 | CHAPTER X. Master William Mitten, or, A youth of brilliant talents, who was ruined by bad luck |  |
10. CHAPTER X.
By reason of detention at the river, and an accident to his vehicle
on the way, Captain Thompson did not reach home until near eight
o'clock on Monday night; and at his request the tidings of his return
were kept from his sister until the next morning. As soon as they
reached her, she hastened over to him, to hear his report from Dr.
Waddel's school. “How did you find things, brother?” said she;
“I hope you got a good boarding-house, and a comfortable room for
William this cold weather; and that before you left, you saw him
well provided with bedding, fire-wood, and all the other little conveniences
that he needs; for you know he has no idea of providing for
himself. Did he seem satisfied with his new school? What sort of
a man is Mr. Waddel? Is he as severe a man as he is represented
to be?”
“Bless me, Anna!” said the Captain. “What time have I had
to prepare answers for all these questions? I got there at four
o'clock on Saturday afternoon, and left a little after sunrise on Sunday,
so that I had no time to learn much about Mr. Waddel or his
school. Oh, Anna, who do you think was the first boy I got acquainted
married Miss Laurens, daughter of Henry Laurens, President of the
first Congress, and Minister to Holland. He seemed to be very well
satisfied there—quite cheerful and happy—fine boy.”
“Couldn't you have got William into a room with him?”
“Well—I didn't try—he boards with Mr. Waddel, and I
thought—”
“Oh! brother! I wish you had placed him with young Ramsay,
immediately under Mr. Waddel's eye. I should have no fears, then,
of his getting into bad habits.”
“Well, he can board there yet, if he wishes to, for I only paid his
board at Mr. Newby's for one quarter, and I told him to visit the
other boarding houses and select the one he liked best, and I would
place him at it. I am determined to make him just as comfortable
and happy as I can, at Mr. Waddel's. His room-mate is a son of
our old friend, Dr. Hay, of Washington—nice youth—fine school,
I've no doubt—one hundred and fifty scholars! Industrious, hearty
looking fellows, of all sizes! Willington is the finest town in the
world, for boys. Anna, I'm a little pressed with business this morning;
come over another time, and we will talk the matter over more
leisurely.” So saying, he retired.
“Sister Mary,” said Mrs. Mitten to Mrs. Thompson, “did brother
David give you any of the particulars of his trip to Mr. Waddel's?
Did he tell you how William liked the school and his teacher?”
“No,” said Mrs. T.; “I asked him how William liked the school,
and he said he hadn't seen the school, when he came away. I asked
him how he liked Mr. Waddel, and he said William thought Mr.
Waddel a very grum looking man; but that he had had no opportunity
of getting acquainted with him before he left. But he (Mr. Thompson,)
said that it seemed to him that the man and the place were
made for William—that Willington was the most quiet, peaceful little
village he ever saw; in a healthy region, with delightful water,
beautiful study-grounds—industrious, hard-working, orderly boys,
&c., &c.”
“Sister Mary, you may depend upon it, brother David was disappointed
in the school, or William is dissatisfied with it, or both are
dissatisfied with the teacher, or the board, or something else, or he
would not put us off with these general remarks. As sure as you're
born, there is something there that he knows will not please me. If
all had been to his liking and mine, he wouldn't have waited for
questions from me, knowing my solicitude about the boy. He would
William had been—what a charming family, and what comfortable
quarters he had got in—what an accomplished, agreeable,
fascinating man Mr. Waddel is, &c., &c. What is the use of his
trying to conceal these things from me? As soon as I get a letter
from William, he will tell me all about them, and brother David had
as well let me know about them at once.”
“No, sister Anna, he cannot be dissatisfied with the teacher or the
school, as is plain from what he has said to both of us. I reckon
the living is rather rough up there, for he said it was the cheapest
board that he ever paid. Just think of it, sister Anna; ten dollars
a month for board, washing, lodging, and firewood! The kindest
man in the world couldn't supply boys with dainties at these rates.
And all this without making any allowance for damage to room, furniture,
bedsteads, bedding, breaking window glasses, plastering, and
the like, which is sure to occur in students' rooms; for boys are
certain to get into romps and frolies at times, and then everything
flies before them. Now, I reckon husband found the boys' fare very
plain at Mr. Newby's, and thought, maybe, that it would distress you
to know this fact, as William has never been used to such living.
As for accomplished, agreeable, fascinating school-masters —”
“Well, sister Mary, it may be so; I hope it is no worse. Learn
all you can about the school from brother David, and report to me.
Good morning!”
