MAKING PROGRESS.
Trifles, as we all know, lead to great events. When Frank Halliburton
had gone home, in his usual flying, eager manner, plunging headlong into
the subject of Mr. Glenn's request, and Jane consented to grant it, she
little thought that it would lead to a considerable increase to her
income, enabling them to procure several comforts, and rendering better
private instruction than her own easy for her sons.
Not that she yielded to the request at once. She took time for
consideration. But Frank was urgent; and she was one of those ever ready
to do a good turn for others. The Glenns, as Frank said, did write
English wretchedly; and if she could help to improve them without losing
time or money, neither of which she could afford, why not do so? And she
consented.
It certainly did occur to Mrs. Halliburton to wonder that Mr. Glenn had
not provided private instruction for his sons, to remedy the
deficiencies existing in the college school system. Mr. Glenn suddenly
awoke to the same wonder himself. The fact was, that he, like many other
gentlemen in Helstonleigh who had sons in the college school, had been
content to let things take their chance: possibly he assumed that
spelling and composition would come to his sons by intuition, as they
grew older. The contrast Frank Halliburton presented to Philip aroused
him from his neglect.
Jane consented to allow the two young Glenns to share the time and
instruction she gave to her own boys. Mr. Glenn received the favour
gladly; but, at first, there was great battling with the young gentlemen
themselves. They could not be made to complete their lessons for school,
so as to be at Mrs. Halliburton's by the hour appointed. At length it
was accomplished, and they took to going regularly.
Before three months had elapsed, great improvement had become visible in
their spelling. They were also acquiring an insight into English
grammar; had learnt that America was not situated in the Mediterranean,
or watered by the Nile; and that English history did not solely consist
of two incidents--the beheading of King Charles, and the Gunpowder Plot.
Improvement was also visible in their manners and in the bent of their
minds. From being boisterous, self-willed, and careless, they became
more considerate, more tractable; and Mr. Glenn actually once heard
Philip decline to embark in some tempting scrape, because it would "not
be right."
For it was impossible for Jane to have lads near her, and not gently try
to counteract their faults and failings, as she would have done by her
own sons; whilst the remarkable consideration and deference paid by the
young Halliburtons to their mother, their warm affection for her, and
the pleasant peace, the refinement of tone and manner distinguishing
their home, told upon Philip and Charles Glenn with good influence. At
the end of three months, Mr. Glenn wrote a note of warm thanks to Mrs.
Halliburton, expressing a hope that she would still allow his sons the
privilege of joining her own, and, in a delicate manner, begging grace
for his act, enclosed four guineas; which was payment at the rate of
sixteen guineas a year for the two.
Jane had not expected it. Nothing had been hinted to her about payment,
and she did not expect to receive any: she did not understand that the
boys had joined on those terms. It was very welcome. In writing back to
Mr. Glenn, she stated that she had not expected to receive remuneration;
but she spoke of her straitened circumstances and thanked him for the
help it would be.
"That comes from a gentlewoman," was his remark to his wife, when he
read the note. "I should like to know her."
"I hinted as much to Frank one day, but he said his mother was too much
occupied to receive visits or to pay them," was Mrs. Glenn's reply.
As it happened, however, Mr. Glenn did pay her a visit. A friend of his,
whose boys were in the college school, struck with the improvement in
the Glenns, and hearing of its source, wondered whether his boys might
not be received on the same terms, and Mr. Glenn undertook to propose
it. The result of all this was, that in six months from the time of that
afternoon when Frank first took tea at Mr. Glenn's, Jane had ten evening
pupils, college boys. There she stopped. Others applied, but her table
would not hold more, nor could she do justice to a greater number. The
ten would bring her in eighty guineas a year; she devoted to them two
hours, five evenings in the week.
Now she could command somewhat better food, and more liberal instruction
for her own boys, William included, in those higher branches of
knowledge which they could not, or had not, commenced for themselves. A
learned professor, David Byrne, whose lodgings were in the London Road,
was applied to, and he agreed to receive the young Halliburtons at a
very moderate charge, three evenings in the week.
"Mamma," cried William, one day, with his thoughtful smile, soon after
this agreement was entered upon, "we seem to be getting on amazingly. We
can learn something else now, if you have no objection."
"What is that?" asked Jane.
"French. As I and Samuel Lynn were walking home to-day, we met Monsieur
Colin. He said he was about to organize a French class, twelve in
number, and would be glad if we would make three of the number. What do
you say?"
"It is a great temptation," answered Jane. "I have long wished you could
learn French. Would it be very expensive?"
"Very cheap to us. He said he considered you a sister professor----"
"The idea!" burst forth Frank, hotly. "Mamma a professor!"
"Indeed, I don't know that I can aspire to anything so formidable," said
Jane, with a laugh. "A schoolmistress would be a better word."
Frank was indignant. "You are not a schoolmistress, mamma. I----"
"Frank," interrupted Jane, her tone changing to seriousness.
"What, mamma?"
"I am _thankful_ to be one."
The tears rose to Frank's eyes. "You are a _lady_, mamma. I shall never
think you anything else. There!"
Jane smiled. "Well, I hope I am, Frank; although I help to make gloves
and teach boys English."
"How well Mr. Lynn speaks French!" exclaimed William.
"Does he speak it?"
"As a native. I cannot tell what his accent may be, but he speaks it as
readily as Monsieur Colin. Shall we learn, mamma? It will be the
greatest advantage to us, Monsieur Colin conversing with us in French."
"But what about the time, William?"
"Oh, if you will manage the money, we will manage the time," returned
William, laughing. "Only trust to us, mother. We will make it, and
neglect nothing."
"Then, William, you may tell Monsieur Colin that you shall learn."
"Fair and easy!" broke out Frank; a saying of his when pleased. "Mamma,
I think, what with one thing and another turning up, we boys shall be
getting quite first-class education."
"Although mamma feared we never should accomplish it," returned William.
"As did I."
"Fear!" cried Frank. "I didn't. I knew that 'where there's a will
there's a way.' _Degeneres animos timor arguit_," added he, finishing
off with one of his favourite Latin quotations; but forgetting, in his
flourish, that he was paying a poor compliment to his mother and his
brother.