to him that hath-第8节

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intellectual　attainment。

Furthermore；　Sam；　while　quite　ready　to　enforce　the　code　of
discipline　which　he　considered　suitable　to　the　smaller　and　weaker
boys　in　his　class；　resented　and　resisted　the　attempts　of　constituted
authority　to　enforce　discipline　in　his　own　case；　with　the　result
that　Sam's　educational　career　was；　after　much　long　suffering；
abruptly　terminated　by　the　action　of　the　long…suffering　head；　Alex
Day。

〃With　great　regret　I　must　report；〃　his　letter　to　the　School　Board
ran；　〃that　in　the　case　of　Samuel　Wigglesworth　I　have　somehow　failed
to　inculcate　the　elementary　principles　of　obedience　to　school
regulations　and　of　adherence　to　truth　in　speech。　　I　am　free　to
acknowledge；〃　went　on　the　letter；　〃that　the　defect　may　be　in　myself
as　much　as　in　the　boy；　but　having　failed　in　winning　him　to
obedience　and　truth…telling；　I　feel　that　while　I　remain　master　of
the　school　I　must　decline　to　allow　the　influence　of　this　youth　to
continue　in　the　school。　　A　whole…hearted　penitence　for　his　many
offences　and　an　earnest　purpose　to　reform　would　induce　me　to　give
him　a　further　trial。　　In　the　absence　of　either　penitence　or　purpose
to　reform　I　must　regretfully　advise　expulsion。〃

Joyfully　the　School　Board；　who　had　for　months　urged　upon　the
reluctant　head　this　action；　acquiesced　in　the　course　suggested；　and
Samuel　was　forthwith　expelled；　to　his　own　unmitigated　relief　but　to
his　father's　red　and　raging　indignation　at　what　he　termed　the
〃（h）ignorant　persecution　of　their　betters　by　these　（h）insolent
Colonials；〃　for　〃'is　son　'ad　'ad　the　advantages　of　schools　of　the
'ighest　standin'　in　（H）England。〃

Being　expelled　from　school　Sam　forthwith　was　brought　by　his　father
to　the　office　of　the　mills；　where　he　himself　was　employed。　　There
he　introduced　his　son　to　the　notice　of　Mr。　Grant　Maitland；　with
request　for　employment。

The　old　man　looked　the　boy　over。

〃What　has　he　been　doing？〃

〃Nothin'。　　'E's　just　left　school。〃

〃High　School？〃

〃Naw。　　Public　School。〃　　Wigglesworth　Sr。's　tone　indicated　no
exalted　opinion　of　the　Public　School。

〃Public　School！　　What　grade；　eh？〃

〃Grade？　　I　dinnaw。　　Wot　grade；　Samuel？　　Come；　speak　（h）up；　cawn't
yeh？〃

〃Uh？〃　　Sam's　mental　faculties　had　been　occupied　in　observing　the
activities　and　guessing　the　probable　fate　of　a　lumber…jack　gaily
decked　in　scarlet　sash　and　blue　overalls；　who　was　the　central
figure　upon　a　flaming　calendar　tacked　up　behind　Mr。　Maitland's
desk；　setting　forth　the　commercial　advantages　of　trading　with　the
Departmental　Stores　of　Stillwell　&　Son。

〃Wot　grade　in　school；　the　boss　is　（h）askin'；〃　said　his　father
sharply。

〃Grade？〃　enquired　Sam；　returning　to　the　commonplace　of　the　moment。

〃Yes；　what　grade　in　the　Public　School　were　you　in　when　you　left？〃
The　blue　eyes　of　the　boss　was　〃borin'　'oles〃　through　Sam　and　the
voice　pierced　like　a　〃bleedin'　gimblet；〃　as　Wigglesworth；　Sr。；
reported　to　his　spouse　that　afternoon。

Sam　hesitated　a　bare　second。　　〃Fourth　grade　it　was；〃　he　said　with
sullen　reluctance。

〃'Adn't　no　chance；　Samuel　'adn't。　　Been　a　delicate　child　ever　since
'is　mother　stopped　suckin'　'im；〃　explained　the　father　with　a
sympathetic　shake　of　his　head。

