Part 5 (2/2)

Our superintendent and chaplain were strong sectarians, but very weak Christians, and they readily hteousness” One hot Sunday, when I was in command at chapel, the so forth a streae nuirls into the land of dreams

As soon as the services were over and I had surrendered my flock to the yard master, I was summoned before the superintendent where the pious chaplain accusedthe children awake I quietly asked hi theht the preacher deserved the rattan ladly if he would give the From thatfrom a row in the harbor, I treated my boat's crew to apples and pears from our orchard; just then the superintendent's whistle sounded, and I was called before the trustees then in session

”Are you aware,” said he, savagely, ”that the rules direct that all fruit shall be gathered by the head gardener, and by him alone?”

”Yes,” was , just now”

”I was si your example, sir; it takes a thief to catch a thief” The trustees roared with laughter The president of the board then asked if I had seen others stealing the fruit

”Yes, sir, the chaplain, superintendent, and nearly all the trustees”

”Well,” said he, ”this is a den of thieves”

”All except the convicts, sir,” I replied

These incidents did not add to s and arroere so annoying, and so ned, to accept a -school located in the roraphically, to the stars

A our responsibilities at the refor had no horowed,” and slept under the wharves of the city, swar to assuage the pangs of hunger They were vicious to a degree, and at first seemed to prefer a raw shi+n-bone that they had stolen to an abundant ht than eat, and prized a penny obtained by liesthe truth Some were stupid as donkeys; but others possessedacuteness I once asked one of these why he was sent to the reform school

”Oh,” was the reply, ”I stole a sawmill, and when I went back after the water dam the copper scooped me in”

Another quizzed his teacher un to teach hiure on the board and told him it was A, he called out: ”How do you know that is A?”

”Why, when I went to school my teacher told me it was A”

”Well,” said the little imp, ”how do ye know but what that feller lied?”

At one of our public s, the superintendent introduced as a speaker, ato impress the boys favorably, he announced hi called professor, and trying to be ”funny,” co: ”I am not Professor Holmes, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass--” At this point, quick as a flash, up jumped one of our wharf rats, and shouted: ”Well, if you ain't Professor Holmes' ass, whose ass be ye?”

Then the little barbarian, evidently uest, strutted across the floor in perfect irandiloquence; then he launched into the coon song:--

”De bigger dat you see de smoke De less de fire will be, And de leastest kind ob possuer at de cawine ter rob some hen-roos'

Befo' de week am out”