|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 74
"What were you about to say, Mr. Kendall?" continued the principal,
smiling at the confusion of the young officer.
"The students can now do anything they like in the mess rooms. They have
plenty of money, and if they want to gamble, they can. They were playing
last night when the first part of the starboard watch were on duty."
"You are right, Mr. Kendall," said Mr. Lowington "The students must be
looked after in their rooms. Has there ever been any gambling among the
officers in the after cabin?"
"I never saw any, or heard of any. I don't think there has been."
"I hope not; but we must grapple with this question in earnest," added
the principal, as he led the way out of the state room into the main
cabin.
The chaplain and the doctor were there, and Mr. Lowington wished to take
their advice upon the serious matter before him; and before he permitted
the second lieutenant to retire, he stated the case to them.
"Gambling!" groaned the chaplain.
"I detected them in the act myself," added Mr. Lowington. "You may
retire, Mr. Kendall."
"Why, this is awful!"
"Boys will do almost anything that men will," said Dr. Winstock, the
surgeon.
"Drinking and gambling!" ejaculated the chaplain. "What are we coming
to?"
"I fear there are other vices of which we know nothing yet," added the
doctor.
"Why, I'm afraid the Academy Ship will prove to be a failure, after
all," sighed Mr. Agneau.
"Not at all," argued Dr. Winstock. "We are in position here to treat
these evils properly. There are no fond mothers and indulgent fathers to
spoil the boys, when the discipline becomes sharp."
"What can we do?" demanded the chaplain. "Moral and religious influences
seem to have no effect."
"Have faith in your own medicines, Mr. Agneau," said the doctor.
"I have full faith in the medicine, Dr. Winstock; but I fear I have not
done my duty faithfully."
"You need not reproach yourself, Mr. Agneau. You have been earnest in
your work," interposed the principal. "In a large community of young
men, all these vices and evils will appear. It was to meet them that the
keel of this ship was laid, and our institution organized. I expect to
find vice, and even crime, among the boys. They that be sick need a
physician, not they that be whole. These boys certainly behave better
on board the ship than they did on shore at the various academies they
attended. Pelham, who is now fourth lieutenant, and has been first, was
one of the hardest boys in the school to which he belonged in New York.
He has given us no trouble here, though he has been a little sulky since
he fell from his former rank. Shuffles, who, in the Brockway Academy,
was the worst boy I ever knew, without exception, behaved himself
astonishingly well for a whole year. I am sorry to see that he has begun
the second year badly."
"O, his is a very hopeful case!" said Mr. Agneau. "He is penitent for
his folly, and I never saw so great a change in an individual as he
exhibited on my second visit to him last evening."
"I hope he will not disappoint you. I only mentioned him to show what a
benefit the ship had been to him; for if it keeps him out of trouble
even a single year, it is so far a blessing to him, to say nothing of
his intellectual progress, which has been more than satisfactory. The
fact that there are gambling, and drinking and other vices on board,
does not diminish my faith in the institution."
"It certainly ought not to do so," added Dr. Winstock, who was not so
sanguine a reformer as the chaplain and was willing to wait till the
medicine had time to produce an effect. "Here is an evil: we must meet
it, and we needn't stop to groan over it. What's to be done? that's the
question."
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|