book. The School Chapel was the subject, full of interest and
stirring to the imagination, if only for the aisle to the memory of
Harrow officers who fell in the Crimea. Buller's flight of imagination
was as absurd as it was impertinent:
"The things in the Chapel nonsense are,
Don't you think so dear Fa_rrar_!"
Mr. Farrar, however, never took offence at such sallies. I remember,
when he was denouncing the old "yellow back" novels, murmurs becoming
audible, which were intended to reach him, of "Eric! Eric!"--the title
of his early school-boy story--he only smiled in acknowledgment. And
on an April 1st several boys who had plotted beforehand gazed
simultaneously and persistently at a spot on the ceiling, until his
eyes followed theirs unthinkingly in the same direction, when it
occurred to him, as nothing unusual was visible, that it was All
Fools' Day. He was very playful and indulgent; he kept a "squash"
racquet ball on his desk, and could throw it with accurate aim if he
noticed a boy dreaming or inattentive. He would never when scoring the
marks enter a 0, even after an abject failure, always saying, "Give
him a charity 1!"
Boys are quick judges of sermons: if interested, they listen without
an effort; if not interested, they _cannot_ listen. Whenever Mr.
Farrar's turn came as preacher in the School Chapel there was a subtle
stir and whisper of appreciation, "It's Farrar to-day.
Pages:
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171