red, for although on the 
 next year they come so early and bathe 
 their whole heads in the May dew, the 
 red spot remains, looking just like a frost 
 bite. 
 
 " Well, there was once one of these 
 flowers, a good-natured, simple little thing 
 
HARDER LESSONS THAN THE FIRST. 165 
 
 that for many years bad sprung up every 
 spring quite contentedly in the same 
 place. It did not care that it was less 
 beautiful than the rose, or not dressed so 
 fine as the tulip ; no, its lot had been cast 
 to dwell always in that same meadow 
 among its equals, and it wanted nothing 
 better. When the children came there to 
 play, they often trod upon it; but al 
 though for the time hurt, it never fretted 
 over what could not be helped ; it would 
 modestly raise its head again, and soon 
 be as well as ever. It never once dream 
 ed of wishing to have its own will, but 
 was as happy, standing on its one stalk in 
 the same place from year to year, as any 
 flower that ever bloomed in green-house 
 or garden. 
 
 "But all at once, what do you think? 
 or who could have believed it ? The silly 
 thing took it into its head that for once it 
 would have its own way and see the world. 
 The manner in which this came about 
 was as follows : One day a very stylish vis 
 itor came from the city to the meadow ; this 
 was a magpie, who was clothed in a dress 
 11 
 
166 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 of shining black with a white collar round 
 her neck. There was a beautiful little 
 brook running through the meadow, and 
 our little flower dwelt on the bank among 
 the bright green grass that clothed it, and 
 quite close to the stream. The magpie 
 came to drink the water ; she had a very 
 hoarse voice and hoped that this might 
 cure her, (just as folks go to springs for 
 the cure of different maladies,) never ad 
 mitting that her hoarseness was natural, 
 and, therefore, could not be changed. 
 She found the time hung very heavy ; so, 
 for want of something better to do, she 
 began at first to speak only occasionally 
 to the mayflower, but at length, as is often 
 the case with human beings, they became 
 quite intimate. 
 
 " It is the fashion everywhere for city 
 folks to visit their country friends in sum 
 mer for the benefit of pure air and good 
 fresh milk. So the magpie, following the 
 example of others, had come to the coun 
 try, but being rather late, found most of 
 the flowers dead and the birds gone ; and, 
 quite disappointed, wus a/bout to return 
 
HARDER LESSONS THAN THE FIRST. 167 
 
 home, when she saw the bright little may- 
 flower blooming as freshly as if there wa8 
 no winter advancing. At another tima 
 she would not have noticed such a humble 
 flower, but have passed by it disdainfully. 
 But even haughty people often stoop to 
 become acquainted with humble folks ; 
 that is, when they cannot do any better, 
 and so the city magpie became quite 
 condescending. The little flower was at 
 first a little confused, but soon recovered 
 so far as to be able to answer. 
 
 " Ah my friend, said the magpie, 
 4 how well you look considering the late 
 ness of the season. This must be a very 
 healthy place, and I hope will do me 
 good, as I am very hoarse and have 
 grown quite thin. 
 
 The mayflower did not answer ; indeed, 
 the magpie did not expect it, for there 
 are many who w r ould rather talk than 
 listen ; and so she went on telling of all 
 the wonders she had seen in her travels. 
 How in other countries there was no win 
 ter, but it was summer all the year round ; 
 where the flowers did not hide their heads 
 
168 PAESON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 in the dark earth, and the birds were al 
 ways singing. Why do yon stay in tin s 
 dull place? she at length asked; why 
 do you not go and see the world? Cooped 
 up here as you are, you can have no idea 
 M what things are like abroad. Travel 
 is very improving; and besides, every one 
 is more respected abroad than at home. 
 Consult your acquaintances, the w T ild 
 geese, who make excursions from Asia to 
 America every year, they will tell yon 
 the same. 
 
 u Ah yes, I know all that, whispered 
 the little mayflower in reply ; I know I 
 am of no account here, since the very 
 children tread upon me, and no one ever 
 plucks my flowers to bind them up in a 
 boquet. The wild geese, yes, I have often 
 envied them as I saw them flying abroad 
 on their travels ; but who ever heard of a 
 mayflower (she uttered the name very 
 loudly) going abroad ? ISTo, we have 
 lived in this meadow for years and years, 
 and I must say have been very happy ; 
 but I think now I would like to go abroad. 
 What would my family say, do you sup- 
 
HAEDEK LESSONS THAN THE FIRST. 169 
 
 pose, if I were to mention such a thing? 
 All the world of grasses and plants that 
 dwell in this meadow would, I am sure, 
 look upon me with more respect; and 
 the silly little thing raised her head 
 proudly, as if looking around to see who 
 had heard and applauded. 
 
 " ; What is it to you what any one 
 thinks? urged the magpie. All reason 
 able creatures ought to have their own 
 way, and take their pleasure without their 
 families or others troubling themselves 
 about it. It is all nonsense this consulting 
 of friends and trying to please others ; my 
 rule is to please myself without caring 
 for anybody. You may depend upon it, 
 that if you take your own will and go off, 
 for instance, to Siberia, or the Polar Sea, 
 or Africa, you will occupy a very differ 
 ent position from that you now fill in this 
 miserable meadow. Folks are always of 
 more importance abroad than at home. 
 
 u The little mayflower was convinced ; 
 she was determined to go abroad without 
 consulting any of her family. Still, as 
 she was very modest, she blushed at the 
 
170 PAKSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 thought of doing as she pleased. 4 I am 
 agreed, said she resolutely; I will not 
 ask my friends, but tell them I am going; 
 I will have my own way. I know & friend 
 ly swallow who is soon to leave for the 
 south; I will go with him, for, as he is 
 young and strong, he is very well able to 
 cany me in his bill. 
 
 " They all journey to the African coasts, 
 said the learned magpie ; and as they 
 travel in large caravans, they can carry 
 you by turns if you prove too heavy for 
 your friend. 
 
 " And now they went on talking about 
 various matters, but mostly about what the 
 little mayflower would see, and how much 
 she would improve, until the silly thing 
 began to imagine herself of great import 
 ance. She never had been so happy in 
 all her life. She was going to have her 
 own way, and she was altogether sure that 
 all those must be happy who can do just 
 as they please without any advice or in 
 terference of friends. She thanked the 
 magpie again and again for her wise coun 
 sel, and *when the distinguished visitor 
 
HARDER LESSONS THAN THE FIRST. 171 
 
 took her leave, made a low courtesy, bow 
 ing her little white head quite down to the 
 ground. She watched her as she moved 
 slowly through the long grass, and ad 
 mired the silky black tail that rustled 
 like some elegant lady s dress, and 
 thought it was better to be a bird than a 
 flower. 
 
 " Quite sensible of the honor of such a 
 visit, the mayflower wondered if any of 
 her neighbors had witnessed it, but was 
 altogether vexed to see that the little bird 
 flowers had shut their windows, and the 
 Ladies Mantles had closed their green 
 tents and were gone to sleep. 
 
 " ( What can you expect from such a 
 poor-spirited set? said she to herself. 
 They do not know anything about having 
 their own way, or going from home to im 
 prove. The magpie is right ; yes, and this 
 very day they shall see how one may 
 flower, at least, will take her own way, 
 and not be troubled by being obliged to 
 do as the rest of her family. 
 
 " Poor, silly little thing ! She did not 
 really know the meaning of having her 
 
172 PAESON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 own will, but that was no matter; she 
 thought it was something very desirable, 
 and was determined to use the privilege to 
 the utmost extent. She, however, thought 
 it right to let her family and acquaint 
 ances know of her undertaking. They all 
 advised and warned her against it. It 
 was full of danger, they said, and must 
 end in ruin ; but that was nothing to the 
 little self-willed flower ; she was going to 
 do as she pleased, and did not care what 
 any one thought. 
 
 " September soon carne round, and the 
 swallows prepared for their autumnal 
 flight, and when all was ready, declared 
 their willingness to receive our foolish little 
 inayflower into their company. On the last 
 evening before their departure (it is the 
 custom of the swallows always to begin 
 their journey at night) our silly, self-willed 
 flower withdrew her roots from their native 
 earth, drew the leaves of her green cup 
 over her head by way of a mantle, arid 
 declared she was ready. The whole party 
 set forth, the friendly swallow carrying the 
 inayflower in his bill, and by daylight 
 
HARDER LESSONS THAN THE FIRST. 173 
 
 they were far abroad on their journey 
 toward the south. 
 
 " For the first few minutes everything 
 was delightful. The little mayflower, 
 looking down on the humble spot that had 
 for so long been her home, felt how de 
 lightful it was to see the world, and how 
 pleasant it was to have her own way. 
 
 " Ah, how I pity those who are left be 
 hind, said she ; if they only had spirit 
 enough to do as they pleased, they would 
 not stay there rooted in that meadow for 
 ever. I am determined from this time 
 forth to have my own will but what ails 
 me now ? I cannot breathe ! 
 
 " And it was true. Heretofore, in her 
 own home, when the wind would sweep a 
 little more roughly over her than usual, 
 she would bend her head down into the 
 grass until it had passed over, and the 
 next minute she would raise it freshly as 
 ever. But the rapid flight of the swal 
 lows through the air set it in motion, and 
 made her breathing very difficult. She 
 looked about her; nothing but sky aurve 
 and around ; the earth was fur below, and 
 
174: PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 no friendly grass was seen where she could 
 vail her head from the strong current 
 which almost deprived her of breath. 
 
 "The swallows flew very fast, so before 
 many hours were over she lost the green 
 leaves of her cup which formed her man 
 tle, and then her white head was exposed 
 to the. chill night air. By the middle of 
 the next day her roots began to dry, and 
 there was no earth near from which they 
 could receive nourishment or be refreshed. 
 She began to feel very weak, yet was by 
 no means sorry for her undertaking. 
 
 " Nothing ails me, 5 whispered she, for 
 she could not speak loud ; c nothing ails rne 
 but that I am not used to traveling; but 
 I shall soon get used to it ; and at any rate 
 it is worth bearing some pain to have one s 
 own will ; it would be perfectly delight 
 ful if I was only well. 
 
 u But before long she was forced to con 
 fess that traveling in the air did not suit 
 her, and her head sank down, as if too 
 weak to sustain itself. 
 
 " I see you are very sick, said her friend, 
 the swallow, compassionately ; your roots 
 
HARDER LESSONS THAN THE FIRST. 175 
 
 are dry, and your leaves withered ; shall 
 I put you down somewhere on the ground, 
 where you can be refreshed with its moist 
 ure, which is your natural food ? 
 