The　cold　blue　eye　appraised　the　boy's　hulking　mass。

〃'E　don't　look　it；〃　continued　Mr。　Wigglesworth；　noting　the　keen
glance；　〃but　'e's　never　been　（h）able　to　bide　steady　at　the　school。
（H）It's　'is　brain；　sir。〃

〃Hisahbrain？〃　　Again　the　blue　eyes　appraised　the　boy；　this　time
scanning　critically　his　face　for　indication　of　undue　brain
activity。

〃'Is　brain；　sir；〃　earnestly　reiterated　the　sympathetic　parent。
〃'Watch　that　（h）infant's　brain；'　sez　the　Doctor　to　the　missus　when
she　put　'im　on　the　bottle。　　And　you　know；　we　'ave　real　doctors　in
（H）England；　sir。　　'Watch　'is　brain；'　sez　'e；　and；　my　word；　the　care
'is　ma　'as　took　of　that　boy's　brain　is　wunnerful；　is　fair
beautiful；　sir。〃　　Mr。　Wigglesworth's　voice　grew　tremulous　at　the
remembrance　of　that　maternal　solicitude。

〃And　was　that　why　he　left　school？〃　enquired　the　boss。

〃Well；　sir；　not　（h）exackly；〃　said　Mr。　Wigglesworth；　momentarily
taken　aback；　〃though　w'en　I　comes　to　think　on　it　that　must　a　been
at　the　bottom　of　it。　　You　see；　w'en　Samuel　went　at　'is　books　of　a
night　'e'd　no　more　than　begin　at　a　sum　an'　'e'd　say　to　'is　ma；　'My
brain's　a…whirlin'；　ma'；　just　like　that；　and　'is　ma　would　'ave　to
pull　'is　book　away；　just　drag　it　away；　you　might　say。　　Oh；　'e's　'ad
a　'ard　time；　'as　Samuel。〃　　At　this　point　the　boss　received　a
distinct　shock；　for；　as　his　eyes　were　resting　upon　Samuel's　face
meditatively　while　he　listened　somewhat　apathetically；　it　must　be
confessed；　to　the　father's　moving　tale；　the　eye　of　the　boy　remote
from　the　father　closed　in　a　slow　but　significant　wink。

The　boss　sat　up；　galvanised　into　alert　attention。　　〃Eh？　　What？〃　he
exclaimed。

〃Yes；　sir；　'e's　caused　'is　ma　many　a　（h）anxious　hour；　'as　Samuel。〃
Again　the　eye　closed　in　a　slow　and　solemn　wink。　　〃And　we　thought；
'is　ma　and　me；　that　we　would　like　to　get　Samuel　into　some　easy
job〃

〃An　easy　job；　eh？〃

〃Yes；　sir。　　Something　in　the　office；　'ere。〃

〃But　his　brain；　you　say；　would　not　let　him　study　his　books。〃

〃Oh；　it　was　them　sums；　sir；　an'　the　Jography　and　the　'Istory　an'
the　Composition；　an'；　an'wot　else；　Samuel？　　You　see；　these　'ere
schools　ain't　a　bit　like　the　schools　at　'ome；　sir。　　They're　so
confusing　with　their　subjecks。　　Wot　I　say　is；　why　not　stick　to　real
（h）eddication；　without　the　fiddle　faddles？〃

〃So　you　want　an　easy　job　for　your　son；　eh？〃　enquired　Mr。　Maitland。

〃Boy；〃　he　said　sharply　to　Samuel；　whose　eyes　had　again　become　fixed
upon　the　gay　and　daring　lumber…jack。　　Samuel　recalled　himself　with
visible　effort。　　〃Why　did　you　leave　school？　　The　truth；　mind。〃　　The
〃borin'〃　eyes　were　at　their　work。

〃Fired！〃　said　Sam　promptly。

Mr。　Wigglesworth　began　a　sputtering　explanation。

〃That　will　do；　Wigglesworth；〃　said　Mr。　Maitland；　holding　up　his
hand。　　〃Sam；　you　come　and　see　me　tomorrow　here　at　eight。　　Do　you
understand？〃

