156 BRAGGADOCIO.

him with a forcible shove, saying, “now, you
young rascal, go and behave yourself.”

A thorough explanation and cool reasoning
would have done better with the boy, but Mr.
Cramer was too passionate for argument.

George went snuffling, and sobbing, and
pouting into the school-room, and seating him-
self at his desk, opened the lid, and hid his
face behind it. The tutor took no notice of
him for some time. At length he said, in a
gentle but decided tone, “I trust by this time
you are ready to ask. my pardon.”

George still felt the tingling of the essence of
rattan, and said in a gruff voice, “ your pardon,
sir.”

“Granted,” replied Mr. Starr, and then
made inquiry about George’s progress in
study.

‘What profession do you expect to follow ?”

“Tam above a profession ;—I am going to
college because all rich men’s sons go to
college.”

The tutor smiled, but not with pleasure.
George was far behind Howard in Latin and
Greek, and knew little of mathematics.