 " O no, indeed, was the answer; I have 
 not had enough of my own will yet, and 
 it makes me so happy to know that I can 
 do just as I please. Besides, the magpie 
 arid all my friends would laugh at me ; 
 and I am really not sick ; I have only a 
 bad cold in my head from traveling in the 
 night air. " 
 
 " Now," said little Ned, " you see, Har 
 ry, that the silly little flower was becom 
 ing very refined by travel;, that is the 
 fashion, you know." 
 
 " Yes, I believe it is," answered Harry ? 
 " but go on with your story." 
 
 " The air grew r warmer as the travelers 
 approached the African coast ; our poor 
 little flower, however, was grown so 
 weak that she could not see the promised 
 land. Her leaves were withered and 
 hung down ; the sap in her stem was 
 dried up, for there was no nourishment 
 to be had from her root, since it received 
 
176 PAKSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 none from the earth; the warm climate 
 and dry air did not suit the northern 
 flower. 
 
 " I believe I am dying, she sighed. 
 " Ah? I wish I had listened to my friend s 
 advice, and not taken my own way ; I 
 have been too self-willed. 
 
 "These were her last words, and as she 
 uttered them the swallows alighted on 
 the land. Greatly were they troubled 
 when they found that nothing could be 
 done for the poor little flower; and while 
 they lamented over her sad fate, which 
 they did with noisy chatterings, they 
 came to the conclusion that it was not 
 best for the inexperienced to have their 
 own will. The news was carried back in 
 the spring; the family in the meadow 
 were very sorry, but said it was entirely 
 her own fault ; she would neither be con 
 tented nor take advice, but she would 
 have her own will. Since that time the 
 mayflowers have remained contented, 
 and no others of the race, that we have 
 ever heard of, have desired to travel 
 abroad or have their own will." 
 
HARDER LESSONS THAN THE FIRST. 177 
 
 The little reader closed his book, and 
 looked up into Harry s face as if to find 
 out what he thought of the story. At 
 first our hero considered it very childish, 
 just suited for such as little Ned; but as 
 it progressed his interest increased more 
 than he could have believed was possible. 
 It is true it was only about a little flower, 
 and related, as Ned said, "like a fable;" 
 but he was obliged to own it contained a 
 great deal of meaning, and seemed to suit 
 his own case as exactly as if it had been 
 made for him. He could not but acknowl 
 edge that the manner in which he had here 
 tofore obeyed the promptings of his self- 
 will much resembled the silly conduct of 
 the mayflower; and he could not conceal, 
 even in his partial judgment of self, that 
 they had nearly led to the same disas 
 trous consequences. 
 
 For the first time in his life he re 
 marked the moral of a tale. Before this, 
 when he did read, it was only for the sake 
 of the story. And while he recognized the 
 lesson it was intended to convey he silently 
 resolved to conquer his wayward temper 
 
178 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 and yield proper obedience. How silly 
 had been his course; his late attempt had 
 proved a perfect failure, resulting only in 
 injury to himself; and now, although the 
 experience he had gained might prevent 
 the repetition of a similar offense, the 
 effect of the last still remained in full 
 force, and without any prospect of a 
 speedy termination. He was rapidly re 
 covering from the indisposition caused by 
 exposure to the night air; but the false 
 hood, that moral malady to which he was 
 subject, which he had used in order to 
 deceive and mislead as to his real inten 
 tion, was to cause deeper suffering, and 
 required severer remedies before it could 
 be cured. 
 
 And now, in his repentant mood, he 
 thought over all the lies he had told and 
 the subterfuges he had used, and as he 
 could not recollect one single instance in 
 which they had not injured instead of 
 benefiting him, he silently resolved that 
 in future he would endeavor to act up 
 rightly and speak the truth. 
 
 This was well; but although the de- 
 
HARDER LESSONS THAN THE FIRST. 179 
 
 termination was praiseworthy, and might 
 preserve him from the perpetration of some 
 new deed of headlong folly, to conceal 
 which might cost him several falsehoods, 
 it could not prevent the consequences of 
 his last adventure, which had turned out 
 so complete a failure. He could not 
 humble himself to confess that he had 
 planned to run away; and the persistence 
 in the ready lie he had invented, namely, 
 that he was in the habit of getting up in 
 his sleep, was to bring a worse punish 
 ment than that of a few days confinement 
 by slight sickness. It was not enough 
 that his bed was removed into a closet 
 adjoining Mr. Hubert s room, thus pre 
 venting all thoughts of a second attempt 
 to run away, as that gentleman was the 
 slightest sleeper in the world, and awak 
 ened by the slightest noise ; but he was 
 deprived of the society of the other boys, 
 who had helped him to dress or undress, 
 as well as to clean his boots and brush 
 his clothes. 
 
 Fear of, or even respect for any one had 
 heretofore never entered the mind of 
 
180 PAESOK HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 Harry; but now, although Mr. Hubert 
 had as yet not spoken a cross word to 
 him, he found he could not treat him as 
 he had done others, for he had inspired him 
 with an involuntary awe, and he was em 
 barrassed and frightened even when he 
 called his name. Our readers may then 
 imagine what was his state of feeling 
 when one day while he was still an in 
 valid, and during a visit of Dr. S., Mr. 
 Hubert gravely inquired of the latter if 
 sleep-walking was not a disease which 
 required medical treatment. Harry, who 
 had now for the first time been able to 
 leave his bed, was standing near the doc 
 tor. As Mr. Hubert asked the question 
 he was startled ; his face was dyed with 
 a deep blush of ; vexation and shame, and 
 he felt ready to sink through the earth. 
 
 Dr. S., who was well aware of what 
 Mr. Hubert meant, said it was the effect 
 of some physical derangement, and be 
 gan an examination of symptoms with 
 Harry which gave him a great deal of 
 trouble to answer. The poor boy ! he 
 had resolved not to tell any more false- 
 
HAJBDEK LESSONS THAN THE FIRST. 181 
 
 
 
 hoods in future, but he could not even 
 now determine resolutely to confess the 
 truth; he was bold enough to plan a 
 runaway scheme at midnight, and brave 
 enough to begin its execution, but he 
 had not the courage to tell the truth. 
 Like the Spartan boy, who, having stolen 
 a fox, concealed it under his coat and suf 
 fered it to gnaw his vitals rather than 
 confess his theft, Harry maintained a sul 
 len silence as his questioner prescribed a 
 long course of treatment, besides giving 
 him some very bitter medicine, which if 
 persisted in he said would effect a perfect 
 cure. 
 
 There are few boys who are willing to 
 take medicine, and Harry formed no 
 exception to the rule. On the contrary, 
 he had always manifested an especial 
 repugnance to it, and on this occasion, 
 his conscience coming to his aid, he boldly 
 declared he had no malady that required 
 medical treatment. 
 
 " How now, Harry, said Mr. Hubert 
 in a tone of surprise, " are you so much 
 afraid of taking medicine that you will 
 12 
 
182 PAKSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 tell an untruth? You certainly told me, 
 when I questioned you why you were out 
 of your bed, dressed in your usual man 
 ner, and trying to climb over the gate 
 which opens out upon the high road, that 
 you were in the habit of walking in your 
 sleep. It is very dangerous. I knew a 
 boy once who was nearly killed by getting 
 up in his sleep and falling down stairs, 
 and I could not forgive myself if any 
 such accident happened to you while 
 under my care. You hear what Dr. S. 
 says, that it is a disease and curable, so 
 you will have to take medicine ; and in the 
 mean time I shall write to your mother 
 and inquire all about it, for Dr. Martin, 
 when he brought you here, did not say a 
 single word respecting it." 
 
 " No, no I have I did not walk in 
 my sleep ; I will go home to my mother ; 
 I cannot stay here ; I am so unhappy I 
 shall die if I stay," said Harry, now 
 wholly subdued. " I spoke a falsehood ; 
 I never walked in my sleep in all my life ; 
 but I wanted to go home, and so tried to 
 run away." 
 
HAKDEK LESSONS THAN THE FIKST. 183 
 
 " Ah, indeed!" cried Dr. S. "It was 
 rather a bold undertaking for a boy of 
 your age. And so you do not walk in 
 your sleep after all? But how was it that 
 you got out so quietly, and then made 
 such a noise to get in ?" 
 
 " I planned it all day," said Harry, sob 
 bing, for now, completely conquered, he 
 was determined to tell the whole truth. 
 " The doors were easy enough to open, 
 but when I was outside the front door the 
 latch fell into the socket, and when 1 tried 
 to get in I could not. Neither could I go 
 on, for the gate was bolted so high up 
 I couldn t reach it." 
 
 " My son," said Mr. Hubert very 
 gravely, " how can you expect us to 
 believe your present story after you have 
 once told us a falsehood and persisted in 
 it? I am going to write to your mother, 
 and ask her if you have ever walked in 
 your sleep." 
 
 Harry would not suffer him to proceed 
 any further. " O Mr. Hubert, please do 
 not," he cried, now thoroughly humbled, 
 "I have given her so much trouble lately. 
 
184 PAKSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 I will promise never to tell another false 
 hood. When I told you that I got up in 
 my sleep it was a lie, but I am telling the 
 truth now. I believed myself ill-treated 
 here, and was resolved to go to my uncle, 
 for I thought it would not be hard to get 
 there. I see now that I was wrong, and 
 am willing to bear any punishment you 
 choose to inflict upon me ; but do not 
 write to my mother. I cannot bear that 
 she should have any more trouble on my 
 account. I dare not think of seeing her 
 until I can give her pleasure, and am a 
 better boy, which I promise I will be if 
 you will trust me just this once." 
 
 "You see, Harry," said Mr. Hubert 
 very seriously, "how hard it is to believe 
 a liar even when he speaks the truth. 
 But I am willing to trust you once more, 
 since you acknowledge your error and 
 wish to spare your mother the dreadful 
 pain of knowing how faulty you have 
 been. But now remember, on the slight 
 est departure from truth this confidence 
 shall be withdrawn from you, and no 
 prayers or promises will be able to restore 
 
HAKDER LESSONS THAN THE FIRST. 185 
 
 it. Falsehood, as you see, always brings 
 its own punishment ; and as you have suf 
 fered severely for your error, I will not 
 inflict any other penalty although you 
 certainly deserve it, as you well know. 
 Tell me if you do not think so yourself ?" 
 
