Oscar / The Boy Who Had His Own Way

not, it being only for boys. The pupils numbered four or five hundred-a good many boys to be together in one building. But though belonging to one school, and under the control of one head

first, or highest class. There was a large hall in the upper story of the building, in which the enti

tir. Every morning and afternoon, as the pupils went to and from school, the streets in the neighborhood would for a few minutes seem to swarm with boys, of every imaginable size, shape, manners, dress, and appearance. Usually, they went back and forth in little knots; and

erched upon his nose. Arranged, in this fantastical manner, he seated himself with great dignity in the teacher's chair, and began to "play school-master," to the amusement of several other boys. It so happened that the teacher arrived earlier than usual that day, and he was not a little amused, as he suddenly entered the room, and witnessed the farce that was going on. Oscar jum

n: Playing S

ate for the "Franklin medals," which were to be distributed to the most deserving members of his class, when they graduated, the ensuing July. And yet Oscar was naturally a bright and intelligent boy. He was quick to learn, when he applied himself; but he was indolent, and did not like to take

his desk in the school-room, with an open book before him, but with his eyes idly staring at a

t that blackboard? You have been looking at it very intently

s head, but m

e your geography lesson

, s

u not stud

like studying,

leasantly; "if you don't feel like it,

platform on which the t

t as long as you please. But you must not look at anything else, and I would advise you not to let me catch your eyes turn

e him a little. When he began to grow weary, he contrived to interest himself by tracing out the faint chalk-marks of long-forgotten problems, that had not been entirely obliterated from the blackboard. This afforded employment for his mind for a time; but by-and-bye he began to grow tired and uneasy. His eyes longed to see something else, and his l

to recite. As was too often the case, he was but half prepared. The subject of the lesson was New York State. Several of the que

and Lake

n to another, and correctl

and Ontario; but I was n

ion, he was very apt to say, after the next boy had answered it,

salt. It is but justice to add, how ever, that nothing was said in the lesson of the day, on this point, although the ques

an apparatus is still in existence in one of the Canadian navy yards, which the English government sent over, some years ago, for distilling fresh water from Lake Erie. But an American school-boy of your age ought to know better than this, if an English lord of the admiralty does not. These great lakes are among the remarkable features o

esson to the great fire of 1885, by which an immense amount of property in New York city was dest

ive hundred and thirty-no,

you mean?" inqu

ar, after a moment's hesitation; "it's

was five feet ten or ten feet five, he was n't certain which. But are you sure that the

s one or the other," rep

may go to your seat, and study it until you can answer every question; and after school

, he gave pretty close attention to his book during the rest of the session. About fifteen minutes after the school was dismissed, he told the teacher he was prepared to recite, and he succeeded in gettin

this half-way system that you have fallen into. It is only wasting time to half learn a thing, as you did your geography lesson this afternoon. You studied it just enough to get a few indistinct impressions, and what little you did learn you were not sure of. It would be better for you to master but one single

profited much by it. If anything, he had grown more indolent and negligent, wit

Oscar? Do you suppose you should know i

?" he inquired, f

ontinued Ralph. "You don't remember seeing any

ar; for though both attended the same sch

said Ralph; "you need n't t

out it-'t was Bill Davenport,

ral one. Indeed, Ralph could not deny it without telling a falsehood, and so he ma

'll give him a good pounding for

t suppose you cared anything about standing before the blackboar

a mood, Ralph said nothing more