WHAT MAKES THE HAPPY TEAQHER 2 107

“ What!” exclaimed Miss Hotchkin, who was on a
visit at the Oaks, “What! take pleasure in teaching
such a set of uncombed colts as those yonder!” And
she pointed with her parasol to the green, over which
the boys, just dismissed for their nooning, were bound-
ing and shouting. “The thing is impossible, Mr.
Barry.” |

“I daresay-you think so,” replied. Barry ; “ yet I say
what I think and feel. It is a positive pleasure to me
to be their teacher. And, then, allow me to speak a
word for the young fellows. They are now in their
summer trim and school-jackets, and you see them just
at the moment of release ; but some of them are already
gentlemen, in every sense of the word, and several of
them are already scholars.”

“ But such a noise, Mr. Barry! And such violence!”

“Noise, madam, is not always amiss. In a sickroom,
at a funeral, during worship or study, noise would be
altogether out of place. But what say you to the noise
of a mill or a cascade! And what say you to a pack
of hounds, a parrot, or an aviary’? It is as much the
nature of growing boys to exert their limbs and lungs,
as for young kids to do the same. It is healthful, it
is unavoidable, and to me it is agreeable.”

“Oh, sir, you shock me! Had I boys under my
charge, they should never be allowed to bellow like
those fellows—nor—” |

“Nor, said Barry, smiling, “to have a torn coat, or