 " I feel that I have done very wrong 
 indeed," said Harry, " but I beg you will 
 forgive and trust me. I can keep my 
 promise ; try me, sir, you shall see that I 
 will." 
 
 " Well then, my boy," replied Mr. 
 Hubert, " as you seem, from love to your 
 mother and a dread of giving her pain, 
 resolved to reform, I will endeavor to for 
 get that you have tried to deceive me. 
 You grieve to have offended your mother, 
 who loves you ; have you not also consid 
 ered how much more you have offended 
 against God, to whose goodness you are 
 indebted for all your blessings, far more 
 than to an earthly parent? If you for 
 sake his law, which is that of truth, and 
 go on speaking and acting lies, you will 
 never find an inheritance in that city of 
 which God is the glory and the light, for 
 
186 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 no liar can enter there. "Whosoever loves 
 God will love his law and keep his com 
 mandments, which, even as the wholesome 
 restraints imposed by earthly parents, are 
 for our good/ 
 
 Harry, in his softened mood, listened 
 respectfully to the words of the good pas 
 tor, and more deeply impressed than he 
 had ever been in his life, he took the hand 
 of his friend who had so mildly admonish 
 ed instead of punishing him, and rever 
 ently pressed it to his lip^. We have 
 already told our readers that he was not 
 wholly destitute of good dispositions, but 
 being spoiled by blind indulgence, and 
 left to have his own way in everything, 
 he was in a fair way of being ruined. 
 Now, however, he saw that all his efforts 
 at deception had only brought trouble on 
 himself; that the only safe path was the 
 straightforward way of truth ; and when 
 he left the presence of Mr. Hubert it was 
 with a fixed purpose hereafter to walk in 
 that way. 
 
 But it is not so easy, as many suppose, 
 to overcome a fault or lay aside a deeply 
 
HARDER LESSONS THAN THE FIRST. 187 
 
 rooted habit. Something more than reso 
 lution is necessary ; constant watchfulness 
 over self must be maintained or the con 
 quest is not complete, as Harry, although 
 sincerely determined to reform, had soon 
 an opportunity of finding out. 
 
188 PAHSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 * 
 
 TRUTH IS ALWAYS BEST. 
 
 MR. HUBERT, at Harry s request, had 
 consented that he should again sleep in 
 the same room with the other boys, whom, 
 although on his first arrival he had de 
 spised as clownish in their manners and 
 rustic in looks, he had now half begun to 
 like. He had found out that Charley and 
 William were the sons of rich fathers in 
 
 County, and the favorable impression 
 
 thus made was deepened by the kindness 
 they showed him during his sickness. 
 Although not altogether recovered from 
 the indisposition contracted by his mid 
 night adventure, his bed was removed on 
 the same evening, and restored to its for 
 mer place. 
 
 "I am so glad you have come back, 
 Harry," said little Ned, " it seemed real 
 lonesome without you ; but now you 
 won t try to run away again, will you ? " 
 
TKUTH IS ALWAYS BEST. 189 
 
 "No," replied Harry, "I will not; i 
 have given my word to Mr. Hubert and 
 I will not break it." 
 
 " That is right," said Charlie ; " yon can 
 be very happy here if yon please ; I was 
 a little lonesome at first, but now I am 
 just as contented as ever I was at home. 
 But we are all glad to have you once 
 more for a room mate, for " 
 
 He did not say what, for the speech 
 was interrupted by the entrance of Mr. 
 Hubert, who had come in to see if his 
 orders had been properly attended to. 
 "All right," said he; "I felt it my duty 
 to keep you near me while you were sick, 
 to guard against any act of imprudence 
 you might choose to commit. You have 
 assured me, however, that you do not get 
 up in your sleep, and I am willing to be 
 lieve you ; and although you cough and 
 are still a little hoarse, I think there is no 
 risk in permitting you to return to this 
 room." 
 
 " O no, sir," cried Harry ; " this is such a 
 pleasant room I am sure I shall get well all 
 the sooner for being here witli the boys." 
 
190 PAKSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 Mr. Hubert smiled. " Very well," said 
 he, " but you must not expose yourself to 
 the night air, which does not suit invalids. 
 But, Harry, to show you what implicit 
 confidence I place in you now, and how 
 sure I am that you will keep your word, 
 I will fix the night latch that it cannot 
 fall down, and leave the gate unbolted, 
 only placing a brick against it to keep it 
 shut. We have no thieves here, and have 
 little occasion to lock anything." 
 
 Mr. Hubert spoke rather playfully, but 
 Harry was beginning to find out the kind 
 of person he had to deal with ; mild as a 
 sunbeam, but firm as a rock, he could 
 not be trifled with. The allusion to the 
 midnight adventure, which had so lament 
 ably failed, brought a deep blush to his 
 face, and he remained silent. " No," 
 said he to himself, " I will never be so 
 mean as to take advantage of his confi 
 dence, and I will show him that I can 
 keep my word, for, indeed, I am begin 
 ning to like him, and think he means to 
 do right by me." Still, he could not re 
 press a feeling of dissatisfaction that now, 
 
TRUTH IS ALWAYS BEST. 191 
 
 when he again was free and nearly re 
 stored to health, when, in consequence of a 
 promise, there was every facility offered for 
 a successful flight, he dared not attempt 
 to gain the full amount of liberty he so 
 ardently wished for, since he felt himself 
 completely fettered by his promise. Be 
 sides, he could not help knowing that the 
 undertaking would be a very foolish one, 
 for his mother, now fully aroused to a 
 sense of duty, had shown him she would 
 not encourage his rebellion against his 
 teacher, for she too insisted on obedience. 
 Harry had nothing to do but submit, and 
 thinking that he had managed his late 
 project very badly, at length gave up all 
 idea of ever running away. 
 
 Bat the consequences of his folly were 
 not yet over ; he had to suffer, not only 
 through a continued hoarseness, but other 
 wise. The boys had gone out one day 
 with Mr. Hubert to collect specimens for 
 a cabinet one of them was making up. 
 It was no uncommon thing ; they often 
 went out to hunt butterflies and beetles, 
 and when they came home laden with 
 
192 PARSON HUBKRT S SCHOOL. 
 
 spoils gathered from the fields and woods, 
 they were as happy as if returning from 
 a successful expedition to California. 
 
 On the day just mentioned (Harry 
 could not go with them on account of his 
 cold, although he would gladly have done 
 so) they came back unusually elated. 
 They said that, having gone farther than 
 they at first intended, Mr. Hubert, find 
 ing himself in the neighborhood of a 
 gentleman s house, proposed, as the 
 owner was a particular friend of his, that 
 they should go there and rest for an hour. 
 Mr. Harrison was a very wealthy man, 
 owning many large farms, and as he 
 had the reputation of being very hospit 
 able, Mr. Hubert was quite sure they 
 would be made welcome. "And so we 
 went," said Charley " and a nice time 
 we had ; we were ever so sorry you were 
 not along." 
 
 "And what do you think?" chimed in 
 Will, " they made us stay for supper. Mr. 
 Harrison would not let Mr. Hubert go. 
 It was grand I tell you. Here, I brought 
 a big apple a belle flower and I ll give 
 
TKUTH IS ALWAYS BEST. 193 
 
 it to you because you were not there, arid 
 you can t get such as that every day." 
 
 " Wasn t it a good supper ?" inter 
 rupted Ned, " and didn t we eat like 
 everything ?" 
 
 " Like everything, or like forty ?" said 
 Charley laughing, " which I suppose, Ned, 
 means hungry boys, and we certainly 
 were that, for there is no better sharpener 
 of the appetite than ranging the woods 
 and fields after specimens as we had been 
 doing." 
 
 " How I do wish I had been along," 
 said Harry. " But is this Mr. Harrison 
 a gentleman, or just a rich, rough farmer." 
 
 "He is a gentleman," replied Charley, 
 smiling ; " even you would call him so ; 
 but you have not heard the best part of 
 it, which is this : Mr. Harrison is going 
 to have a harvest festival, (you know it is 
 a Pennsylvania custom,) and we are to be 
 invited, and Mr. Hubert said we might 
 go. It is always held after the grain and 
 fruits are harvested, and is a kind of 
 thanksgiving party ; the tenants and their 
 families are all invited, and we and others ; 
 
194 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 don t you think it will be nice to go, 
 Harry?" , 
 
 " Yes, indeed," was the reply ; " I 
 should like it of all things." 
 
 " We are all to go, every one of us," 
 cried Ned, " Mr. Harrison said so ; but 
 there, that is the bell for evening prayers," 
 and, happy as if they were the possessors 
 of kingdoms, they ran off to obey its sum 
 mons. 
 
 The subject was renewed while they 
 were brushing their clothes, a task which 
 was always performed before going to 
 bed ; and on this occasion required rather 
 longer time, as their jackets and pants 
 bore very visible evidence that there was 
 plenty of dust in the woods and fields, 
 which could be had for nothing. 
 
 " Were you ever at a harvest festival, 
 Harry ?" asked little Ned. 
 
 "No, never," was the reply; "I have 
 heard of them, but they did not have 
 them in our neighborhood. Have you 
 ever been at one, Charley?" 
 
 " O yes ! last year Mr. Harrison invited 
 all Mr. Hubert s family, and we went as 
 
TRUTH IS ALWAYS BEST. 195 
 
 part of it," answered Charlie ; " it was 
 grand, I tell you." 
 
 " Why., what did you do ?" asked Harry, 
 wondering how enjoyment was to be ob 
 tained at an out-door feast among a par 
 cel of boors. * 
 
 "There was a beautiful creek, the 
 bank of which was covered with thick 
 woods ; well, the table was set there under 
 the trees, and lots and lots of good things 
 were placed upon it. We sailed in a 
 boat and caught fish, rode on the horses, 
 and drove a little two-horse wagon." 
 
 "Ah indeed," interrupted Ned, "that 
 was the best part of all ; Mr. Harrison s 
 coachman, old Frank, let me drive too, 
 and he only held one rein." 
 
 The others laughed at this driving in 
 partnership. Harry declared he would 
 have no objection to go if they would let 
 him ride on horseback or drive the little 
 two-horse wagon ; he declared, however, 
 that nobody should hold the reins for 
 him, he never did anything by halves. 
 
 As he uttered this speech he thought 
 he observed a mischievous twinkle in 
 
196 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 Will s eye, and slight symptoms of a 
 smile playing round Charlie s mouth ; and 
 in a moment he recollected himself and 
 the new character in which he was here 
 after to appear. A few days ago he 
 would have flown* in to a passion and re 
 sented it ; but now he checked the rising 
 feeling and said mildly, " Come, boys, let 
 us go to bed ; I am very sleepy, and, you 
 know, not a very good hand at getting up 
 early." 
 
