That Scholarship Boy

Morr

t was just the punishment he had decided she deserved for daring to have an opinion of her own

he went to the study and found it in darkness. His sister usually lighted

to be quiet, she says. You should not ta

She has been tellin

f that is what you mean,' said Mrs. Morrison, 'but

have, if Taylor keeps his word and sends me to Coventry at school! I shall lose the use of my tongue in about a week,

nd he was specially angry with his sister because she had so neatl

t speaking to his father he did not know, and at last he decided to say something to his mother about the matte

e for his supper, he said, 'Do you know whether father had any

a good boy?'

y be good-I dare say he is-bu

nt him; your father wo

said Leonard in

u ask, my boy?'

onard, lightly. 'As long as dadd

ppened? What sor

dare say. Boys can't pe

rds sent his mother ou

oor and went back to the dining-room. 'Poor Dick! poor, dear Dick! What

es, but roused herself when she heard the street door open a

ear,' she said, when her

bed, I suppose, he added, as he looked round the room before going to wash

at his wife scarcely touched hers; but he did not ask what was troubling her until

h I know is all you have been waiting for. Now tell me what is am

ave been wondering whether you were wise to get that little board school boy sent

was a patient of mine about a year ago, and from all I saw then I concluded that they were people who had come down in the world, for it was easy to see that they were superior to their surroundings, and I th

the school, and you know what queer notions people take sometimes; and if it was said that Dr. Morrison se

boys at Torrington's! I have heard a whisper that some of them don't like the ne

ce himself, people will be sure to say that you had no business to send hi

omes to you, and then to look it squarely in the face and fight it, if fighting is likely to do any good, and if it is not, then bear it with a

means of sending that scholarship boy to

. 'Murder will out

y Council sent him, a

ould go to Torrington's, both for the sake of the school and the boy, and also tha

that you had sent him, and when I asked why, he said boys

'and if this lad can only hold his own among some of those

do that?' as

ften brings to a school after some years. The sons of wealthy men are sent there, who have no need to toil with either hands or brains, and they take care not to do it themselves, and to hinder others from doing it if they can. For Len, and lads like him, this example is bad; and so to introduce a studious lad

st as proud of it as y

o is not proud and fond of his school, and ready

suppose some of them should think a poor boy, who is dependent upon a scholarship for his

aspect of the matter over at the Council meeting-for there are several old boys among us who are proud of our school-and we agreed that a little new blood among these purse-proud young gentlemen would do them a world of good, and I hope this boy may be wha

y with a sigh; 'I am sure he ne

uld think that of him; but the misery came to us

ow, and that was that he was too easily led. He could not say 'No,' though not to say it and abide by it under the circumstances was wrong. This ended at last in what was little less than a cri

ous one for her husband, was a very bitter trial to the lady; and though Dr. Morrison's practice was now

d as the name of Morrison was not mentioned by Horace, she did not know that he was there for some time. Her son was industrious and fond of scientific study, and had fairly won the scholarship, she was assured by the schoolmaste

ce would be able to do the lessons required of him, without overworking himself, and also whether sh

here was a small allowance made for this, after the school fees were paid out of the scholarship money, and it was the consideration of this that

he carefully kept this fact to himself, it was the underlying meaning of what he told her whe

ons all the evening. He talked sometimes to Fred about his mysterious idea, which she knew was connected with chemistry; but beyond this she knew very little of her boy's life at this time. Sometimes he looked worried as he sat poring over his books, as though they were a little beyond

f the class.' And Horace laughed as he mentally recalled the perpetually yawning figure of Curtis, with his back propped against t

not feel able to do the work

that's another big chap who doesn't care much about books, they take it prett

dinner time?' asked his

to be sure,' a

m going to be paid an extra shilling a week, and I vote

"lab.," and have a nice time to myself. Mr. Skeats told me I might go, if I did not t

up to larks?' inter

much in my way, and there's room for ever

so serious,' said Fred, after his

quiet,' remar

om his book sometimes, as though he

." You know he could talk of nothing e

any rate, and I am wondering wheth

I have asked him again and again. I think he

day meal. Get him something better than bread and butter to take with him-sandwiches or a little meat-pie. They say people who work with their br