AT RUGBY SCHOOL.BY THOMAS HUGHES.
The little schoolboys went quietly to their own beds, and began undressing and talking to one another in whispers: while the elder, amongst whom was Tom, sat chatting about on one another's beds, with their jackets and waistcoats off.
Poor little Arthur was overwhelmed with the novelty of his position.The idea of sleeping in the room with strange boys had clearly never crossed his mind before, and was as painful as it was strange to him.He could hardly bear to take his jacket off; however, presently, with an effort, off it came, and then he paused and looked at Tom, who was sitting at the bottom of his bed, talking and laughing.
"Please, Brown," he whispered, "may I wash my face and hands?""Of course, if you like," said Tom, staring: "that's your wash-hand stand under the window, second from your bed.You'll have to go down for more water in the morning if you use it all."And on he went with his talk, while Arthur stole timidly from between the beds out to his wash-hand stand, and began his ablutions, thereby drawing for a moment on himself the attention of the room.
On went the talk and laughter.Arthur finished his washing and undressing, and put on his nightgown.He then looked round more nervously than ever.Two or three of the little boys were already in bed, sitting up with their chins on their knees.The light burned clear, the noise went on.
It was a trying moment for the poor, little, lonely boy; however, this time he did not ask Tom what he might or might not do, but dropped on his knees by his bedside, as he had done every day from his childhood, to open his heart to Him who heareth the cry and beareth the sorrows of the tender child, and the strong man in agony.
Tom was sitting at the bottom of his bed unlacing his boots, so that his back was toward Arthur, and he did not see what had happened, and looked up in wonder at the sudden silence.Then two or three boys laughed and sneered, and a big, brutal fellow, who was standing in the middle ofthe room, picked up a slipper and shied it at the kneeling boy, calling him a sniveling young shaver.
Then Tom saw the whole, and the next moment the boot he had just pulled off flew straight at the head of the bully, who had just time to throw up his arm and catch it on his elbow."Brown, you rascal! What do you mean by that?" roared he, stamping with pain.""Never mind what I mean," said Tom, stepping on to the floor, every drop of blood in his body tingling: "if any fellow wants the other boot, he knows how to get it."What would have been the result is doubtful, for at this moment the sixth-form boy came in, and not another word could be said.Tom and the rest rushed into bed and finished their unrobing there, and the old janitor had put out the candle in another minute, and toddled on to the next room, shutting the door with his usual, "Good night, gen'l'm'n."There were many boys in the room by whom that little scene was taken to heart before they slept.But sleep seemed to have deserted the pillow of poor Tom.For some time his excitement and the flood of memories which chased one another through his brain, kept him from thinking or resolving.His head throbbed, his heart leapt, and he could hardly keep himself from springing out of bed and rushing about the room.
Then the thought of his own mother came across him, and the promise he had made at her knee, years ago, never to forget to kneel by his bedside and give himself up to his Father before he laid his head on the pillow, from which it might never rise; and he lay down gently, and cried as if his heart would break.He was only fourteen years old.
It was no light act of courage in those days for a little fellow to say his prayers publicly, even at Rugby.A few years later, when Arnold's manly piety had begun to leaven the school, the tables turned; before he died, in the Schoolhouse at least, and I believe in the other houses, the rule was the other way.
But poor Tom had come to school in other times.The first few nights after he came he did not kneel down because of the noise, but sat up in bed till the candle was out, and then stole out and said his prayers, in fear lest some one should find him out.So did many another poor little fellow.
