the peterkin papers-第16章

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Elizabeth　Eliza　took　an　opportunity　to　question　her　father；　before　he　went　in；　　as　to　the　success　of　their　visit　to　town。

〃We　saw　all　the　patent…agents；〃　answered　Mr。　Peterkin；　in　a　hollow　whisper。　〃Not　　one　of　them　will　touch　the　patent；　or　have　anything　to　do　with　it。〃

Elizabeth　Eliza　looked　at　Agamemnon；　as　he　walked　silently　into　the　house。　She　　would　not　now　speak　to　him　of　the　patent；　but　she　recalled　some　words　of　Solomon　　John。　When　they　were　discussing　the　patent　he　had　said　that　many　an　inventor　had　　grown　gray　before　his　discovery　was　acknowledged　by　the　public。　Others　might　　reap　the　harvest；　but　it　came；　perhaps；　only　when　he　was　going　to　his　grave。

Elizabeth　Eliza　looked　at　Agamemnon　reverently；　and　followed　him　silently　into　　the　house。

　AGAMEMNON'S　CAREER。　　THERE　had　apparently　been　some　mistake　in　Agamemnon's　education。　He　had　been　to　　a　number　of　colleges；　indeed；　but　he　had　never　completed　his　course　in　any　one。

He　had　continually　fallen　into　some　difficulty　with　the　authorities。　It　was　　singular；　for　he　was　of　an　inquiring　mind；　and　had　always　tried　to　find　out　what　　would　be　expected　of　him；　but　had　never　hit　upon　the　right　thing。

Solomon　John　thought　the　trouble　might　be　in　what　they　called　the　elective　　system；　where　you　were　to　choose　what　study　you　might　take。　This　had　always　　bewildered　Agamemnon　a　good　deal。

〃And　how　was　a　feller　to　tell；〃　Solomon　John　had　asked；　〃whether　he　wanted　to　　study　a　thing　before　he　tried　it？　It　might　turn　out　awful　hard！〃

Agamemnon　had　always　been　fond　of　reading；　from　his　childhood　up。　He　was　at　his　　book　all　day　long。　Mrs　Peterkin　had　imagined　he　would　come　out　a　great　scholar；　　because　she　could　never　get　him　away　from　his　books。

And　so　it　was　in　his　colleges；　he　was　always　to　be　found　in　the　library；　reading　　and　reading。　But　they　were　always　the　wrong　books。

For　instance：　the　class　were　required　to　prepare　themselves　on　the　Spartan　war。

This　turned　Agamemnon's　attention　to　the　Fenians；　and　to　study　the　subject　he　　read　up　on　〃Charles　O'Malley；〃　and　〃Harry　Lorrequer；〃　and　some　later　novels　of　　that　sort；　which　did　not　help　him　on　the　subject　required；　yet　took　up　all　his　　time；　so　that　he　found　himself　unfitted　for　anything　else　when　the　examinations　　came。　In　consequence　he　was　requested　to　leave。

Agamemnon　always　missed　in　his　recitations；　for　the　same　reason　that　Elizabeth　　Eliza　did　not　get　on　in　school；　because　he　was　always　asked　the　questions　he　did　　not　know。　It　seemed　provoking；　if　the　professors　had　only　asked　something　else！

But　they　always　hit　upon　the　very　things　he　had　not　studied　up。

Mrs。　Peterkin　felt　this　was　encouraging；　for　Agamemnon　knew　the　things　they　did　　not　know　in　colleges。　In　colleges　they　were　willing　to　take　for　students　only　　those　who　already　knew　certain　things。　She　thought　Agamemnon　might　be　a　　professor　in　a　college　for　those　students　who　didn't　know　those　things。

〃I　suppose　these　professors　could　not　have　known　a　great　deal；〃　she　added；　〃or　　they　would　not　have　asked　you　so　many　questions；　they　would　have　told　you　　something。〃

Agamemnon　had　left　another　college　on　account　of　a　mistake　he　had　made　with　some　　of　his　classmates。　They　had　taken　a　great　deal　of　trouble　to　bring　some　wood　　from　a　distant　wood…pile　to　make　a　bonfire　with；　under　one　of　the　professors'　　windows。　Agamemnon　had　felt　it　would　be　a　compliment　to　the　professor。

It　was　with　bonfires　that　heroes　had　been　greeted　on　their　return　from　　successful　wars。　In　this　way　beacon…lights　had　been　kindled　upon　lofty　heights；　　that　had　inspired　mariners　seeking　their　homes　after　distant　adventures。　As　he　　plodded　back　and　forward　he　imagined　himself　some　hero　of　antiquity。　He　was　　reading　〃Plutarch's　Lives〃　with　deep　interest。　This　had　been　recommended　at　a　　former　college；　and　he　was　now　taking　it　up　in　the　midst　of　his　French　course。