 In a few minutes each one had sought 
 his pillow. Charley extinguished the 
 light, and the remembrance of the happy 
 day they had spent was almost immedi 
 ately lost in the brighter visions which, 
 brought by sleep, were born from the en 
 joyment of their working hours. 
 
 Two days passed over in the usual rou 
 tine of study and play. On the third, 
 Mr. Harrison made his appearance and 
 invited the whole family to the harvest 
 festival, which was to come off on the 
 morrow. The boys were in the play 
 ground at the time of his arrival, there 
 fore they knew nothing of the invitation 
 
TRUTH IS ALWAYS BEST. 197 
 
 until the next morning at breakfast time, 
 when Mr. Hubert announced that there 
 would be no lessons that day, as the most 
 of the family were going to the harvest 
 festival, and he supposed, being particu 
 larly invited, the boys would go too. 
 
 Great was the joy visible in each 
 youthful face at the tidings, and they 
 were hurrying out of the room in order 
 to give vent to the gladness of their 
 hearts, which were brimming full and 
 must run over, when the voice of their 
 teacher called them back. " Boys," said 
 he, " I am sorry to be obliged to say that 
 you cannot all go. Harry must stay at 
 home because he is not sufficiently recov- 
 erd from his cold. I wished that he 
 might go, but Doctor S. thinks it would 
 be imprudent, as it will be late when we 
 get home, and exposure to the night air 
 would increase his hoarseness, which is 
 obstinate enough as it is." 
 
 Harry did not say a word ; he was 
 
 greatly disappointed ; but he knew that he 
 
 had no one to blame but himself, and 
 
 once more recognized that error always 
 
 13 
 
198 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 prepares its own punishment. The joy 
 of the others was greatly damped by 
 hearing that " poor Harry" was not to go, 
 and each one declared himself willing to 
 remain at home with him. 
 
 " Charlie, yon know it would not seem 
 right to leave him all alone," said Will, 
 " we ought to do as we would wish to be 
 done by ; one of us surely ought to stay." 
 
 "I am willing," replied Charlie. 
 
 "And so am I," said little ]STed, "I 
 shall not have half fun, for I would be 
 thinking of poor Harry moping here at 
 home by himself." 
 
 "No, Ned, no, boys;" cried Harry, 
 " none of you shall stay ; it would trouble 
 me more to have spoiled your pleasure 
 than to stay alone." 
 
 This was a magnanimous act for our 
 hitherto selfish Harry. Not very long 
 since he would have accepted the sacri 
 fice of their enjoyment as his right, but 
 he was now beginning to see things in a 
 different light, dimly, it is true, but still 
 it was the dawning of a better state. 
 
 On application being made to Mr. Hu- 
 
TRUTH IS ALWAYS BEST. 199 
 
 bert, he decided the matter at once and 
 with satisfaction to all. " Mrs. Hubert 
 is not quite well and prefers to stay at 
 home," said he, " so Harry will be left in 
 good hands ; I am, however, very much 
 pleased with the spirit he has manifested 
 in choosing to stay alone, rather than spoil 
 the pleasure of another. Therefore, Har 
 ry? as y u have a long day before you, 
 you can, as you have your lessons ready 
 for to-morrow, get the key of the school 
 room library, arid choose some amusing 
 book which will keep you from thinking 
 the time too long." 
 
 This settled the matter; the boys accom 
 panied their teacher to Mr. Harrison s 
 festival, and Harry was left to enjoy a long 
 day by himself. 
 
200 PAKSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 ANOTHER MISADVENTURE. 
 
 THE boys, accompanied by Mr. Hubert, 
 set forth in high glee, which they mani 
 fested in every possible way, their kind 
 teacher imposing no restraint upon them 
 when out of school. Firm, and never al 
 lowing the slightest breach of discipline 
 where it was his duty to be strict, in times 
 like these he relaxed from the teacher into 
 the friend, and it would have puzzled the 
 boys to determine whether they did not 
 love and honor rather than fear him. 
 
 Harry saw them from the window until 
 they were lost among the distant trees. 
 Tears filled his eyes, and it was with a feel 
 ing of utter loneliness, such as he had 
 never before experienced, that he prepared 
 to consider how he would spend the day. 
 He had never had any companion of his 
 own age at home, and then had not missed 
 what he had never possessed; but now, 
 
ANOTHER MISADVENTURE. 201 
 
 after having been accustomed to the fel 
 lowship of his comrades, he felt the want 
 of their society to be a great privation. 
 He wandered first through the house, then 
 through the front yard down to the little 
 gate, which was left unlocked, and for a 
 moment the tempter was busy at his heart. 
 What a fine opportunity now for running 
 away ! Should he take advantage of it ? 
 Nobody would see him, for all were away 
 except Mrs. Hubert and old Nicholas, the 
 plowman, who stayed at home because, 
 he said, he saw " no use in such fooleries." 
 
 He opened the gate and looked out ; 
 there the broad road lay temptingly before 
 him ; he advanced a few steps, and his 
 heart exulted at the thought of liberty. 
 But had he not pledged his word ? and if 
 he broke it now, how could he ever hope 
 or expect to be believed again ? Still, 
 freedom to do as he pleased such as he 
 had enjoyed at home how hard it was to 
 resist such an opportunity of regaining it. 
 
 But with the thought of home came 
 also the recollection of his mother, pale 
 and sick as he had always seen her. 
 
202 PAKSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 What had she said? "Obedience is bet 
 ter than sacrifice ;" and now, since she 
 had returned his letter, would she encour 
 age his rebellion against his teacher by 
 receiving him as he wished 1 No, he felt 
 that she would not. He knew that such 
 conduct would grieve her, and he would 
 gladly spare her all uneasiness. So, listen 
 ing to the whispers of his good angel, he 
 retraced his way, shut the gate, and went 
 back to the house. 
 
 Asking Mrs. Hubert for the key of the 
 school-room library, he obtained it, and 
 selected a book. "The Young Maroon- 
 ers" seemed to promise him amusement, 
 and for a time he was interested ; but the 
 sun shone so brightly, and the air was 
 so mild, it seemed impossible for one who 
 had passed so much time out of doors 
 to stay in the house. 
 
 He next got his arithmetic and slate, 
 and did a whole page of sums ; but how 
 slowly the time passed ! He looked at 
 the clock; it was not near dinner time. 
 Old Nicholas v^as shaking down the late 
 pears ; he would go and help him ; " that 
 
ANOTHER MISADVENTURE. 203 
 
 was the very thing." And so it proved, 
 for it kept him employed until Mrs. Hu 
 bert called him to dinner. 
 
 " Come Harry," said she, her sweet 
 countenance radiant with good-humor, 
 " as yon and I are to dine alone to-day, 
 and we are both invalids, I thought we 
 ought to have something a little nicer than 
 common. I have therefore made you a 
 nice little pudding just for yourself, and 
 made Nicholas take a fresh box of honey. 
 Look at that beautiful comb ; did you 
 ever see anything prettier ? It is so white 
 and inviting." 
 
 Harry was delighted not only with his 
 nice dinner, but with himself and every 
 thing else. He had a good conscience 
 and an excellent appetite, which enabled 
 him to do ample justice to the luxuries set 
 before him, and he could not help ex 
 pressing his satisfaction to Aunt Pattie. 
 
 " O Auntie," said he, " it is so nice to 
 work. After the boys started, for an hour 
 or two I did not know what to do with 
 myself, but after I got to helping old 
 Nicholas I grew quite contented. I think 
 
204: PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 it is almost as nice to pull pears as to sail 
 about on the creek, don t you ?" 
 
 "It is always right to make the best of 
 everything," said Mrs. Hubert, "and I 
 am glad to see that you try to make your 
 self happy ; the elements of happiness 
 are in ourselves, if we only set ourselves 
 to find them out and use them." 
 
 " Nicholas has done pulling the pears, 
 Auntie, but I do so love to be in the sun 
 shine that I cannot stay in the house. I 
 am going to the garden, if you please, and 
 will gather some flower-seeds for you. I 
 can put them up in folded papers, and 
 label them as I saw Charley do." 
 
 " Very well," replied Mrs. Hubert, "but 
 do not stay out long, lest you increase 
 your cold. I will call you when it is time 
 
 to come in." 
 
 Harry once more found his happiness 
 in being employed. The sun was so pleas 
 ant, for it was one of the most beautiful 
 of autumn days ; he first cut his paper 
 into pieces, then took his pen and ink and 
 went down into the garden. He gathered 
 quite a variety of seeds, which, as he care- 
 
ANOTHER MISADVENTURE. 205 
 
 fully collected, he inclosed in little square 
 envelopes and carried into the summer- 
 house, where he labeled them, " Mignion- 
 ette," " Larkspur," " Dianthus," or what 
 ever else was the name of the species. 
 
 The hours passed by more rapidly than 
 he believed possible ; and although he 
 thought over and repented of all his late 
 silly acts, which had subjected him to so 
 many mortifications, and caused his pres 
 ent disappointment, he admitted that for 
 the first time in his life he had found out 
 the pleasure of being usefully employed. 
 
 " I do wish I had not been such a block 
 head as to try to run away ; only for that 
 I should be shaking down nuts, driving 
 the little wagon, or sailing on the creek 
 with the other boys. And to think how 
 nearly I was tempted to run away again 
 to-day ! O, but I am glad I did not. I 
 could never have looked Mr. Hubert in 
 the face ; and Aunt Pattie, only to think 
 how good she is ! I could hardly help at 
 dinner time telling her how near I was 
 running away. One thing is certain : let 
 me do as I will, I am determined always 
 
206 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 to tell the truth, for I have had enough of 
 lying." 
 
 His task was finished, his papers folded 
 up and marked, and he was once more at 
 leisure to do as he pleased. His back was 
 weary from stooping, and he began to 
 think of going into the house and finish 
 ing " The Young Marooners." But it was 
 still early, the sunshine was so inviting, and 
 besides, Aun t Pattie had said she would call 
 him. So he thought it would be a nice 
 thing if he could climb up the garden 
 wall and sit upon the top, which being 
 rather broad and provided with a board 
 covering, formed quite an eligible place 
 for a look-out. The wall was rather 
 high, but Harry, aided by a step-ladder 
 and a little effort, was soon seated on 
 the top. 
 
