Bolax Part 27

B. ALLEN.

PAPA'S ANSWER.

_My Dear Son_: How is a boy to become a manly man if he has everything and everyone about him "agreeable." I did not send you to College just for the French and Latin merely. I could teach you those languages, and in fact, all your other lessons if I chose. I send you that you may get some knocks, and bruises; that you may learn to bear annoyances with patience and manliness.

As long as you live in this world you will meet with people who will misunderstand and misjudge you. But what of that? You have and always will have, if you deserve it, friends who appreciate and love you, who will make the best of your good qualities and the least of your bad ones. Above all, you can have the friendship of G.o.d by faithfully keeping His Commandments.

Your affectionate

FATHER.

LE GOURMAND.

For some weeks since the boys returned after Christmas holidays, Brother Julien, who had charge of the dormitories, complained of finding sc.r.a.ps of cake, apple cores, etc., hidden behind the water tank in the lavatory; no one could tell who placed them there. Fulton and Allen knew, but would not inform, although both were very often disturbed by hearing Hyacinth Laforge munching apples in the bed next them.

One morning Brother Director came into the Refectory looking very stern.

"I will thank the young gentlemen as they pa.s.s from the room to turn their pockets inside out," was the bland invitation that filled everybody with amus.e.m.e.nt or consternation, as the case might be.

There was a good deal of laughing and joking, as the boys filed out of the room and a great display of knives, pencil, bits of string, etc.

At last the guilty one took his turn. Out came apples, crumbs of cake, nuts, a little of everything.

"So it seems we have a thief among us!" Brother Director spoke in a very severe tone of voice.

"I didn't suppose you would begrudge me an apple or two," said the boy, throwing the contents of his pocket defiantly on the table.

"Nor do I. If you had come to me or to the Brother Procurator, and said: 'I am a greedy fellow; I want to eat all I can hold at the table, and have something to fall back on between times,' you would have been amply provided. But what is that bulging out under your jacket? Open it immediately." Hyacinth slowly and with a dogged air, unb.u.t.toned his vest, when, to the astonishment of the Brother, and the great amus.e.m.e.nt of the boys, out came a whole pie.

Such a laugh as followed! Brother Isadore, who was standing near, touched the pie, and finding it was still warm, asked when he had managed to capture it. The cook answered the question by coming on the scene, saying: "That boy ran through my kitchen a minute ago, shouldn't wonder if he had taken something, he's always sneaking round."

"Here Brother, here's his plunder," said the Director, "Ce n'est bon que pour les poules maintenant!" (It is only fit for the chickens now), answered the cook, who was very much provoked.

After the laughter had subsided, Hyacinth received a severe and mortifying reproof.

Brother Director said: "Since eating seems to be your chief aim in life, and to save you from stealing, your bed shall be moved into the little clothes room and a plate of cakes and apples placed so that you can munch all night if you wish, without disturbing the rest of the dormitory." The boys pa.s.sed out laughing. It is needless to add that the apples and cakes were beside the greedy one, every night until he was sick of the sight and smell.

FRENCH LETTER.

Mrs. Allen was very anxious that her son should write a letter in French, so to please her he sent the following:

COLLEGE DE L'ISLET, Janvier 7.

_Bien Chere Maman_: Votre card de postal etait recu hier et je l'ai lu avec beaucoup de playsir.

Je suis toujour content a recevoir vos lettres, parceque vous est mon premier amour, je vous aime plus que tout dans le monde et dans le ciel exceptey le bon Dieu et la sainte Vierge.

S'il vous play, envoyer moi de l'argent pour achetey du sucre blanc. Je n'aime pas le sucre brune.

Comme ceci est mon premier lettre en francais, si vous play ne fait pas le _fun_ a mes fautes.

Je suis avec tout l'amour de mon coeur votre fils.

B. ALLEN.

TRANSLATION OF LETTER.

_My Dear Mamma_: Your postal card was received yesterday and I read it with much pleasure.

I am always so glad to receive your letters, because you are my first love, my own dearest mother!

I love you more than anything in this world or in Heaven, except the good G.o.d and the Holy Virgin.

If you please, send me some money. I want to buy some white sugar, as I don't like the brown sugar they give here.

As this is my first French letter if you please don't make fun over my faults.

I am with all the love of my heart,

Your son,

B. ALLEN.

PALM BEACH, FLA., January.

_My Very Dear Child_: Papa and I are much pleased with your effort at French letter-writing, you spell as the words are p.r.o.nounced, but you will soon learn to correct that. Don't forget accents. They are as important as letters in writing French. I enclose two dollars for the sugar.

Papa is improving in health and spirits in this delightful climate. I am writing at an open window, with the odor of roses and Jessamine wafting into my room.

Dearest make good use of your time. Papa is particularly anxious about your arithmetic, and you know that's your weak point. We are so pleased with the "gold certificate," it proves you are doing your best. Pardon the brevity of this letter, Papa is waiting for me to go and watch the alligators sporting in the water, but we won't let them get a bite at us.

Your loving mother,

M. ALLEN.

P. S.--I should not have said "sporting," for alligators are sluggish beasts, but often may be seen in the mud in cl.u.s.ters, a tail-switching, or a head raised, on the watch for prey.

L'ISLET, January 15.

_Bien Chere Mere_: I have just received a Christmas gift from that old lady we always called "Madame." You know she never would say my name, always calling me "Bon Homme."

The following verse is written on the fly-leaf of the book she sent.

Don't you think it cute?