[General laughter and clapping of hands in the class, with cries of Good! Capital! You’ve got to eat it raw, Johnny! &c.]
Foot.—There, now, I’ll leave it to all hands if Johnny hadn’t oughter have that ’ere cabbage?
All.—Yes! yes! To be sure he had! All right! &c.
Foot.—Then I’ll take that ’ere quarter, Bill—I b’lieve I’ve won my bet!
[Renewed demonstrations of merriment through the class.]
Head.—But stop, I thought you just backed out from the bet.
Foot.—Back eout? No such thing—I said I wouldn’t back out, any way. I only kinder made you think I’d give in beat, but I won the wager fairly, arter all, didn’t I, boys?
Several Boys.—Yes! yes! So he did. It’s all fair.
Foot.—Wall, Johnny, if I’ve won, I expect that ’ere cabbage b’longs to me, tew. But I don’t want to be hard on yer; besides, ’twixt you and I and the teown pump, I don’t ’prove of bettin’, for dad says it’s jest about as bad as gamblin’; so s’posin’ we jest swap even—I’ll keep the quarter, and you may have the cabbage, and eat it raw or b’iled, jest as you please. It’s a pooty good price for it, I expect, but what’s the use of a feller’s tradin’, if he can’t make something?
Head.—Well, Jo, you shan’t say I’m such a fool that I don’t know when I’m fairly cornered. I’ll own up handsomely, that I went to gather wool, and came home shorn; so you may keep the quarter, and I’ll take the cabbage. Here, Bill, pass over the property. [Bill obeys.] Boys, I’ll just say to you, that the next time you want to make a present to the foot of the class, you will have to get somebody else to be your orator. And to you, Jo, I will frankly confess that you have taught me a lesson I shall never forget. I have learned that a boy is not necessarily a fool, because he is at the foot of his class, and that excellent as book learning is, common sense and mother wit are sometimes more than a match for it.