He　fancied；　even；　that　some　future　Plutarch　was　growing　up　in　Lynn；　perhaps；　who　　would　write　of　this　night　of　suffering；　and　glorify　its　heroes。

For　himself　he　took　a　severe　cold　and　suffered　from　chilblains；　in　consequence　　of　going　back　and　forward　through　the　snow；　carrying　the　wood。

But　the　flames　of　the　bonfire　caught　the　blinds　of　the　professor's　room；　and　set　　fire　to　the　building；　and　came　near　burning　up　the　whole　institution。　Agamemnon　　regretted　the　result　as　much　as　his　predecessor；　who　gave　him　his　name；　must　　have　regretted　that　other　bonfire；　on　the　shores　of　Aulis；　that　deprived　him　of　　a　daughter。

The　result　for　Agamemnon　was　that　he　was　requested　to　leave；　after　having　been　　in　the　institution　but　a　few　months。

He　left　another　college　in　consequence　of　a　misunderstanding　about　the　hour　for　　morning　prayers。　He　went　every　day　regularly　at　ten　o'clock；　but　found；　　afterward；　that　he　should　have　gone　at　half…past　six。　This　hour　seemed　to　him　　and　to　Mrs。　Peterkin　unseasonable；　at　a　time　of　year　when　the　sun　was　not　up；　　and　he　would　have　been　obliged　to　go　to　the　expense　of　candles。

Agamemnon　was　always　willing　to　try　another　college；　wherever　he　could　be　　admitted。　He　wanted　to　attain　knowledge；　however　it　might　be　found。　But；　after　　going　to　five；　and　leaving　each　before　the　year　was　out；　he　gave　it　up。

　He　determined　to　lay　out　the　money　that　would　have　been　expended　in　a　　collegiate　education　in　buying　an　Encyclop？dia；　the　most　complete　that　he　could　　find；　and　to　spend　his　life　studying　it　systematically。　He　would　not　content　　himself　with　merely　reading　it；　but　he　would　study　into　each　subject　as　it　came　　up；　and　perfect　himself　in　that　subject。　By　the　time；　then；　that　he　had　finished　　the　Encyclop？dia　he　should　have　embraced　all　knowledge；　and　have　experienced　　much　of　it。

The　family　were　much　interested　in　this　plan　of　making　practice　of　every　subject　　that　came　up。

He　did　not；　of　course；　get　on　very　fast　in　this　way。　In　the　second　column　of　the　　very　first　page　he　met　with　A　as　a　note　in　music。　This　led　him　to　the　study　of　　music。　He　bought　a　flute；　and　took　some　lessons；　and　attempted　to　accompany　　Elizabeth　Eliza　on　the　piano。　This；　of　course；　distracted　him　from　his　work　on　　the　Encyclop？dia。　But　he　did　not　wish　to　return　to　A　until　he　felt　perfect　in　　music。　This　required　a　long　time。

Then　in　this　same　paragraph　a　reference　was　made；　in　it　he　was　requested　to　〃see　　Keys。〃　It　was　necessary；　then；　to　turn　to　〃Keys。〃　This　was　about　the　time　the　　family　were　moving；　which　we　have　mentioned；　when　the　difficult　subject　of　keys　　came　up；　that　suggested　to　him　his　own　simple　invention；　and　the　hope　of　getting　　a　patent　for　it。　This　led　him　astray；　as　inventions　before　have　done　with　　master…minds；　so　that　he　was　drawn　aside　from　his　regular　study。

The　family；　however；　were　perfectly　satisfied　with　the　career　Agamemnon　had　　chosen。　It　would　help　them　all；　in　any　path　of　life；　if　he　should　master　the　　Encyclop？dia　in　a　thorough　way。

Mr。　Peterkin　agreed　it　would　in　the　end　be　not　as　expensive　as　a　college　course；　　even　if　Agamemnon　should　buy　all　the　different　Encyclop？dias　that　appeared。

There　would　be　no　〃spreads〃　involved；　no　expense　of　receiving　friends　at　　entertainments　in　college；　he　could　live　at　home；　so　that　it　would　not　be　　necessary　to　fit　up　another　room；　as　at　college。　At　all　the　times　of　his　leaving　　he　had　sold　out　favorably　to　other　occupants。