Sam　nodded。　　After　they　had　departed　there　came　through　the　closed
office　door　the　sound　of　Mr。　Wigglesworth's　voice　lifted　in　violent
declamation；　but　from　Sam　no　answering　sound　could　be　heard。

The　school　suffered　no　noticeable　loss　in　the　intellectual　quality
of　its　activities　by　the　removal　of　the　whirling　brain　and
incidentally　its　physical　integument　of　Samuel　Wigglesworth。　　To
the　smaller　boys　the　absence　of　Sam　brought　unbounded　joy；　more
especially　during　the　hours　of　recess　from　study　and　on　their
homeward　way　from　school　after　dismissal。

More　than　any　other；　little　Steve　Wickes　rejoiced　in　Sam's
departure　from　school。　　Owing　to　some　mysterious　arrangement　of
Sam's　brain　cells　he　seemed　to　possess　an　abnormal　interest　in
observing　the　sufferings　of　any　animal。　　The　squirming　of　an
unfortunate　fly　upon　a　pin　fascinated　him；　the　sight　of　a　wretched
dog　driven　mad　with　terror　rushing　frantically　down　a　street；　with
a　tin　can　dangling　to　its　tail；　convulsed　him　with　shrieking
delight。　　The　more　highly　organised　the　suffering　animal；　the
keener　was　Sam's　joy。　　A　child；　for　instance；　flying　in　a　paroxysm
of　fear　from　Sam's　hideously　contorted　face　furnished　acute
satisfaction。　　It　fell　naturally　enough　that　little　Steve　Wickes；
the　timid；　shrinking；　humpbacked　son　of　the　dead　soldier；　Stephen
Wickes；　afforded　Sam　many　opportunities　of　rare　pleasure。　　It　was
Sam　that　coined　and；　with　the　aid　of　his　sycophantic　following
never　wanting　to　a　bully；　fastened　to　the　child　the　nickname　of
〃Humpy　Wicksy；〃　working　thereby　writhing　agony　in　the　lad's　highly
sensitive　soul。　　But　Sam　did　not　stay　his　hand　at　the　infliction　of
merely　mental　anguish。　　It　was　one　of　his　favorite　forms　of　sport
to　seize　the　child　by　the　collar　and　breeches　and；　swinging　him
high　over　head；　hold　him　there　in　an　anguish　of　suspense；　awaiting
the　threatened　drop。　　It　is　to　be　confessed　that　Sam　was　not
entirely　without　provocation　at　the　hands　of　little　Steve；　for　the
lad　had　a　truly　uncanny　cunning　hidden　in　his　pencil；　by　means　of
which　Sam　was　held　up　in　caricature　to　the　surreptitious　joy　of　his
schoolmates。　　Sam's　departure　from　school　deprived　him　of　the　full
opportunity　he　formerly　enjoyed　of　indulging　himself　in　his
favourite　sport。　　On　this　account　he　took　the　more　eager　advantage
of　any　opportunity　that　offered　still　to　gratify　his　taste　in　this
direction。

Sauntering　sullenly　homeward　from　his　interview　with　the　boss　and
with　his　temper　rasped　to　a　raw　edge　by　his　father's　wrathful
comments　upon　his　〃dommed　waggin'　tongue；〃　he　welcomed　with　quite
unusual　eagerness　the　opportunity　for　indulging　himself　in　his
pastime　of　baiting　Humpy　Wicksy　whom　he　overtook　on　his　way　home
from　school　during　the　noon　intermission。

〃Hello；　Humpy；〃　he　roared　at　the　lad。

Like　a　frightened　rabbit　Steve　scurried　down　a　lane；　Sam　whooping
after　him。

〃Come　back；　you　little　beast。　　Do　you　hear　me？　　I'll　learn　you　to
come　when　you're　called；〃　he　shouted；　catching　the　terrified　lad
and　heaving　him　aloft　in　his　usual　double…handed　grip。

〃Let　me　down；　you！　　Leave　me　alone　now；〃　shrieked　the　boy；
squirming；　scratching；　biting　like　an　infuriated　cat。

〃Bite；　would　you？〃　said　Sam；　flinging