 A pleasant sight met his eye. Directly 
 outside the garden was a meadow, in the 
 midst of which ran a clear brook; the 
 banks were fringed with willows which 
 had not yet lost their foliage, and the 
 grass was green as though wearing the 
 first verdure of spring. It was not the 
 
ANOTHER MISADVENTURE. 207 
 
 charms of nature, however, that arrested 
 Harry s attention, and made him forget 
 that many tedious hours were yet to be 
 passed before his companions would re 
 turn. Most probably he would be asleep, 
 for as there was now full moon, they 
 might be tempted to stay late, and Mr. 
 Hubert had said something about the 
 night air. 
 
 Harry forgot all about them and the 
 festival, for down in the meadow, near 
 the stream, he saw several boys, ap 
 parently of the working class, in close 
 conversation with each other, as if dis 
 cussing some important matter. It soon 
 became evident what that matter was ; 
 for the number, originally four, gradually 
 increased to that of twelve, the stragglers 
 coming in from different directions. They 
 were going to play soldiers, but their mil 
 itary display was of the rudest kind, for 
 they had no uniform, arms, drum, or fife ; 
 and the only distinguishing mark between 
 officers and men was, that the captain 
 wore a long chicken feather in his straw 
 hat, and the other officers sprigs of green. 
 
208 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 The captain, two lieutenants, and the 
 drummer, the four who arrived first at 
 the meadow, were from the neighboring 
 village, the others were farm-boys in the 
 neighborhood, who had stolen a holiday 
 while their employers were at the harvest 
 festival. 
 
 Childhood is very inventive in discover 
 ing substitutes for what they want in 
 their pastimes ; for instance, a little fellow 
 once playing baker substituted an old 
 portmanteau for a kneading trough, and 
 a closet for an oven ; and these boys, igno 
 rant as they were in most things, showed 
 themselves not less possessed of the fac 
 ulty to contrive. Instead of a gun, each 
 one was armed with a stout hazel rod ; a 
 cotton handkerchief, on which was painted 
 a ship in bright colors and the words 
 " Rule Britannia," and not at all suggest 
 ive of American notions as signified by 
 the stars and stripes, served for a flag. 
 This, tied by one corner on the end of 
 a tall switch, was raised aloft by the bear 
 er, who strutted rather than marched, with 
 an air that showed he thought himself of 
 
ANOTHER MISADVENTUEE. 209 
 
 vast importance. Another member of 
 the little troop, who was also quite sensi 
 ble of the honor of his office, was the 
 drummer. In those early days the now 
 common article of a child s drum was un 
 known ; but the boy was inventive, and 
 made his own we were about to say 
 drum ; it was, however, more like a gong, 
 which instrument of Turkish music the 
 lad having never seen, certainly did not 
 try to imitate ; his idea was altogether an 
 original one. It was nothing more than 
 the bottom of an old tin kettle, in which 
 he had bored a hole, and suspended by a 
 string of red flannel listing round his 
 neck ; and, beating on it lustily with two 
 hickory sticks, he certainly made a noise, 
 if it was not music. Instead of the usual 
 fife accompaniment, two of the boys 
 whistled or sung, not always in the same 
 time or tune ; but as the young recruits 
 inarched to the music the three made 
 without objecting, it made no difference, 
 and just served as well as a regular drum 
 and fife, and they were as happy in their 
 sport as if they were West Point cadets, 
 
210 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 practicing for amusement. Their march 
 ing was such as might be expqfcted, with 
 out rule or order, or knowing anything 
 about "left," "right," "carry arms," "or 
 der arms," and so forth ; every one went 
 his own way, quite satisfied to keep behind 
 the drum instead of getting before it. 
 
 Harry, who had seen many a military 
 parade, was highly amused to watch this 
 awkward troop ; and as his naturally 
 buoyant spirit rose at the sight, he forgot 
 his late adventure, repentance, sickness, 
 and Mr. Hubert. He w r as the old Harry 
 Kingsley again, and became filled with 
 the same desire to rule as he had been at 
 home. Finding the captain did not at all 
 understand his business, he was seized 
 with a desire to teach " the awkward fel 
 lows " their exercise, the terms of which 
 he knew. " They don t mind their cap 
 tain at all," said he to himself, "but they 
 will surely obey me ; he is a boor, and I 
 am a gentleman." 
 
 But while he thus thought about teach 
 ing those boys submission to his will, it 
 never occurred to him that he was in the 
 
No. 703. 
 
 Henry playing Soldier. 
 
ANOTHER MISADVENTURE. 215 
 
 face," he turned to the left, and coming 
 suddenly upon the one next him, would 
 knock him down. 
 
 " You are the greatest blockhead I ever 
 saw," cried Harry, at last getting out of 
 patience; " why don t you do as I tell 
 you ? Don t you know your right hand 
 from your left ?" 
 
 " To be sure I do," said the lad, " this 
 is the right ;" but instead of turning in 
 that direction, he swayed round to the 
 left and threw the whole rank in confu 
 sion. 
 
 "I do believe you are doing so just to 
 provoke me," cried Harry, now seriously 
 angry ; and going up to the refractory 
 soldier, he gave him a box on the ears as 
 well as the command, " To the right about, 
 face!" 
 
 "I won t face about right for you," cried 
 the little rebel ; " what right have I to do 
 what you tell me ?" 
 
 " Because I am your captain, and have 
 a right to command you," said Harry in 
 a passion ; " so if you do not obey me I 
 will strike you again." 
 14 
 
216 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 "Will yon?" said the lad, "I would 
 like yon to try that ere again," and he 
 began rubbing his hands as if preparing 
 for battle; but not receiving any encour 
 agement from his fellows, he once more 
 took his place quietly. 
 
 "Attention! to the left!" commanded 
 our self-willed hero ; but Steve Kelly (for 
 that was the boy s name) did not now 
 trouble himself to obey ; he marched just 
 where he pleased, here and there, before 
 the drum, beside the captain, or took the 
 corporal s place in the rear. Some of the 
 boys laughed, and Harry now becoming 
 very angry, lost all control over his tem 
 per. " Did I not command you to turn 
 to the left?" he cried, as he struck the boy 
 a pretty smart blow on the shoulders with 
 the rod he held in place of a sword. 
 
 Steve Kelly was much smaller than 
 Harry, but he was very stout and had a 
 strong pair of fists, which he well knew 
 how to use in the way of fighting. On 
 feeling the blow, he turned quickly round 
 on the self- constituted captain, and snatch 
 ing the hazel rod out of his hand, began 
 
ANOTHER MISADVENTURE. 217 
 
 to switch him roundly, the blows follow 
 ing each other in such quick succession 
 that Harry, overcome with pain and sur 
 prise, was entirely deprived of his usual 
 self-possession. 
 
 " So you must command me, Mr. Up 
 start," repeated the rebellious soldier 
 again and again ; " turn about is fair play ; 
 I ll do as I please, and larn you to keep 
 your orders to yourself." 
 
 The other boys, recovering from the sur 
 prise occasioned by the suddenness of the 
 transaction, now began to interfere. 
 " Leave off, Steve, or you will catch it," 
 cried one. " Farmer Steele will hear all 
 about it, and give you an awful beating 
 for coming here to the meadow instead of 
 watching the cattle." 
 
 " Yes," said another, " and what do you 
 think will Parson Hubert say when he 
 hears how you have beaten one of his 
 boys ?" 
 
 " I know very well what he will say ; 
 the one who began the fight was the 
 worst, and he hit me first, so I ll hit back, 
 and I don t care what anybody will say ; I 
 
218 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 aint going to let myself be hit by any one, 
 even if he does pretend to be a gentle 
 man. I ll give it to him now for all his 
 fine clothes, and larn him to keep himself 
 to himself." 
 
 As he thus spoke, he continued to use 
 his hazel switch as vigorously as ever. 
 
 Harry was not a coward, but he was 
 weak from his recent sickness, and having 
 no means of defense against the blows 
 thus rained down upon his back and 
 shoulders, he found himself obliged to 
 beat a hasty retreat, which he did, follow 
 ed by his enraged enemy even to the 
 garden wall. His face glowed for shame 
 for his defeat, and his back smarted with 
 pain bestowed by the strokes of the hard 
 switch ; but his mortification rose to the 
 highest pitch only when the other boys 
 raised a shout of laughter when the con 
 queror rejoined them. 
 
 Anxious to shut out the now hateful 
 sight of the meadow, and drown the noise 
 of the rejoicing victor over his defeat, he 
 climbed hastily up to the top of the wall 
 and jumped down on the inside. Agita- 
 
ANOTHER MISADVENTURE. 219 
 
 ted and exhausted, bis movement was too 
 hasty ; he fell and broke one of the small 
 bones of his arm. Mrs. Hubert, who 
 long since had thought it time he should 
 come in, had called him repeatedly, and 
 now, uneasy at receiving no answer, had 
 come to the window to look if he was still 
 in the garden. Maybe he had run away 
 again? No, she was at the window just 
 in time to see him fall, and forgetting 
 her own indisposition, in a moment was 
 beside him. Eaising him up and kindly 
 inquiring what was the matter, she re 
 ceived no answer but tears; but however 
 ignorant of what had happened beyond 
 the wall, she was soon acquainted with 
 the injury to the arm. Therefore, kindly 
 forbearing to trouble him with questions, 
 she helped him into the house, arranged 
 a couch and pillows on the sofa, and sent 
 Nicholas off with the carriage for Doctor 
 S., who fortunately was found at home. 
 
 " Ah," said the doctor, " another ad 
 venture, Master Harry ? Now don t cry, 
 lad ; we ll soon have it all right again." 
 And getting his splints and bandages 
 
220 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 ready the arm was set, not, however, 
 without a great deal of pain to the owner, 
 who, even in the midst of the suffering 
 occasioned by the operation, could not 
 help confessing to himself that he could 
 not blame the boy, as the accident was 
 another consequence of his own self-will. 
 
A DAWNING OF BETTEK THINGS. 221 
 
 % 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 A DAWNING OF BETTER THINGS. 
 
