CHAPTER XII.

FIRESIDE AMUSEMENTS, CONTINUED.

PAGE

The story of the dog seeking his fortune-Story of the dogs

of Oldacre-The Wind in a Rage..........

CHAPTER XIII.

FIRESIDE AMUSEMENTS, CONTINUED.

...........150

Ghost-stories, in which it turns out that the ghosts were

no ghosts at all-Story of Crack-a-marble, the boaster

-Story of the florist and the sexton-Story of the

cutler and his apprentices-Will Middleton haunted

by a Turk's-head brush-Story of Sammy Hand and

his bricklayers.........

CHAPTER XIV.

CONCLUSION OF FIRESIDE AMUSEMENTS.

..........178

Philosophical experiments and sleight-of-hand feats-Dr.

Dally enchants a yard-cock-alarms us with a wire run

through his leg, which proves not to be run through at

all-makes a tobacco-pipe spin round on a watch face

-turns a tumbler of water upside down, yet the water

remains in it—represents a ship on fire at sea by a

lump of camphor-makes a balance-wheel of a bottle

and a couple of forks-enchants a shilling-suspends a

key by a string of ashes—his magic-lantern—William

Woolley shews us how to make a jump-jack and an

apple-mill
....198

CHAPTER XV.

SCHOOL-DAYS.

Old Nanny Arred, my first schoolmistress-my first master
Billy Bingo the baker-I go to Ackworth, the large
Yorkshire seminary of the Society of Friends-parting

PAGE

from my old cronies-curious journey to Ackworth

with Cousin John-the poor Friend and his son, their

journey on foot......

. 205

CHAPTER XVI.

SCHOOL-DAYS, CONTINUed.

Account of Ackworth School-Billy Bull, the starer-

peculiar sports and amusements of this school-work-

ing in the farm-Runaway boys-Masters and officers

of the school-Curious characters: Master Joseph,

Tommy Codger, Boxall, Sams, Joey Crowther the

lamplighter, etc. Clogging on the snow - Grand

monthly excursions · the boy who shot the dead goose

-what came of a peep into a cupboard—an actual

culprit, or grand alarm at robbery

-

.....................

CHAPTER XVII.

SCHOOL-DAYS, CONTINUED.

A summer-day's adventure of three school-boys; or the

expedition to Spidenloft Chapel

215

239

CHAPTER XVIII.

ADVENTURES AT TAMWORTH.

A specimen of initiatory persecution, and how it ended,

being the affair of the three-legged stool-Delightful

recollections of the old town of Tamworth and its

environs-Character of our master-plays at hare-and-

hounds with us- leads us long walks into the country

-the adventure of the windmill -our master's me-

chanical crotchets the kite called Sailor Ben-the

paper telescope, the boat, and other works-Smoking

the bacon-Shifting the summer-house...................

259

CHAPTER XIX.

PAGE

The philosophical lecturer, and the affair of the pigeons

and rabbits, with the farmer's wonder at their being

drowned and restored to life again-Nutting excursion

in Hopwas Wood-M. Bruno, the French master's

feat of horsemanship-Will Sedley in the lion's den-

the memorable exploit of Jerry Rods - Joe Clinton

and his pranks-Gatliffe, the midshipman...

269

CHAPTER XX.

THE RENT-NIGHT SUPPERS AND COUSIN JOHN'S STORIES.

A few more incidental pleasures of the country-boy glanced

at; as the wake, the Whitsuntide festivities, harvest and

harvest-home suppers, and Christmas jollities—the rent-

night suppers-Cousin John's standing jokes on the

occasion, and his standing stories-the Mayor and his

relation-Story of Paul Elks and the packman

-

CHAPTER XXI.

CONCLUSION.

.......... 288

Will Middleton no longer a boy-studying a profession in

London the fond recollections of his native village

and old friends, that often visit him-Recollections

brought by the sound of church-bells-of running to

witness rustic weddings and funerals-climbing the

steeple, and watching the bell-ringers-his thankful-

ness for the mass of happiness enjoyed in simple rural

districts, as shewn him by his own experience — the

end............

.......304

Away they scamper full of sport, away,
With careless minds, intent on various play:
Huzza!-a long and sunny holiday!
Some, the projected racing-match decide;
Some strut on stilts with ill-dissembled pride;
Some play the truant, wandering far and wide,
Exploring, fearful of each distant sound,
The simple wonders of the country round.

Maude's School Boy.

SKETCH OF MY LIFE; IN WHICH ARE BRIEFLY RELATED SUNDRY PARTICULARS HEREAFTER TO BE

IT has been of late years very fashionable to write the lives and times of eminent people, to the great gratification of our full-grown friends; now I don't see any reason why we boys and girls should not write lives and times of our own; and rather to set a good example than because it is so much more important than that of other boys,-for I think almost every lad's life, if it were well written, would have in it very interesting particulars,-I am determined to write mine.

B