CHAPTER XIX SPEAKING PIECES

ThefirstofSeptembercamealltoosoon,andschoolbegan.Amongtheboysandgirlswhowenttroopinguptothe"EastCornerknowledge-box,"astheycalledit,wasourfriendBen,withapileofneatbooksunderhisarm.Hefeltverystrange,anddecidedlyshybutputonaboldface,andletnobodyguessthat,thoughnearlythirteen,hehadneverbeentoschoolbefore.MissCeliahadtoldhisstorytoTeacher,andshe,beingakindlittlewoman,withyoungbrothersofherown,madethingsaseasyforhimasshecould.Inreadingandwritinghedidverywell,andproudlytookhisplaceamongladsofhisownagebutwhenitcametoarithmeticandgeography,hehadtogodownalongway,andbeginalmostatthebeginning,inspiteofThorny'seffortsto"toolhimalongfast."Itmortifiedhimsadly,buttherewasnohelpforitandinsomeoftheclasseshehaddearlittleBettytoconsolewithhimwhenhefailed,andsmilecontentedlywhenhegotaboveher,ashesoonbegantodo,—forshewasnotaquickchild,andploddedthroughFirstPartslongaftersisterBabwasflourishingawayamonggirlsmucholderthanherself. Fortunately,Benwasashortboyandacleverone,sohedidnotlookoutofplaceamongthetenandelevenyearolders,andfelluponhislessonswiththesameresolutionwithwhichheusedtotakeanewleap,orpractisepatientlytillhecouldtouchhisheelswithhishead.Thatsortofexercisehadgivenhimastrong,elasticlittlebodythiskindwastotrainhismind,andmakeitsfacultiesasuseful,quickandsure,astheobedientmuscles,nervesandeye,whichkepthimsafewhereotherswouldhavebrokentheirnecks.Heknewthis,andfoundmuchconsolationinthefactthat,thoughmentalarithmeticwasahopelesstask,hecouldturnadozensomersaults,andcomeupassteadyasajudge.WhentheboyslaughedathimforsayingthatChinawasinAfrica,heroutedthementirelybyhissuperiorknowledgeoftheanimalsbelongingtothatwildcountryandwhen"Firstclassinreading"wascalled,hemarchedupwiththeproudconsciousnessthattheshortestboyinitdidbetterthantallMosesTowneorfatSamKitteridge. Teacherpraisedhimallshehonestlycould,andcorrectedhismanyblunderssoquietlythathesoonceasedtobeadeep,distressfulredduringrecitation,andtuggedawaysomanfullythatnoonecouldhelprespectinghimforhisefforts,andtryingtomakelightofhisfailures.Sothefirsthardweekwentby,andthoughtheboy'shearthadsunkmanyatimeattheprospectofaprotractedwrestlewithhisownignorance,hemadeuphismindtowin,andwentatitagainontheMondaywithfreshzeal,allthebetterandbraverforagood,cheerytalkwithMissCeliaintheSundayeveningtwilight. Hedidnottellheroneofhisgreatesttrials,however,becausehethoughtshecouldnothelphimthere.Someofthechildrenratherlookeddownuponhim,calledhim"tramp"and"beggar,"twittedhimwithhavingbeenacircusboy,andlivedinatentlikeagypsy.Theydidnotmeantobecruel,butdiditforthesakeofteasing,neverstoppingtothinkhowmuchsuchsportcanmakeafellow-creaturesuffer.Beingapluckyfellow,Benpretendednottomindbuthedidfeelitkeenly,becausehewantedtostartafresh,andbelikeotherboys.Hewasnotashamedoftheoldlifebut,findingthosearoundhimdisapprovedofit,hewasgladtoletitbeforgotten,evenbyhimselfforhislatestrecollectionswerenothappyones,andpresentcomfortsmadepasthardshipsseemharderthanbefore. HesaidnothingofthistoMissCeliabutshefounditout,andlikedhimallthebetterforkeepingsomeofhissmallworriestohimself.BabandBettycameoverMondayafternoonfullofindignationatsomeboyishinsultSamhadputuponBenand,findingthemtoofullofittoenjoythereading,MissCeliaaskedwhatthematterwas.Thenbothlittlegirlsburstoutinarapidsuccessionofbrokenexclamations,whichdidnotgiveavery