 As Harry seemed a good deal exhaust 
 ed Dr. S. recommended quiet; and as 
 Mrs. Hubert never made any bustle 
 about anything he was soon left to the 
 enjoyment or rather condemnation of his 
 own thoughts, Nicholas, after taking Dr. 
 S. home, was to go to Mr. Harrison s for 
 Mr. Hubert, who returned with him, leav 
 ing the three boys to come by themselves 
 at a later hour when the festivities would 
 be ended. In the mean time Harry had 
 leisure to recall, not only the occurrences 
 of this day, but many others which had 
 happened long ago, and which, although 
 occasioning him great pain at the time, 
 had nearly faded out from his memory. 
 First in the rank came old Walter Bow- 
 ley ; how he must have suffered from the 
 blows given by the hoofs of the unman 
 ageable horse; then little Bill Allen with 
 
222 PAESON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 his wounded leg ; next poor Barney, who 
 lost his place through his good-natured 
 yielding to a request solely dictated by 
 self-will; and, in all that he had suffered 
 lately, he saw by the light that was now 
 breaking in upon his mental darkness 
 how justly he deserved his present suffer 
 ing, and that it was his own misconduct 
 had brought the severe chastisement upon 
 him. 
 
 He was glad to be alone, for he could 
 weep to his heart s content. He had 
 now been made to feel what it w r as to 
 suffer from the stronger, even if not the 
 just power; but he could not declare 
 himself injured, for he had begun the 
 battle and he had no right to interrupt 
 the play of the boys or strike Steve. The 
 boy had only done what any other of his 
 class would ; he, being assailed, had ta 
 ken the right given by might into his 
 own hands, and, as is generally the case, 
 dealt forth double measure. 
 
 Eepentant, and determined to tell the 
 truth, Harry related the whole to Mr. 
 Hubert on his return, keeping back noth- 
 
A DAWNING OF BETTER THINGS. 223 
 
 ing, not even the temptation, to which lie 
 had nearly yielded, of breaking his word 
 and running away. He begged that Mr. 
 Hubert would not say anything to Far 
 mer Steele, for it was entirely through 
 his own love of having his own way that 
 he had disturbed the boys in their harm 
 less sport ; that when he had mingled in 
 it they had yielded gently to his rule, and 
 that Steve, although awkward and stub 
 born, did well enough until he was pro 
 voked out of his good behavior by his 
 own passionate and arrogant conduct. 
 "I struck him first," continued Harry, 
 " that made him angry, and he didn t 
 try to do right ; but it was not until I hit 
 him a second time that he turned upon 
 me, so please don t say an}^thing to Far 
 mer Steele, for may be he might flog him, 
 and he is not to blame. It is altogether 
 my own fault that I am suffering." 
 
 Greatly pleased to hear such an ac 
 knowledgment from the late unruly boy, 
 Mr. Hubert took advantage of his softened 
 mood to impress upon his mind the import 
 ance of self-government, and the necessity 
 
224 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 of keeping constant watch against falling 
 into error. "Moral heroism," said he, 
 " is a great thing, for he that ruleth his 
 spirit is better than he that taketh a city, 
 and he that is slow to anger is better 
 than the mighty. You see, Harry, how 
 many times your inconsiderate doings 
 have brought you into trouble ; there 
 fore, in future, take time to think before 
 you act, since he that is slow to wrath is 
 of great understanding, but he that is 
 hasty of spirit exalteth folly. : 
 
 This advice, given in such a kind, fa 
 therly manner, made a deep impression 
 on Harry. He expected reproof, stern 
 and harsh reproof; but instead he had 
 received a mild but impressive admoni 
 tion, to which his heart responded. As 
 sured that his teacher, whom he had hith 
 erto regarded as a tyrant, was his best 
 friend, he from this time began to love 
 him as much as he before had hated 
 him. 
 
 His comrades, whom he had at first 
 dubbed " common fellows," and thought 
 were by no means on an equality with 
 
A DAWNING OF BETTER THINGS. 225 
 
 himself, because they brushed their jack 
 ets and cleaned their own boots, came 
 in for a large share of his affection also, 
 for, as he was again confined to his room, 
 they gave up their plays in the open air 
 and remained much with him. Pitying 
 his suffering, and lamenting the tedious 
 hours he must pass alone, they tried in 
 every possible way to amuse and make 
 him forget himself. They read aloud, or 
 else related stories which they had read, and 
 mostly selected those of such interest as 
 made Harry for the time forget the pain 
 of his arm. Nevertheless he often won 
 dered that boys of their age should choose 
 tales so full of instruction as well as 
 amusing, and at last came to the conclu 
 sion that Mr. Hubert had a good deal to 
 do with the selection. 
 
 All these things working together for 
 good, and Harry, without any counter 
 acting influence, having time to think, in 
 a short time became completely changed ; 
 his arrogant bearing vanished, his self- 
 love was conquered, and his wayward 
 temper transformed into mildness and 
 
226 PAKSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 forbearance. Instead of believing that 
 every one was bound to obey his bidding, 
 and receiving kind offices as his right 
 without making any return, he learned to 
 recognize and respect the rights of others, 
 and showed himself grateful for any fa 
 vors his young companions conferred 
 upon him. 
 
 His present reformation did not, how 
 ever, render him forgetful of his past 
 errors. The indulgence of his self-will 
 had been productive of injury to others ; 
 but how to atone for them he inquired 
 of himself. Old Walter s severe wound 
 from the horse, Bill Allen s .injured leg, 
 and poor Barney s discharge ought he 
 not to do, or at least try to do something 
 for them all ? He wrote with great diffi 
 culty, for although it was his left arm 
 that was broken he was obliged to keep 
 it in a sling by which the free move 
 ment of the right was somewhat im 
 peded. Nevertheless he wrote a long 
 letter to his mother, in which he confessed 
 everything, and told her how much he 
 had suffered and the great change he had 
 
A DAWNING OF BETTER THINGS. 227 
 
 undergone, adding that she need never 
 fear his vexing her again by falsehood 
 and deception. f ~In conclusion he begged 
 her to give his little silver watch to Bill 
 Allen, and to ask old Walter to take 
 Barney into his service again. " If he 
 does not I will not believe that he has 
 forgiven me. I know now," he wrote, 
 " what it is to be sick and in pain, and as 
 I cannot undo what is done I wish to 
 make up for it by every means in my 
 power. So, dear mother, please give him 
 the little watch, and if he values it half 
 as much as I did he will forget how badly 
 I treated him, and not be angry with me 
 any longer ; and old Walter I cannot 
 send him anything, but I know if you 
 ask him he will forgive me." 
 
 Harry now numbered the days until he 
 should receive his mother s answer, so 
 greatly he longed to see her handwriting 
 once more, although he feared her dis 
 pleasure on account of his attempt to run 
 away and his late adventure with the 
 peasant boys, which had caused his pres 
 ent suffering. 
 
228 PAESON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 "If she is angry," said he to himself, "I 
 cannot help it ; but I have confessed the 
 whole truth to her, and Mr. Hubert says 
 that to confess our faults is the first step 
 toward right ; so as her anger is nothing 
 more than I deserve, I will bear her re 
 proofs patiently, and in future try not to 
 deserve them." 
 
 Days passed, but no answer came ; 
 Harry did not know what to make of it ; 
 his fears portrayed her as being ill in con 
 sequence of hearing of the accident to his 
 arm. His anxiety had risen to the high 
 est pitch, when one day it was suddenly 
 changed into joy by seeing a carriage that 
 much resembled his mother s drive into 
 the court-yard. Yes, it surely was their 
 carriage ; there was old Moses in the 
 coachman s seat, and those horses, if they 
 were not Ranter and Lightfoot, were so 
 very much like them as to be readily mis 
 taken. 
 
 There was no mistake; the carriage 
 stopped in front of the door, and Mrs, 
 Kingsley, the invalid, who had not left her 
 chamber for years, stepped from it. 
 
A DAWNING OF BETTER THINGS. 220 
 
 Harry s heart beat wildly ; he would 
 gladly have flown to meet her, but sur 
 prise and joy rooted him to the spot, and 
 she had entered the house and was seated 
 in the parlor before he had summoned 
 sufficient courage to go down stairs. 
 
 The meeting between the mother and 
 son was such as might be supposed, joyful 
 in the extreme, although Harry stood be 
 fore Mrs. Kingsley with a broken arm, 
 pale, and bearing strong traces of recent 
 sickness. But his mother, now viewing 
 everything through a new and more health 
 ful medium, was convinced that his whole 
 moral being was in a salutary state-, and 
 the longer she remained with him, to her 
 great joy, found her confidence as to 
 the sincerity of his reformation increase. 
 Mr. Hubert told her all that had occurred ; 
 Harry also made a most impartial state 
 ment of facts, keeping nothing back, and 
 not endeavoring to excuse himself; and 
 as she noticed the change in his looks, he 
 begged her not to be uneasy at his pale 
 ness, which he said was only caused by 
 confinement, as he was not sick now. 
 
230 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 u Mr. Hubert wrote to me that you had 
 a bad cold," said she, " but at the same 
 time said that it was nothing serious, that 
 there was not the least occasion to be un 
 easy. But now you are looking so pale I 
 will give you your choice, to go home with 
 me and stay until your arm is quite well, 
 or remain here. Mr. Hubert also says 
 he wishes you to do as you please. 
 
 Harry was silent for a little while ; home, 
 with all the liberty he could enjoy there, 
 the woods, the fields, the pony rides ; and 
 now, being autumn, the fruit pulling, ci 
 der making, and nut gathering, all grouped 
 in one enticing picture, came vividly be 
 fore him, and for a moment he was tempted 
 to say, " I ll go." But his better angel 
 prevailed ; the struggle between inclina 
 tion and duty was severe ; but resolute 
 now not to yield to self, he determined to 
 remain, and not expose himself to the 
 danger of falling back into his old habits. 
 
 " JSTo, mother," said he candidly, u I 
 should love dearly to be with you, but I 
 think it is best for me to stay here ; they 
 are all as kind to me as it is possible to be. 
 
A DAWNING OF BETTER THINGS. 231 
 
 and I could not in my sickness have been 
 better cared for if I had been at home. 1 
 have given Mr. Hubert much trouble, but 
 I have now learned to know myself better, 
 and what are my greatest faults, faults 
 which I never thought of overcoming 
 when I was at home. But I have not far 
 enough conquered them so as not to be in 
 danger from temptation, as my broken 
 arm proves. But, dear mother, I am going 
 to try to do everything in my power to 
 make you happy ; and if Mr. Hubert is 
 entirely satisfied with me during the re 
 mainder of the term, you may send for 
 rne at Christmas, as that is a holiday time. 
 I am so far behind the other boys in my 
 studies that I am often ashamed, and my 
 arm is not now so painful but that I can 
 study." 
 
