ON THE DEATH OF A FAVOURITE MASTER

AT A PUBLIC SCHOOL.

FLOWS not the while gay Pleasure's tide—
No shout of boyhood rends the air!
Grief's sable robe hath fallen there,
And young hearts wish he had not died.

None thought that he was e'er unkind,

Whose kindness they should know no more;
Who Youth's perverseness gently bore,

And gently swayed each wavering mind.

Each felt that he had lost a friend!-
Oh! what a loss! a friend in life.
Yet, joy for over is the strife,
And he hath won a Christian's end.

If talents, which to him were given,
Used for the Giver's glory, and
Faith in a happy promised land
Can win a home, a rest in Heaven,—

Then know we whither he hath fled,

Whose body in the cold grave lies-
Whose spirit singeth in the skies—
Whom, living, we do mourn as dead.

Then let our eyes no tear-drops dim;
. He sleeps in Christ-all tears are vain!
He may not come to us again;
But we may up, and go to him!

R. B. READE.

S Gore entered the house, partly leading and partly supporting Arthur Johnstone, they encountered Mr. Mayhew, who was setting out for an evening walk, This master I have described as being neither so severe as Mr. Rawdon, nor so considerate as Mr. Winter, and holding in consequence a sort of middle place in the boys' regard. He seldom took notice of what passed out of school hours; partly, no doubt, because he did not wish to give himself more trouble than he was obliged to take; and partly, we must add in fairness to him, because he really believed that interference during their play-hours was generally unwise. He was about to pass the two boys without remark, when it suddenly struck him that Johnstone not only looked dogged and sullen, as was not unfrequently the case with him, but that he appeared, from some cause or other, to be so weak as scarcely to be able to put one foot before another. His compassion was moved.

"Why, Johnstone," he said, "what is the matter? Are you ill, or have you met with an accident?"

"He has been hit by a cricket-ball, sir," said Gore, anxious to anticipate Johnstone's own story, which might perhaps disclose too truly what had really taken place.

"Hit by a cricket-ball?" returned Mr. Mayhew. "You must mind what you are about, Johnstone, and not go too near when a match is being played. What match has been going on this afternoon, Gore?"

"No match, sir; only some of us have been practising together, and Johnstone offered to stand longstop to Joyce, Dalison, and one or two others.

"I did n't offer," growled Arthur, "you made me."

"I did n't make you," said Gore, quickly.

"If you did n't the others did," returned Arthur.

Mr. Mayhew internally blamed himself for his folly in meddling with the matter, and endeavoured to extricate himself.

"Well, if you were only standing longstop, Johnstone," he said, "you could not be very much hurt. None of our boys bowl so hard that you need be afraid of their balls. Face them boldly, that is the way to learn cricket."

"I should n't mind the bowling," said Arthur, "the ball that hit me was struck from a bat."

"I thought you said you were standing longstop?"

"So I was; but Joyce hit round at me.”

"Hit round at you? Hit round, I suppose you mean. He did n't try to hit you, I imagine?"

66

"Yes, he did," returned Arthur, in the same tone as before, regardless of the winks and nods which Gore, who was standing a little behind Mr. Mayhew, directed at him. Yes, he did; he hit round at me, I daresay a dozen times, before the ball struck me. Trevor was there, and you can ask him if you don't believe me."

Just at this moment Dr. Brooksbank entered the house on his return from riding; and Mr. Mayhew, who felt that the matter was too serious for him to pass over in silence, related what had transpired to his principal.

The Doctor was much moved. "I have several times fancied," he said, "that there was a good deal of bullying going on this half year, and that the first-class boys were the chief offenders. I shall certainly inquire into this. Where is the boy I saw just now? Gore, was it Did I understand you to say he was present?"

not?

"Yes," replied Mr. Mayhew, "both he and Trevor were present, according to Johnstone's account. But Gore seems to be gone."

This was true; that worthy having taken the opportunity of Dr. Brooksbank's entrance to decamp, taking Johnstone with him.

"But," added the usher, "here come Trevor and Joyce ;" and, as he spoke, the two boys named entered the passage, followed at a little distance by Dalison.

"Stop, if you please," said the head master, as the three were about to pass on, "here is something which requires explanation. Arthur Johnstone has told me, or rather he has told Mr. Mayhew, that you have been obliging him to stand behind the wicket, and have hit balls round at him to try and knock him down. Is that so, Joyce?"

"I hit round to leg," replied Joyce, evasively, "and it happened to hit him, no doubt. He ought to have got out of the way."