Mrs. Mitten went home, and immediately addressed to her son a
letter, wherein, among other things, she said “As yet, I have learned
but very little about the school or your teacher from your uncle; but
as he seemed to think it promises every thing good to you, I ought to
be satisfied. I have always been under the impression that Mr. Waddel's
school was in the woods, but your uncle informs us that it is in
the lovely, quiet little village of Willington. I have looked for it on
the map of South Carolina, but I cannot find it put down there.
Now, I charge you, my dear boy, not to be running about the streets
of nights, to the disturbance of the villagers. You are now, thank
Heaven! away from the G — boys, and I hope you never will
again fall into such company. I am happy to learn that you have
had the good fortune to become the room-mate of Dr. Hay's son. It
is a long time since we had the pleasure of the Doctor's society, but
we never can forget it, and we take it for granted that the son of such
a man must be all that a son should be. But even the best boys will
occasionally have their romps and frolics, and then they are very apt
pastimes; but I strictly enjoin it upon you, if they occur in your
room, and any injury results to bed, bedding, bureau, table, washstand,
basin, pitcher, looking-glass, window-glass, or any thing else, to
go immediately to Mr. Newby, and insist upon his charging the whole
damage to you, assuring him that I will pay it promptly and cheerfully.
So cheap is the board, that I know he cannot afford to bear
the expense of breakage.
“There is another thing upon which I would repeat a caution already
given you; you will often be applied to, as you have been, to
carry some of your less gifted schoolmates over their lessons. Do
these little kindnesses for them cheerfully, and for the honor of your
name, do not think of charging or receiving anything for them.
Study neatness and cleanliness of person. Before you left me, I told
you to change your linen every day, but as the number of your shirts
were reduced at your departure, and more especially in mercy to
Mrs. Newby's wash-woman, and her mistress, I will revoke that order,
and say to you, change only three times a week. Eat what is set before
you, asking no questions.”
Mrs. Mitten added a great many other wise and pious counsels,
but as they would be of but little interest to the reader, we suppress
them. She concluded her letter, folded it, addressed it to “Master
William Mitten, Willington, Abbeville District, South Carolina,”
and sent it to the post office. As there was no post office at that time
in Willington, the letter went to Abbeville Court House, where it remained
three weeks from its date before it was called for. At the
end of that time it was reported to Dr. Waddel, who took it from the
office, and the same day delivered it to William.
Three days passed away before Captain Thompson found it convenient
to give his sister a circumstantial detail of matters and things
at Willington; and on the fourth he set out for Augusta on business
of importance. As soon as he was gone, Mrs. Mitten called on his
wife.
“Sister Mary,” said she, “have you picked up anything from
brother David about Willington?”
“Not a word, sister Ann. He's always too busy, or too sleepy, to
talk upon this subject. Whenever I bring it up, like old Jenkins in
the Vicar of Wakefield, with his one sentence of learning, he begins
to run on about young Ramsey, as he did to you, but with this difference:
that he was serious when he delivered his harangue to you,
and he chuckles every time he repeats it—or begins to repeat it—to
Mr. Waddel's school which he doesn't wish us to know; and as for my
part, he may keep it to himself till doomsday, for aught I care; I
shall ask him no more about it.”
“Well, sister Mary, he can't keep us long in suspense, for I have
written to William, and I shall get a letter from him in a week or so
that will explain everything.”
At Augusta chance threw Captain Thompson and Thomas M.
Gilmer in the same room of a public house, for two nights. They
were made acquainted, and among various other topics of conversation,
Doctor Waddel's school came upon the tapis. “That school,”
said Mr. Gilmer, “just fills my notion of what a boy's school ought
to be. Plain dressing, plain eating, hard working, close studying,
close watching—and, when needful, good whipping.”
“You are well acquainted with the school, then.”
“Well, not so much from my own observation as from what my
boys and my neighbors' boys tell me; for I'm so clumsy, as you see,
that I go no where but where I'm obliged to; but every body says
the same thing about the school—that it is the best school in the
United States.”
“Mr. Waddel is said to be very severe with his pupils.”
“I reckon not. No doubt, if they don't walk straight he gives
them the timber, as he ought to do; but all his scholars that I know
like him very much, and they seem to consider all other schools as
very small affairs, compared with his.”
