| A day’s ramble about town—Strange sights and sounds—Fatigue—The alarm of fire—Where it came from—General indifference to it—The fire engine—The boys at home—Ettie and her dissected map—Queer transformations—Description of the fire-alarm telegraph—The signal stations—The central office—How the bells are struck—Its value—Mr. Davenport’s questions—His fatigue—A comparison between city and country workers—Whistler’s anticipated farm—Playful retort—Romance of the farm—All men not made for farmers—Other pursuits necessary—The great mistake—A dry but important subject—Clinton’s choice of a profession—Why he would like to be a merchant—Romantic notions of mercantile life—The other side—Practical application—The summing up—A few first principles of political economy—A legal opinion without a fee, | [191] |
CHAPTER XIII.
SIGHT-SEEING.
| School—The tramp begun—Dogs—The dog-cart—The image dealer—The released bird—An unnecessary piece of information—How received—The invitation—The birds—A surprise—The Common—A beautiful scene—The fountain—View of it—Its various jets—Vast quantity of water required to feed it—Changing the jet—The great elm—A new acquaintance—A proposal accepted—The State House—A journey to its top—The lantern—A magnificent view—The descent—Clinton’s wanderings in unknown regions—A discovery—How he happened to get turned round—Safe arrival—A laugh over the adventure—The distracted Quaker—The bewildered boy, | [206] |
CHAPTER XIV.
SCHOOL TRIALS.
| Whistler’s first day at school—Unhappy recollections—A severe disappointment—Interview with his father—Why Whistler did not get into the high school—He is acquitted of blame—His reluctance to return to his old school—His character as a scholar—A failure the first day—Mortification—A commission from the teacher—Its acceptance—Clinton’s puzzle—The drawings commenced—A difficult task—Whistler’s ambition aroused—Clinton’s visit to the school—An insulting nickname proposed for a new scholar—Whistler’s interference in his behalf—He is himself attacked—His self-control—What David had to take—A kind word from Whistler—A challenge—How Whistler treated it—The young bully’s cowardice exposed—The school exercises—The principal’s story—The sick boy—His first appearance at school—A mean assailant—A gallant defender—The story brought home to the school—The verdict of the scholars on the conduct of the boys—Who the real dunce is—Difference between learning easily and studying hard—Who the most promising scholar is—Juvenile dulness of famous men—School dismissed, | [224] |
CHAPTER XV.
LESSONS IN PHYSIOLOGY.
| The drawings finished—A short school lecture—Sitting and standing—The proper position—Two illustrations—The sitting position illustrated—Curious mechanism of the backbone—How it becomes distorted—Effect of stooping upon the lungs—An experiment or two—Keeping the arms on a level—Ettie’s kitten—Whistler’s joke—The kitten missed—The search—Whistler’s sad discovery—Policy of keeping it secret—A good rule remembered—A wise decision—Confession—Whistler’s thoughtlessness—Ettie’s grief, | [243] |