"May I see Mr. Slade?" again asked the boy, after finishing his bread and
butter.
"Well, he is in the library; if he must be disturbed, he must. He does like
to be alone sometimes," said the girl in a peevish tone.
She seemed to think it very foolish to admit such a fellow into her
master's presence. However, she wiped her hands, and bade him follow.
Opening the library door, she said:--
"Here's somebody, sir, who is dreadful anxious to see you, and so I let him
in."
I do not know how the boy introduced himself, or now he opened the
business, but I know that, after talking awhile, the principal put aside
the volume that he was studying, and took up some Greek books, and began to
examine the boy. The examination lasted for some time. Every question the
principal asked was answered promptly.
"Upon my word," exclaimed the principal, "you do well!" looking at the boy
from head to foot over his spectacles. "Why, my boy, where did you pick up
so much?"
"In my spare moments," answered the boy.
Here was a poor, hard-working boy, with few opportunities for schooling,
yet almost fitted for college by simply improving his spare moments.
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