Captain Thompson after making a sufficient apology for his inquisitiveness,
fished out of Mr. Gilmer that Governor Mathews had
three or four grandsons at Doctor Waddel's. That Senator Bibb had
two brothers-in-law there—that Congressman Early had a brother
there—that Judge Tait had a son there. That Congressman Meriwether
(David) had a son there. And before the Captain loft Augusta,
he learned that Senator, Governor Milledge had a nephew
there. And last, (and best known of all, among men, women, and
children, throughout the State,) that William J. Hobby had a son
there. This gentleman was the Editor of the Augusta Herald, and
in the use of all the implements of editorial warfare unsurpassed by
any journalist of his day. A story was current about this time, that
a lady, expressing a wish to a female friend to have her infant daughter
bear the greatest name in the world—“name her,” said the
friend, “William J. Hobby.” Should the reader be disposed to
enquire how Mr. Gilmer came to know so many of the grandee patrons
blood, or marriage, with all but two of them; and one of the two
lived in the same county with him, was as intimate with him as a
connection, and had rescued his son George and other boys of this
very school from a falling house under which they had taken shelter
in a storm; and the other resided in an adjoining county, and was
well known to him, and a Judge of the circuit which embraced his
county.
The Captain, fully charged with these woman-cooling facts, wended
his way homeward in high spirits. His exultation was increased
upon reaching home by finding a letter waiting him from Doctor
Waddel.
As soon as he had reached his dwelling, and had taken refreshment—“come,”
said he, “Mary, let's go over to Anna's, and have our
too long postponed conference about Mr. Waddel's.”
“If you are going to talk seriously to your sister, to relieve her
from her anxiety about her child, I'll go with you; but if you are
going to run on with all that stuff about the whole breed of Ramsays,
who seem to have turned your head, I will not go one foot.”
“Well, I am going to be serious, and to give Anna a full statement
of things at Mr. Waddel's as they are. I know it will distress
her, and I want you to help me reconcile her to them.”
They went, and after the usual salutations, the Captain began:
“Well, Anna, I have come over to tell you fully how matters stand
at Mr. Waddel's. My reason for postponing the disclosure was,
that I was in hopes of receiving a letter from Mr. Waddel that would
help to reconcile you to tho state of things at Willington. So brief
was my stay at that place, that I really learned but little of the particulars
in which you are most interested; but I saw enough to satisfy
me, that to all who would have their sons removed from vice,
well instructed, invigorated in mind and body, and early taught self-reliance,
there was no better school than this. But all things about
it are of the very cheapest, plainest, and roughest kind. There is one
framed house in Willington, and that is the head teacher's; all the
rest are of logs, and open at that.” (Mrs. M. turned pale.) “William's
study and bed room are of this kind. He occupies it with
young Hay and two others. Its only furniture is two mattresses,
(on the floor,) a table, and four split bottomed chairs. The boys cut
and haul their own wood and make their own fires.” (Mrs. T. turns
pale.) “The fare is very plain—necessarily so, from the price of
board. Mr. Waddel is a very rigid disciplinarian,” (they both turn
Among all the boys that I saw at Newby's and Waddel's, I did not
see one who was as well dressed as your Tom. Even Doctor Ram—
however, we'll pass him over. This is as it should be. Boys who
cut wood and carry lightwood knots have no use for fine clothes.
I need hardly tell you that your boy, among them, looks like a bird
of Paradise among so many crows. I wish you had taken my advice
in laying in his wardrobe, for I am sure his finery will bring upon
him the taunts of his school-fellows. And now I have told you the
worst—the very worst. But I have something to brighten this picture
a little. And first, read this letter from Mr. Waddel.”
“You read it, brother,” said Mrs. Mitten with swimming eyes
and tremulous voice.
The Captain reads:
“Dear Sir: On taking leave of me, you requested me to give
you early information of the standing, conduct, and progress of your
nephew; and, as my letter will reach you through the kindness of
Mr. Jones, the bearer, nearly or quite a week sooner than it would
by regular—or rather irregular—course of mail, I avail myself
of the opportunity to comply with your request. William has been
under my instruction just a week to-day; and though I would not
venture confident predictions of him, upon so short an acquaintance,
I will give you my present estimate of him, for what it is worth. If
I am not grossly deceived in him, he is destined to a most brilliant
future. He was a little rusty in the principles of construction at
first—no, in the application of them—for of the principles themselves,
he is master, and he improves in the application of them
with every lesson. His class was a week ahead of him in the Greek
grammar, when he entered it. He has already made up the deficiency,
and now stands fully equal to the best in his class in this
study—indeed, in all their studies. He is moral, orderly, and studious,
and if he will only do half as much for himself as nature has
done for him, he will be the pride of his kindred and the boast of
his country. You will not be much more delighted at receiving this
intelligence, than I am in communicating it.
“There,” said the Captain, bouncing up in transports and throwing
the letter in his sister's lap, “there, sis, what do you think of
that? Now, as you are a good christian, play Methodist for one
is what it is cracked up to be.”
