Acton's Feud: A Public School Story

, after seeing Acton, began to ge

Junior'

e, Decemb

Epil

M. C

the subject

Sha

Bar

d Junior Boxin

it Mehtah a

"My Firs

Thu

Solo.. "Oh! lis

Bro

nd Round

ong..

cton

Concluding R

"Well, suppo

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ve The

ist. O.E

nager. W

atin or classical allusions throughout the evening. No

on, when they got the advance proof last thing on Saturday night, almost e

n epilogue, then! Where could he find one? What would be the good of one if he did find it? And supposing he had one and could recite it, it was at the wrong end of the programme-the programme which

cert night. B.A.M. Cherry hadn't the heroic soul, and when Grim asked him cheerfully h

mpetition, now encouraging Sharpe, who was in the throes of composition, and now criticizing the Dervishes with much force. Acton put in an appearance i

end of sensation, and W.E. Grim was allowed to have come out very strong in the programme line. St. Amory's fags did not spot anything wrong about item one, but the older fellows chuc

into the dressing-room, said, "Now, Cherry, come along w

not turned u

he said

urned

fetch the beg

long the street, and was hammering

y up, they're

t well,

ha

well-I'

ssacre you. You'll make us the laughing stock

oaned Cherry

door. Grim stood outside on the corridor for some seconds, petrified with rage and disgust, and then flew like a madman back to the concert-room. He cannoned u

s used to apologize when they-Wh

stened with an amused smile. "Sheer funk, Grim. Well, go on, and tell 'em the

a little taller, but he gurgled, "Acton, y

"No waits!" "Manager!" "Don't hurry, Grim!" "We'll s

lemen, I am sorry to say B.A.M. Cherry is indi

ared all the de

r getting the better of him, "but he'll

ghing, "I have great pleasure in announcing that John Acton, Esq., will take Fruity's-I mean Cher

t of his different fares"-from the double-superfine gilt-edged individual to the fat old dowager who will have the parrot inside with

al enemies. "Be a man, Sharpe." "Don't cry." "You'll see mamma soon."

bosom of the

'er by trees in

st of snow it

er lily

pe toiled remorselessly on. He compared Biffen's house to a water lily growing in a muddy pond, and again as a Phoenix risen from the ashes; and he gave us, with

farrago in one gloriou

n her sword, and her r

icy pole the glorio

tom, every junior except a Biffenite imitated with rare fidelity

by the Biffenites on the f

ance to the shouts of "Well wriggled, Java!" "Why don't you oil!" "Do it ag

ling to do battle for the honour of his house. The rounds proceeded to the accompaniment of ear-splitting encouragement, and

Thurston's "My First Cigar" only lacked one thing-it s

ed it an

ts of a ye

best brands

y believed

Soldiers in the Park," and Brown hamm

orus was crashing out from the piano, o

and seniors as well, joined in the c

ten to t

n't love

ut of 'Her

anging of

the soldiers

f Biffen's concert. Thurston sang "Alice, where art thou?" the fellows telling him between the verses that "She wasn't going to come," "Spoony so

his eyes were staring intently into vacancy. There was not the shadow of a shade of any expression in his face. A feeling of pity for Acton was the universal sensation when the first words fe

children pla

s for many y

ck-was, ala

, was lucky

Jim! How I

, and death took

dow, and sh

ied oft I thin

hat churchyar

Jim! How I

in uncontrollable bursts; but still Acton never turned a hair. When he arrived at the churchyard lines there was one universal howl of delight. Brown stopped dead at the end of the second last line, and Acton stopped dead too. Instantly all the fellows became as mute as fis

Jim! How

vanished. The school clamoured for his return, but though they cheered for three minutes on end

es' meeting among the

r express to pick up St. Amory fellows, and Acton goes up to his place by that. I vote we all go in a body to the station and ch

he platform with careful carelessness. The train came in, and at once the juniors crowded en masse round

into the station. An idea struck Rogers, and he said to all hi

ered the carriage next Acton's there was a l

ogers, whereat mo

f hisses and tortured howls. He smiled a little and opened his

went and Acton spr

, Grim said, "Thre

urrah! Hip,

. As he glided past he said to himself softly, "And yet I have no

ved, Grim Said,