 Mrs. Kingsley could not conceal her 
 surprise. Was this her wayward Harry, 
 subdued and brought within the bounds of 
 reason in so short a time ? How was it 
 done? Only by the magic of a firm, 
 steady, and consistent rule, and a teaching 
 by love and meekness, which is the spirit 
 15 
 
232 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 of the great Christian Lawgiver. Al 
 though scarcely able to realize so great a 
 change, she blessed the day when she gave 
 her son up to the guidance of Parson Hu 
 bert. It had cost her a great effort to 
 part with him, to send him so far from 
 home, and so entirely against his will ; but 
 it had succeeded, and she felt herself fully 
 repaid for the sacrifice she had made. 
 Truly, the seed had been sown in tears, 
 but now she was reaping the fruit in joy. 
 She prepared for her journey home 
 ward, and it was performed with a light 
 ness of heart to which she had long been 
 a stranger. She was quite happy as far 
 as Harry was concerned ; and feeling that 
 she also had been much to blame in the 
 indulgence of useless grief for the dead, 
 instead of doing her duty to the living, 
 she began also to consider in what way 
 she could best employ the wealth which 
 God had given her in benefiting others. 
 She compared her life with that of Parson 
 Hubert, and decided that his condition, 
 humble and obscure as it was, was prefer- 
 able to her own, for he was discharging 
 
A DAWNING OF BETTER THINGS. 233 
 
 the duties belonging to life most faithfully, 
 whereas she felt herself terribly delin 
 quent. 
 
 Harry saw his mother depart, it is true, 
 with regret J*but it is astonishing what en 
 couragement and cheering there is in a 
 right performance of duty. He stood on 
 the steps and watched the carriage that 
 bore her away until it was hidden by the 
 intervening trees, and going back to his 
 room, began to study his lesson, and thus 
 once more conquered self, which would 
 have required time to grieve. 
 
 And now, resolute to tread the path of 
 right, he kept his word with Mr. Hubert. 
 From the day of his adventure with the 
 peasant boys he was altogether changed ; 
 the visit of his mother had done him good, 
 for he saw her no less changed than him 
 self, and the evident delight she exhibited 
 at witnessing his transformation, was a 
 great incentive in determining him to con 
 tinue the course he had begun, and, as he 
 could not help confessing to himself, made 
 him happier than he had ever been before. 
 
 There were times, however, when he 
 
234 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 was sorely tried, for no self-conquest is so 
 easily obtained that there are riot many 
 temptations to fall before the triumph is 
 complete ; but he now knew what was his 
 besetting sin, and kept on his guard, and 
 prayed daily for help from Heaven. 
 When tempted to indulge in a display of 
 self-will, he had only to recall the scene 
 in the meadow, and the humiliating lesson 
 given him by Steve Kelly, which had led 
 to such a painful result as breaking his 
 arm. 
 
 There were also many occasions which 
 offered themselves for telling and acting 
 falsehoods, or perverting the truth ; many 
 times when the " white lie, lie of neces 
 sity, or fib" as he had been used to call 
 them, might have been spoken ; but ris 
 ing superior to the temptation, he avoided 
 the snare. Formerly he had indulged in 
 their use without compunction ; but now 
 conscience was awake, and when her still 
 small voice admonished he obeyed her 
 warnings. He remembered what Mr. 
 Hubert had said : " Be sure your sin will 
 find you out," and his own experience 
 
A DAWNING OF BETTER THINGS. 235 
 
 showed him that one falsehood is the 
 fruitful parent of many, and brought 
 sorer punishment than an open confession 
 of the truth. 
 
 As the days passed by, and each one 
 made the performance of duty easier, he 
 learned to yield implicit obedience to his 
 teacher, and abate all his haughtiness to 
 his school-mates, so that at length he had 
 nothing to conceal or confess. Convinced 
 that Mr. Hubert had no other end in 
 view, in whatever restraint he saw proper 
 to impose on his pupils, but their ultimate 
 good, he learned to love him, and as 
 " there is no fear in love," for " he that 
 fcareth is not perfect in love," he now 
 rendered his obedience readily and felt 
 his duties no burden. 
 
 And so, dear reader, the late spoiled 
 and wayward Harry, under the supervis 
 ion of a conscientious teacher, aided by 
 the example of the other boys, and sus 
 tained by his own determination to con 
 quer all his evil propensities, became en 
 tirely changed. Those acts of arrogance, 
 self-will, and deception in which he had 
 
236 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 indulged only brought perplexity and 
 pain ; but now that he had turned from 
 evil and was pursuing the right, he felt 
 himself rewarded in the enjoyment of his 
 present happiness, which was a thousand 
 times greater than he had had even in 
 the successful prosecution of his own will. 
 
A CHRISTMAS PARTY. 237 
 
 CHAPTEE XV. 
 
 A CHEISTMAS PARTY. 
 
 HARRY, as we have already told our 
 young readers, on at first coming to Mr. 
 Hubert s rather looked down on the boys 
 as inferiors, but at length became much 
 attached to them, but more particularly 
 to little Ned, whose pleasant temper and 
 kindly ways made him a favorite with 
 everybody. Harry was much the elder ; 
 but Ned, who had been studying his 
 books while our hero was ranging in the 
 woods or planning mischief, was greatly 
 above him in learning. Not only did the 
 kind little fellow assist him in getting his 
 lessons, help him in all his difficulties, 
 and in many things set him a good ex 
 ample, but he bore with all his humors 
 patiently, and if he saw him sad, had al 
 ways some tale or anecdote to tell in 
 order to cheer him. Harry felt that he 
 owed him a great deal ; for he had done 
 
238 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 more for him than any other lad, whether 
 relative, dependent, or companion. 
 
 Ned was not inferior to Harry in rank 
 or station. He was an orphan ; and losing 
 his parents at a very early age, he scarcely 
 recollected them. He had lived with his 
 guardian until he was sent, two years ago, 
 to Mr. Hubert s school, and since then 
 had never been away. He saw the other 
 boys go and return twice every year, but 
 he, poor fellow, had no home to go to. 
 But although, affectionate as he was, he 
 could not help feeling sad as he contrasted 
 his lonely lot with theirs, there was no 
 envy mingled in it. 
 
 One day while Harry was still nursing 
 his broken arm, ISTed was in his room, and 
 they both began to talk of the approach 
 ing Christmas holiday. 
 
 "How nice it will be to get home," 
 said Harry ; " my mother will have lots 
 of everything good. Are you going home 
 at Christmas, Ned ?" 
 
 " No, I do not know that I am ; I have 
 no home to go to^ he replied sadly ; 
 my parents are dead long ago, and since 
 
A CHEISTMAS PARTY. 239 
 
 my guardian sent me here, two years ago, 
 I have never seen him or been sent for." 
 
 " O how hard ! what a cruel man he 
 must be," said Harry indignantly. 
 
 " O no," said the little fellow, " he 
 never was cruel ; maybe he is a little in 
 different, but Mr. Hubert says he takes 
 great care of my property. I am sure I 
 ought to thank him for that, as well as for 
 sending me here, for I have spent my va 
 cations very happily with Mr. Hubert 
 and Aunt Patty. Indeed, Harry, I do 
 not think I could love my own mother 
 better than I love Mrs. Hubert, she has 
 been so kind to me." 
 
 " Yes, indeed," said Harry ; I shall 
 never forget how good she was the day 
 when I broke my arm ; she is good and 
 no mistake. But, Ned, if I was in your 
 place, after a while, when I got bigger, 
 I d give my guardian a piece of my mind 
 about his neglecting me so." 
 
 " Indeed I won t," replied Ned; "I 
 thank him for what he has done, and 
 aint going to quarrel with him for what 
 he has omitted. He might have used and 
 
240 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 wasted my property, which he has not ; 
 and besides, Mr. Hubert always tells me 
 that quarreling never does any good, but 
 a soft answer turns away wrath." 
 
 Harry was corrected ; he was silent for 
 a few minutes, and then said, "Ned, how 
 would you like to go home with me? 
 We would have such a nice time to 
 gether." 
 
 " O Harry," replied Ned, his black 
 eyes sparkling at the thought of change, 
 " but I would like it ; do you think Mr. 
 Hubert will let me go ? And your moth 
 er ? Maybe she would not like it. Ah, 
 Harry, I am afraid I shant get leave to." 
 
 " My mother will be glad to have you, 
 Ned," said the impulsive Harry ; " and 
 if you really would like to go, I ll ask Mr. 
 Hubert this very evening when he comes 
 up to my room." 
 
 "Indeed," replied Ned, "there is no 
 mistake about liking to go. When I used 
 to see Charley and Will counting the 
 days until school would close, and seemed 
 so glad to get home, I did not envy them, 
 but just felt a little sad, and thought I 
 
A CHRISTMAS PARTY. 241 
 
 would like to have a home to go to. But, 
 indeed, will you really ask, Harry ?" 
 
 "To be sure I will, and on this very 
 evening too," was the reply. 
 
 Harry was as good as his word. Since 
 he had broken his arm, Mr. Hubert had 
 come up to his room every evening, and 
 so our hero had a fine opportunity of 
 preferring his request. It was readily 
 granted, but under two conditions : the 
 first one was, to write to his mother for 
 her sanction ; the second, that he should 
 make a certain proficiency in arithmetic, 
 of which he had always evinced a perfect 
 abhorrence, declaring that he knew he 
 " never could learn to cipher." However, 
 u where there is a will there is a way." 
 Love knows no burdens, and Harry ac 
 complished his task with comparative 
 ease, because he set himself to do it in 
 earnest. 
 
 Mr. Hubert professed himself satisfied, 
 and in giving Ned permission to spend 
 his Christmas vacation at Rushton Fur 
 nace, bade him be careful to maintain 
 the confidence he was reposing in him. 
 
242 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 " For the first time, my son," said he, 
 " you are left to your own guidance ; keep 
 a steady rein over self, trust in your Sav 
 iour, and you will do well. You will 
 have to go out into the world ere many 
 years, both of you, as men ; therefore, begin 
 to prepare for the battle that awaits you 
 in life by proving yourself steadfast and 
 trustworthy as boys." 
 
 And now the end of the term arrived ; 
 books were closed, examinations over, 
 trunks packed, and the happy boys had 
 only to await the several messengers who 
 were to be sent to convey them home. 
 The twenty-third of December came, and 
 with it the carriage of Mrs. Kingsley. It 
 drew up in front of the house almost at 
 the same time as another which was sent 
 for Charley and William, whose parents 
 lived near each other. O the joy ! who 
 can describe the rapture that boys feel 
 when vacation time comes, and they are 
 about to go home, " they have been 
 away so long." And yet it is strange but 
 true, they are, most of them, equally 
 glad to return to school. 
 