“Brother,” said she, “I am just as happy as a mother can be at
such tidings; but what do they signify, when my poor child may be
brought home to me in less than a month, a corpse? William's constitution
can never stand the hardships to which he is exposed. A
hard mattress on the floor, in an open hut, this bitter cold weather!
Cutting wood!—the boy never raised an axe in his life—
carrying lightwood knots! He never brought a turn of wood in the
house in his life. Taunted by rude school-mates for being decently
dressed! My child is worse off than my negroes.”
“Don't you suppose there are fifty in that school who have been
brought up as tenderly as your boy has?”
“No, I do not. They are all poor boys and country boys who have
been brought up to hard work. I may have erred in bringing him
up so daintily; but it is done, and he is now unable to bear hard
usage.”
“Do you reckon General Senator Governor Mathew's grand-children
are poor boys?—that the Honorable Peter Early's brother is a
poor boy?—that Senator Merriwether's son is a poor boy?—that
Senator Bibb's brothers-in-law are poor boys?—that Judge Tait's
son is a poor boy? Is young Hay a poor boy?”
“How do you know that all these men have sons there?”
“I learned it from a bigger man than any of them, who is kin
to them, and knows all about them, and their sons.”
“Well, I suppose all their sons were raised in the country and
raised to work.”
“Do you suppose that Senator Governor Milledge's nephew was
raised in the country and to work? That William J. Hobby's son
was raised in the country, and to work?—that Doctor Ramsay's son
was raised in the country and to work? It is high time your dainty,
cake-fed boy was set to work, if you expect him to live out half his
days. And when a better time than now? or where a better place
than among his school-mates of rank, who all work?”
“He is under your-control, brother,” said Mrs. Mitten, burying
her face in her handkerchief; “but surely, surely, he is the most
unfortunate child that ever was born.”
“Yes, he is one of the most unfortunate children ever born, in
having a mother whose sympathy for his body makes her forget the
interest of his soul—who to save his hide, will ruin his head—However,
what's the use of talking to a woman.”
“Husband,” said Mrs. Thompson, “youdon't know how to make
the proper allowances for a mother's love. I've told you so a hundred
times. That is your greatest fault—almost your only fault—
that, and refusing your children little innocent indulgences that
every other father allows to his children. I have been mortified to
death to see my children along side of their cousins. Because men
have no feelings themselves, they think women have none—or ought
to have none—”
“Ph-e-e-e-ew! what a gust! what did you come over for, Mrs.
Bildad?”
“I came over to comfort sister Anna, who has most as much to
bear as Job had.”
“I don't think Sarah suffers much by comparison with Ann and
Jane—at least if you'd look at one of Sanford's bills you'd think
she ought not to.”
“Well, I manage to keep her a little decent by enduring a month's
grumbling at the end of every year; but compare George and William
will you. Till last year and the year before, when did he ever
have a new coat—a decent one—to his back? I've been cutting
down your old coats and pants for him ever since he was born—”
“He must have gone into pants early.”
“That's very witty, I confess; but you know that every word I
say is true. What pleasure it can be to any one to be always mortifying
and cowing their children, I can't conceive. You're always
talking about making boys work, work, and giving 'em fine constitutions,
and George has done no more work than William has, and his
constitution's no better. Now, husband, what will the world say to
see you sending off your sister's child into slavery, and keeping your
own son at home, with all the comforts of life about him?”
“I thought he was in a dreadful pickle at home.”
“Well, so far as his feelings—his sensibilities are concerned he
is; but he's not a mean-fed, mean-clothed, ridiculed slave; he's not
tumbled down on a hard mattress, on the bare floor, in a negro
house, this pinching, freezing weather. I wouldn't expose George
to such hardships and insults, if he never got an education during
ash and oak.”
“I think that very likely.”
“Surely, upon the face of the whole earth there can be found
some school as good as old Waddel's where boys can be taught without
being made niggers of.”
“Mr. Waddel is not old, precious; and it would distress him
mightily if he knew that you didn't like his school.”
“I don't care whether he's old or young, nor what he likes or dislikes.
One thing is certain, and that is that George never goes to
him—with my consent.”
“Well, come darling, let's go home! you have comforted Anna
more in a few minutes than I could have done in a month; for you
have dried up her tears and actually drawn two or three smiles from
her. My purpose is fully answered. Old as I am, I never knew
how to comfort women before.”
“Brother, I thought you said Willington was a village!”
“So it is, but nobody lives in it but students and one tavern-keeper.”
“I sent my letter there.”
“Well, maybe it will go there. You should have sent it to Vienna.
Come, sweetest, let's be going!”
“Go on, sweetest; and I'll come when I'm ready.”
| CHAPTER X. Master William Mitten, or, A youth of brilliant talents, who was ruined by bad luck | |