In the Midst of Alarms | Page 6

studied during my spare time, I got a
chance as master of a grammar school near Toronto, chiefly, as I think,
though the recommendation of Principal Scragmore. I had my degree
by this time. Then--"
There was a gentle tap at the door.
"Come in!" shouted Yates. "Oh, it's you. Just bring up another cooling
cobbler, will you? and charge it, as before, to Professor Renmark, room
518. Yes; and then--"
"And then there came the opening in University College, Toronto. I had
the good fortune to be appointed. There I am still, and there I suppose I
shall stay. I know very few people, and am better acquainted with
books than with men. Those whom I have the privilege of knowing are
mostly studious persons, who have made, or will make, their mark in
the world of learning. I have not had your advantage, of meeting
statesmen who guide the destinies of a great empire.
"No; you always were lucky, Stilly. My experience is that the chaps

who do the guiding are more anxious about their own pockets, or their
own political advancement, than they are of the destinies. Still, the
empire seems to take its course westward just the same. So old
Scragmore's been your friend, has he?"
"He has, indeed."
"Well, he insulted me only the other day."
"You astonish me. I cannot imagine so gentlemanly and scholarly a
man as Principal Scragmore insulting anybody."
"Oh, you don't know him as I do. It was like this: I wanted to find out
where you were, for reasons that I shall state hereafter. I cudgeled my
brains, and then thought of old Scrag. I wrote him, and enclosed a
stamped and addressed envelope, as all unsought contributors should
do. He answered--But I have his reply somewhere. You shall read it for
yourself."
Yates pulled from his inside pocket a bundle of letters, which he
hurriedly fingered over, commenting in a low voice as he did so: "I
thought I answered that. Still, no matter. Jingo! haven't I paid that bill
yet? This pass is run out. Must get another." Then he smiled and sighed
as he looked at a letter in dainty handwriting; but apparently he could
not find the document he sought.
"Oh, well, it doesn't matter. I have it somewhere. He returned me the
prepaid envelope, and reminded me that United States stamps were of
no use in Canada, which of course I should have remembered. But he
didn't pay the postage on his own letter, so that I had to fork out double.
Still, I don't mind that, only as an indication of his meanness. He went
on to say that, of all the members of our class, you--_you!_ --were the
only one who had reflected credit on it. That was the insult. The idea of
his making such a statement, when I had told him I was on the New
York _Argus!_ Credit to the class, indeed! I wonder if he ever heard of
Brown after he was expelled. You know, of course. No? Well, Brown,
by his own exertions, became president of the Alum Bank in New York,
wrecked it, and got off to Canada with a clear half million. Yes, sir. I

saw him in Quebec not six months ago. Keeps the finest span and
carriage in the city, and lives in a palace. Could buy out old Scragmore
a thousand times, and never feel it. Most liberal contributor to the cause
of education that there is in Canada. He says education made him, and
he's not a man to go back on education. And yet Scragmore has the
cheek to say that you were the only man in the class who reflects credit
on it!"
The professor smiled quietly as the excited journalist took a cooling sip
of the cobbler.
"You see, Yates, people's opinions differ. A man like Brown may not
be Principal Scragmore's ideal. The principal may be local in his ideals
of a successful man, or of one who reflects credit on his teaching."
"Local? You bet he's local. Too darned local for me. It would do that
man good to live in New York for a year. But I'm going to get even
with him. I'm going to write him up. I'll give him a column and a half;
see if I don't. I'll get his photograph, and publish a newspaper portrait
of him. If that doesn't make him quake, he's a cast-iron man. Say, you
haven't a photograph of old Scrag that you can lend me, have you?"
"I have; but I won't lend it for such a purpose. However, never mind the
principal. Tell me your plans. I am at your disposal for a couple of
weeks, or longer if necessary."
"Good boy! Well, I'll tell you