The Argosy — page 219: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

204 Our Philosopher. ‘And your words are none of the shortest, Azy,” said the Vicar. ‘But you will allow they are pertinent, sir. Now the Examiner’s are impertinent.” Azy meant nothing disrespectful by this. He used the word in dictionary form, as irrelevant, or not pertaining to the matter in hand ; and it must be confessed that, in this sense, Examiners are often impertinent enough. Azy, however, consoled himself with study. But our schoolmaster was not content with biblical lore. He soon took to general litera- ture. The Vicar, himself a scholar, gave him the run of his library, and his head got fuller and fuller of hard words. It became a sort of curlosity shop, in which they tumbled over one another, or were huddled up in odd corners. But then, are not the heads of many learned men curiosity shops ? In course of time he sent essays and poems to the newspapers and periodicals. It is not surprising if they were returned, or not inserted, since genius 1s rarely acknowledged till its possessor is celebrated, and editors are not infallible. . But he occasionally triumphed at an Eisteddfod, which consoled him. “To be invested with a ribbon as druid or bard was distinction enough for this meek philosopher. Unfortunately Tisher had no sympathy with him, not being herself “invested.” On the contrary, her tempers increased with his talents, and she was seen to drive him from his desk, during a moment of inspiration, with a leg of mutton. “Take you care of our Sunday dinner, Santip,” he said humbly. ‘“‘Santip, indeed! Dinner for you! You are doing nothing but eat. Every time the wind is blowing into your mouth, you’re hungry.” “He, he! A good joke, Santip! Nothing so appetising as teaching and composition!” cried Azy, making his escape before the leg of mutton fell. ‘“‘Mean-spirited, cowardly little fool!” she cried, pursuing. “Why were you marrying such a man then, Tisher?” asked a bystander. ‘““He’s a sight better than none; and it’s no business of yours !” was her indignant answer, as she disappeared with her leg of mutton. No one longed for a quiet life more ardently than Azy; but finding that he could not get it, he consoled himself with the recollection of Socrates and the judicious Hooker. The example of the latter made him ambitious of becoming a clergyman. He remembered that Welsh ordinations had taken place from grammar schools not so long ago, and that the men ordained had not been superior to himself in the matter of education. Moreover, the learned bishop had been known to ordain literates or ¢/-literates, as Azy chose to consider some of them. He consulted Nadolig, clerk, who said, with eyes and hands uplifted : “You a parson! Look at Tisher! ‘A deacon must rule his own wife, or how shall he take care of the church,’ ” COMIC LOOKS, (E00)