The Argosy — page 112: what you’re looking at

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

The White Witch. 99 had wanted somebody to say cross things, he would have chosen you ; but he didn’t, you see.” ‘Well, don’t let us quarrel, Elspeth. I did not want to tease you really.” A few days later came the day fixed on for the annual school-treat. The Vicar’s daughters pretended to consider it a great bore, although in truth they enjoyed the little excitement as much as the youngest of the school-children. There were long tables and forms fgom the school-house placed under the trees in the field, between the Abbey and the Vicarage, from . which the hay had just been carted away. Here the children as- sembled to enjoy the delicious amusement of running races for halfpence on a sultry July day ; and when they had had enough of that invigorating exercise, the real business of the entertainment began: tea. ‘Trays full of currant bread were brought forth, buns, piles of bread-and-butter ; self-sacrificing ladies presided at the tea- trays. ‘This part of the day’s work, being by far the most interesting to the untutored minds of the children, was dragged out over an amazingly long period, considering the rapid rate at which both tea and buns, and currant bread disappeared. ‘That over, the teachers and grown-up people sat down to eat and drink in a more civilised manner at the tables, and the children were again chivied into undesired activity by the well-meaning organisers of races and games. Elspeth was one of the feeblest of the organisers, therefore one of the most popular, Godfrey contented himself with supplying the halfpence. “This tiresome little boy won’t run!” exclaimed she piteously, giving a fat child of about seven a gentle push to incite him to healthful exercise. ‘* I’ve started him in half a dozen races, but he always comes back after a few steps. What is your name? Why don’t you run, little boy?” “Perhaps he can’t,” suggested Godfrey, as they both stooped to examine this remarkable child. ‘‘I don’t think I could if I had eaten as much as he has. Can’t you think of some amusement for them more—more intellectual, and less—less muscular, until they have a little got over the effects of the light refreshment ? ” “Oh, how silly you are, Godfrey,” exclaimed Elspeth, laughing at his real or pretended ignorance. ‘ There isn’t anything they can do but run. Intellectual amusement! Why, don’t you know that in the schools they are obliged to teach them just like parrots? We always do this at the treats. When they are tired of running we make them eat, and when they are tired of eating—that is, when there isn’t any more left—we make them run again. That is the only way to amuse school-children.—_—-Is that thunder?” she asked suddenly, with a start. “Yes, it is,” answered Godfrey. ‘I thought we should have a storm, and here it comes.” CONNIE OO KS (E(©) m