THE TUTOR'S PROPOSAL--A TEACHERS' MEETING
I think it was Mr. Clerke who first suggested that we should take the
Sunday scholars and teachers for a holiday trip. Such things are
matters of course now in every parish, but in my childhood it was
considered a most marvellous idea by our rustic population. The tutor
had heard of some extraordinarily active parson who had done the like
by his schools, and partly from real kindness, and partly in the
spirit of emulation which intrudes even upon schemes of benevolence,
he was most anxious that we at Dacrefield should not "be behindhand"
in good works. Competition is a feeling with which children have great
sympathy, and I warmly echoed Mr. Clerke's resolve that we would not
"be behindhand."
"Let us go to the Rectory at once," said I; "Mr. Andrewes said we
might have some of those big yellow raspberries, and we must ask him
about it. It's a splendid idea. But where shall we go?"
The matter resolved itself into this question. The Rector was quite
willing for the treat. My father gave us a handsome subscription; the
farmers followed the Squire's lead. Mr. Andrewes was not behindhand.
The tutor and I considered the object a suitable one for aid from our
alms-box. There was no difficulty whatever. Only--where were we to
go?
Finally, we all decided that we would go to Oakford.
It was not because Oakford had been the end of our consultation long
ago, after my illness, nor because Nurse Bundle had any voice in the
matter, it was a certain bullet-headed, slow-tongued old farmer, one
of our teachers, who voted for our going to Oakford; and more by
persistently repeating his advice than by any very strong reasons
there seemed to be for our following it, he carried the day.
"I've know'd Oakford, man and boy, for twenty year," he repeated, at
intervals of three minutes or so, during what would now be called a
"teachers' meeting" in the school-room. In fact, Oakford was his
native place, though he was passing his old age in Dacrefield, and he
had a natural desire to see it again, and a natural belief that the
spot where he had been young and strong, and light-hearted, had
especial merits of its own.
Even though we had nothing better to propose, old Giles' love for home
would hardly have decided us, but he had something more to add. There
was a "gentleman's place" on the outskirts of Oakford, which
sometimes, in the absence of the family, was "shown" to the public:
old Giles had seen it as a boy, and the picture he drew of its glories
fairly carried us away, the Rector and tutor excepted. They shrugged
their shoulders with faces of comical despair as the old man, having
fairly taken the lead, babbled on about the "picters," the "stattys,"
and the "yaller satin cheers" in the grand drawing-room; whilst the
other teachers listened with open mouths, and an evident and growing
desire to see Oakford Grange. I did not half believe in old Giles'
wonders, and yet I wished to see the place myself, if only to learn
how much of all he described to us was true. I supposed that "the
family" must have been at home when I was at Oakford, or Mr. and Mrs.
Buckle would surely have taken me to see the Grange.
The Rector suggested that the family might be at home now, and we
might have our expedition for nothing; but it appeared that old Giles'
sister's grandson had been over to see his great-uncle only a
fortnight ago, "come Tuesday," and had distinctly stated that the
family "was in furrin' parts," and would be so for months to come.
Moreover, he had said that there was a rumour that the place was to be
sold, and nobody knew if the next owner would allow it to be "shown,"
even in his absence. Thus it was evident that if we wanted to see the
Grange, it must be "now or never."
On hearing this, our fattest and richest farmer (he took an upper
class in school more in deference to his position than to the rather
scanty education which accompanied it) rose and addressed the Rector
as follows:--
"Reverend sir. I takes the liberty of rising and addressin' of you,
with my respex to yourself and Mr. Clerke, and the young gentleman as
represents the Squire I've a-been tenant to, man and boy, this thirty
year and am proud to name it." (Murmurs of applause from one or two
other farmers present, my father being very popular.)
"Reverend sir. I began with bird-scaring, and not a penny in my
pocket, that wouldn't have held coppers for holes, if I had, and
clothes that would have scared of themselves, letting alone clappers.
The Squire knows how much of his land I have under my hand now, and
your reverence is acquainted with the years I've been churchwarden.
"Reverend Sir. I am proud to have rose by my own exertions. I never
iggerantly set _my_self against improvements and opportoonities."
(Gloom upon the face of the teacher of the fourth class, who objected
to machinery, and disbelieved in artificial manures.) "_My_ mottor 'as
allus been, 'Never lose a chance;' and that's what I ses on this
occasion; 'never lose a chance.'"
As our churchwarden backed his advice by offering to lend waggons and
horses to take us to Oakford, if the other farmers would do the same,
his speech decided the matter. We all wanted to go to Oakford, and to
Oakford it was decided that we should go.