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CHAPTER II.

First School Days.

While the heart is yet soft, and the dew of his birth,
On the brow of the Christian is bright,

Ere the stripes of the world or the follies of earth,
Efface it or darken its light;

We would lead your young hearts to the hopes that are

sure;

We would show you the pleasures that ever endure;
Would point out the paths that are pleasant and pure,
And teach you to tread them aright.

VERSES FOR HOLY SEASONS.

WHEN Godfrey Davenant first entered, the rule of the school was that nineteen juniors and one or two seniors should occupy a single dormitory. The senior whom Godfrey was unfortunate enough to fall under was one of the old and worse set, and the room was the most corrupt in the whole school. Scarcely had he knelt down to say his prayers when a low titter ran round, and first one

piece of supposed wit was levelled at him and then another. He found it hard to attend during this strange disturbance, and rose uncomfortable and dissatisfied from an act in which he had long been accustomed to allow his thoughts to wander. But when he lay down to sleep, heavier trials awaited him. Such a hell of language opened around as made him thrill with horror. He would have buried his head in his clothes, and have shut out all sounds if he could; but one boy after another played him some trick and forced his attention. The whole scene was new to Godfrey. He had heard of evil, but he did not know that sin so disgusting as that now brought before him could ever be tolerated in a school bearing such a reputation as Athelling enjoyed. Burning tears flowed down his cheeks, and many a silent prayer for strength did he offer to God.

If my readers think such a state of things as this very uncommon, they are grievously mistaken. It is impossible to overstate the wickedness that is found to exist in public schools which have been subjected, as some have, to a long course of neglect, or inefficient moral superintendence.

Next morning all the boys met in chapel, where

the morning service was read. Then came breakfast, and after half an hour, school began. Dr. Wilson examined Godfrey, with twelve other boys, in grammar, construing and composition, and as Godfrey was not a good scholar he was placed lower than his abilities and other attainments warranted. This however, was not important, as a move would take place at Easter, and if fit he was sure to get up a step higher. Godfrey had several disadvantages to contend with, besides those which we have mentioned. He had learned a Greek grammar, which classed the declensions differently from that which was used in the school. This of course with the difference of the rules threw him sadly out in parsing, and made him feel himself rather an injured boy, and as misunderstood and undervalued. He knew himself superior to the rest of the class, but he could not get to the top of it or nearly so, because of his deficiency in things, which in part rightly and in part wrongly, he regarded as mere forms and technicalities. All this increased his natural bias and made him more and more self-contemplative. We have, however, rather anticipated matters, and must now turn back to the rush out of school, on the first day of Godfrey's school life.

Two minutes served to empty the great room, and three to fill the play-ground, which lay on one side of the building, and ran along the edge of the green, being fenced off on that side with iron palisades.

Godfrey was soon beset with applications to join the cricket club, and to pay an entry for this sport and that. Having lived at home, he had acquired neither skill nor taste for any boyish games, except fishing and shooting, which last he had learned to like from accompanying his father, and from the excitement and adventure which attend it in wild districts.

But besides this, Godfrey's pocket was but poorly filled, and when he heard of half a sovereign here and five shillings there, he answered that he did not want any sports at present, an assertion which only produced a loud laugh. Some cried out, "Eh! Molly, eh!" others called him "Soft Tommy," and the delegated beggars said, "Hush, you fools, he'll join us if you let him alone."

Now Godfrey would have joined them all for the sake of peace, if he had not been poor, but being so, he said with a stammering voice and a burning cheek, that he did not wish to play at cricket, or to have a share in the other things, and so turned away.

To his great delight he saw Austin Barrow standing behind him, and he felt safe when his former protector took his arm and led him off to a distant part of the play-ground.

But Godfrey's false shame was not to get off quite so easily. As soon as they were out of hearing, Barrow asked him whether his only reason for refusing was really that which he gave. And Godfrey, with some confusion, repeated pretty nearly what he first said, and mystified and turned aside the plain matter in question, half purposely and half in his confusion.

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Austin Barrow heard him out and then said,—

Davenant, you are not open with me, and I think you ought to be, if you are as grateful to me as you said you were. You have another reason than that which you gave me, and you certainly have quite a right to keep it to yourself you choose. But then you should not try to make others think that you have not another motive behind your words."

if

Godfrey replied, "Why, the truth is, I cannot afford it; I am sure I did not mean to equivocate: but I did not know what to say to them."

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Why not say what was really the case? I blame you for that, and I would blame you too for being ashamed of being poor, if I were sure