“I wonder whether the master’ll speak first,” said John Sandford, and there were others who wondered{141} also; but Mr. Slocum had not announced his intentions on this point. But when the scholars were assembled on Wednesday afternoon, he said: “I have promised you that I will give you this afternoon a specimen of my speaking, and I have selected one of the pieces that I was distinguished for, when I was connected with one of the most celebrated institutions in the State of Maine. I will wait, however, until you are all through, as I do not like to discourage you in your inexperienced efforts. I will wind up the speaking by ascending the rostrum after your declamation is finished.”
One after another the boys spoke. One boy, of thirteen, rather inappropriately had selected the well-known little poem, commencing
“You’d scarce expect one of my age
To speak in public on the stage.”
“That piece is rather too young for you,” said Mr. Slocum, when he had taken his seat. “I remember speaking that piece when I was two years old. I was considered a very forward baby, and my parents were very proud of me; so they invited some company, and in the course of the evening they stood me up on a table, and I spoke the piece you have just listened to. Even now I can remember, though it is so long ago, how the company applauded, and how the minister came up to me, and, putting his hand on my head, said: ‘Theophilus,{142} the day will come when your father will be proud of you. You will live to be a credit to the whole Slocum family.’ Then he turned to my father, and said: ‘Mr. Slocum, I congratulate you on the brilliant success of your promising son. He is indeed a juvenile “progedy”’”—this was Mr. Slocum’s word—“‘and the world will yet hear of him.’ Such was my first introduction to the world as an orator, and I have always enjoyed speaking from that time. I hope that some of my pupils will also become distinguished in the same way.”
“I wish he’d speak that piece now,” whispered Julius to his next neighbor.
“Isn’t he a conceited jackass?” was the reply.
“He must have been a beautiful baby,” said Julius, comically.
“A regular phenomenon in petticoats.”
“What are you laughing at?” demanded Mr. Slocum, sternly.
“Julius said he wished you would speak that piece you spoke when you were two years old.”