A CHRISTMAS PARTY. 243 
 
 With much shaking of hands, the lads 
 took leave of each other; parting how 
 ever with real regret from Mr. Hubert 
 and Aunt Patty, and promising to return 
 as soon as the few weeks vacation 
 was ended. Little Ned was almost wild 
 with delight ; an excursion like this was 
 something so new that he could hardly 
 realize it until he saw the carriage, and 
 Nicholas bringing his trunk and strapping 
 it on behind. "Good-by, Mr. Hubert! 
 Good-by, auntie ! and everybody," re 
 sounded until they reached the large 
 gate. 
 
 As they had to stay one night on the 
 way, an old servant was sent to take care 
 of them. Moses, fhe coachman, managed 
 the horses,*and the weather being good, 
 although the ground was covered with 
 snow, the journey though a long one 
 was most pleasant. Harry contrasted his 
 present cheerful mood with the sullenness 
 he exhibited when last he traveled it in 
 company of Dr. Martin, and he felt some 
 what ashamed at the thought of meeting 
 the good man after treating him so rudely. 
 
244 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 Owing to a slight accident to one of 
 the horses, which made him a little lame, 
 it was late on Christmas Eve when they 
 reached the house of Mrs. Kingsley ; but 
 that house presented a beautiful sight as 
 the carriage drove up the avenue. Harry 
 had -been accustomed always to see the 
 front dark, for the parlors had been shut 
 up ever since his father s death ; but now 
 the shutters were open, and light streamed 
 from almost every window. 
 
 " There, Ned," cried Harry, " we are at 
 home ; bring yourself in as soon as you 
 can, but I must run and see my mother," 
 and leaving his companion to follow, he 
 jumped out of the carriage and ran up the 
 steps in order to seek her. He had not 
 far to go ; uneasy at the delay of the trav 
 elers, she had heard the sound of wheels 
 and was at the front door looking out for 
 them. We will not describe the meeting 
 between the mother and son on this spot. 
 They had parted in sorrow, but ail now was 
 joy. Ned soon followed Harry and re 
 ceived a most cordial reception. 
 
 " Arid now," said Mrs. Kingsley, after 
 
A CHRISTMAS PAKTY. 245 
 
 hearing the cause of their being so late, 
 " come in ; supper has been waiting for an 
 hour," and as she spoke she led the way 
 into the parlor. A brilliant sight awaited 
 them; the folding doors were open, a 
 bright wood fire was burning in the fire 
 place, and a large Christmas tree, the top 
 of which reached nearly to the ceiling, 
 sent forth its aromatic odor, and, rich in 
 abundance of fresh and verdant foliage, 
 gave the room an appearance of summer, 
 which contrasted pleasantly with the win 
 try scene without. 
 
 Supper was announced, and our hun 
 gry boys sat down to a substantial meal, 
 such as in the good old primitive times 
 folks used to prepare for travelers and ex 
 pected them to eat. And on this occasion 
 they did eat ; shall we say heartily ? No ; 
 like hungry boys, whom it is a pleasure to 
 see in the enjoyment of a good meal. 
 
 Supper was soon dispatched, and once 
 more they sought the parlor. Harry 
 thought he had never been so happy in 
 his life. The servants and men from the 
 furnace were all assembled to greet the 
 
246 PAKSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 young heir ; Mrs. Kingsley had prepared 
 a gift for each, and in receiving the unex 
 pected favor, they were quite as happy as 
 he was. He shook hands cordially with 
 all. A few months ago he would not 
 have touched those rough hands for any 
 thing, now he never thought whether they 
 were hard or not ; he saw nothing but the 
 sincere expression of kindness manifested 
 in their honest faces. 
 
 "Sure enough," said Jim Stokes, the 
 groom, after they left the room, " Master 
 Harry is a good bit changed. I mind the 
 day he rode off on Rattler ; he gave me 
 a hard cut over the hand. I think he 
 aint as proud as he was, for he thought 
 himself too good to shake hands with any 
 of us then." 
 
 "Well," rejoined an old forgeman, " I 
 always thought he would mend ; his fa 
 ther was a good man, and I am sure I 
 hope he ll be like him. The child was 
 left pretty much to his own will, and what 
 could you expect but that he should be 
 heady. 
 
 A good supper had been provided for 
 
A CHRISTMAS PAETY. 247 
 
 them, to which they did ample justice ; 
 and the kitchen fire, on which the Christ-- 
 mas log had been placed, sending forth a 
 cheerful blaze, offered a further temptation 
 to remain. Seated around the hearth and 
 smoking their pipes, they remained until 
 the housekeeper sent word it was time to 
 shut up the house. They discussed our 
 hero and his late pranks at some length ; 
 the remarks, however, were by no means 
 ill-natured, for most of them regarded 
 him as a spirited lad, and concluded that 
 he would do well yet; for " a young colt 
 would canter, whether it was up hill or 
 down hill." 
 
 We will not detail their conversation, 
 lest our readers should grow weary, but 
 follow the family into the parlor, where 
 the bright lights were still sparkling amid 
 the spiky foliage of the Christmas tree, the 
 dark green of which formed a pleasing 
 contrast to its bright colored surround 
 ings. 
 
 But who is that sturdy little fellow 
 standing near the table, squeezing and 
 crushing his cap as cruelly as if he wanted 
 16 
 
248 PAKSO^ HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 to alter its shape ? Harry recognized him 
 at once as little Bill Allen, the miller s 
 son ; he had corne in while they were at 
 supper, and his cheeks were redder, either 
 because of the frosty air, or because he 
 was so bashful, than even at the time at 
 which he met him in the wood. He had 
 a basket on his arm full of large hazel- 
 nuts. They were not of the wild kind, 
 but had been evidently cultivated with 
 care. Blushing deeply, he advanced to 
 meet Harry, made his best school bow, 
 and stammering through bashfulness, beg 
 ged he would accept them as a Christmas 
 gift. " I have nothing else to give you, 
 Master Harry, but these are very good ; 
 we have three or four bushes in our gar 
 den, and my mother gave me leave to 
 pick this basketful for you. She said I 
 was wrong to behave as I did about the 
 strawberries, for there were plenty more, 
 and if I had given them as you asked me, 
 there would not have been any quarrel. 
 I hope you will like them, and not be 
 angry with me. Mrs. Kingsley gave me 
 your little watch which, she said, you told 
 
A CHRISTMAS PARTY. 249 
 
 her to do. O it is so nice to have a 
 watch, and I am so thankful you gave 
 me one." 
 
 Much ashamed, Harry took the basket, 
 and as he turned over the nice large nuts 
 that it contained, he said : " I am much 
 obliged to you, Allen, for the nuts; but 
 you can give me something better, which 
 is, to forget my bad behavior to you in 
 the wood the day we quarrelled about 
 the strawberries. I am ashamed to think 
 how ill I treated you. And now you 
 must stay all the evening, and to-morrow 
 Ned and I want you to go round with us 
 to see the neighbors. Must he not, 
 mother? we are going to have a merry 
 Christmas, and Bill must help us." 
 
 Mrs. Kingsley gave a pleased consent ; 
 and now the servants coming in, each re 
 ceived a small present, being at that time 
 more usual to present the gift on Christmas 
 Eve than Christmas Day. Bill Allen re 
 ceived a very nice penknife ; Ned a most 
 beautifully bound book full of historical 
 tales, and embellished with colored en 
 gravings. Nothing could have given him 
 
250 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 greater pleasure than a book of this 
 kind, for he was very fond of read 
 ing. 
 
 Harry received his present last of all ; 
 it was a small gold watch which struck 
 the hour, of handsome workmanship, with 
 a guard made of his mother s hair. Mrs. 
 Kingsley knew that there was nothing 
 which Harry loved better than a watch, 
 and appreciating the self-sacrifice he made 
 when he bade her give his little silver 
 watch to Bill Allen, she resolved to give 
 him another in place of it. In examining 
 it closely, an inscription was found in the 
 inside, engraved in small but beautifully 
 plain letters, admonishing the young 
 owner, " Keep thy heart with all dil 
 igence-, for out of it are the issues of life." 
 
 Harry was no less surprised than de 
 lighted ; he had not expected such a costly 
 present ; he read the motto again and 
 again, and was at no loss to understand 
 its meaning. Overwhelmed with grati 
 tude and other emotions, he threw his 
 arms around Mrs. Kingsley s neck, and 
 exclaimed : 
 
A CHRISTMAS PARTY. 251 
 
 " My dear mother, I feel ashamed when 
 I think how little I have deserved your 
 kindness. How patiently you have borne 
 with all my fro ward ness and bad behav 
 ior. But now for the future I am determ 
 ined to do right, and make you as happy 
 as I once made you sorry." 
 
 " We can do nothing of ourselves, Mas 
 ter Harry, we must have help from above," 
 said a voice with which our hero was well 
 acquainted. It was that of old Walter 
 Rowley, whom Mrs. Kingsley had invited 
 to come on Christmas Eve, and who had 
 just entered the parlor while Harry was 
 speaking. The old man received a cordial 
 greeting, and to the inquiries he made as 
 to what had become of poor Barney, and 
 why he had not come with him, he an 
 swered that he had, according to his re 
 quest, taken the Irish lad back again, and 
 that he was coming on the next morning 
 to wish him a merry Christmas. He 
 greeted the son of his late beloved em 
 ployer in a manner which left no doubt of 
 the sincerity with which the pardon he 
 had asked was granted ; and when Harry 
 
252 PARSON HUBERT S SCHOOL. 
 
 said to him, " Walter, I hope you will 
 never have occasion to complain of me 
 again, for I am determined to try to do 
 right," the old man s face beamed with a 
 look of delight as he replied : 
 
 " With help from a higher power 
 strengthening us, we can do all things, 
 Master Harry ; and we are told that no 
 evil can happen to the just; " and then 
 in a voice expressive of deeper emotion 
 he added : " He that covereth his sins 
 shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth 
 and forsaketh them shall have mercy. " 
 
 " Amen !" said Mrs. Kingsley, and lay 
 ing her hand upon the wavy locks of her 
 reformed boy, a silent prayer, such as can 
 only proceed from the heart of a mother, 
 was breathed up to heaven, and no doubt 
 became registered there. 
 
 THE END. 
 
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 25 
 
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