Solomon　John's　destiny　was　more　uncertain。　He　was　looking　forward　to　being　a　　doctor　some　time；　but　he　had　not　decided　whether　to　be　allopathic　or　　homeopathic；　or　whether　he　could　not　better　invent　his　own　pills。　And　he　could　　not　understand　how　to　obtain　his　doctor's　degree。

For　a　few　weeks　he　acted　as　clerk　in　a　druggist's　store。　But　he　could　serve　only　　in　the　toothbrush　and　soap　department；　because　it　was　found　he　was　not　familiar　　enough　with　the　Latin　language　to　compound　the　drugs。　He　agreed　to　spend　his　　evenings　in　studying　the　Latin　grammar；　but　his　course　was　interrupted　by　his　　being　dismissed　for　treating　the　little　boys　too　frequently　to　soda。

　The　little　boys　were　going　through　the　schools　regularly。　The　family　had　been　　much　exercised　with　regard　to　their　education。　Elizabeth　Eliza　felt　that　　everything　should　be　expected　from　them；　they　ought　to　take　advantage　from　the　　family　mistakes。　Every　new　method　that　came　up　was　tried　upon　the　little　boys。

They　had　been　taught　spelling　by　all　the　different　systems；　and　were　just　able　　to　read；　when　Mr。　Peterkin　learned　that　it　was　now　considered　best　that　children　　should　not　be　taught　to　read　till　they　were　ten　years　old。

Mrs。　Peterkin　was　in　despair。　Perhaps；　if　their　books　were　taken　from　them　even　　then；　they　might　forget　what　they　had　learned。　But　no；　the　evil　was　done；　the　　brain　had　received　certain　impressions　that　could　not　be　blurred　over。

　This　was　long　ago；　however。　The　little　boys　had　since　entered　the　public　　schools。　They　went　also　to　a　gymnasium；　and　a　whittling　school；　and　joined　a　　class　in　music；　and　another　in　dancing；　they　went　to　some　afternoon　lectures　for　　children；　when　there　was　no　other　school；　and　belonged　to　a　walking…club。　Still　　Mr。　Peterkin　was　dissatisfied　by　the　slowness　of　their　progress。　He　visited　the　　schools　himself；　and　found　that　they　did　not　lead　their　classes。　It　seemed　to　　him　a　great　deal　of　time　was　spent　in　things　that　were　not　instructive；　such　as　　putting　on　and　taking　off　their　india…rubber　boots。

Elizabeth　Eliza　proposed　that　they　should　be　taken　from　school　and　taught　by　　Agamemnon　from　the　Encyclop？dia。　The　rest　of　the　family　might　help　in　the　　education　at　all　hours　of　the　day。　Solomon　John　could　take　up　the　Latin　grammar；　　and　she　could　give　lessons　in　French。

The　little　boys　were　enchanted　with　the　plan；　only　they　did　not　want　to　have　the　　study…hours　all　the　time。

Mr。　Peterkin；　however；　had　a　magnificent　idea；　that　they　should　make　their　life　　one　grand　Object　Lesson。　They　should　begin　at　breakfast；　and　study　everything　　put　upon　the　table；…the　material　of　which　it　was　made；　and　where　it　came　from。

In　the　study　of　the　letter　A；　Agamemnon　had　embraced　the　study　of　music；　and　　from　one　meal　they　might　gain　instruction　enough　for　a　day。

〃We　shall　have　the　assistance；〃　said　Mr。　Peterkin；　〃of　Agamemnon；　with　his　　Encyclop？dia。〃

Agamemnon　modestly　suggested　that　he　had　not　yet　got　out　of　A；　and　in　their　　first　breakfast　everything　would　therefore　have　to　begin　with　A。

〃That　would　not　be　impossible；〃　said　Mr。　Peterkin。　〃There　is　Amanda；　who　will　　wait　on　table；　to　start　with…〃

〃We　could　have　'am…and…eggs；〃　suggested　Solomon　John　　Mrs。　Peterkin　was　distressed。　It　was　hard　enough　to　think　of　anything　for　　breakfast；　and　impossible；　if　it　all　had　to　begin　with　one　letter。

Elizabeth　Eliza　thought　it　would　not　be　necessary。　All　they　were　to　do　was　to　　ask　questions；　as　in　examination　papers；　and　find　their　answers　as　they　could。

They　could　still　apply　to　the　Encyclop？dia；　even　if　it　were　not　in　Agamemnon's　　alphabetical　course。

　Mr。　Peterkin　suggested　a　great　variety。　One　day　they　would　study　the　botany　of　　the　breakfast…table；　another　day；　its　natural　history。　The　study　of　butter　would　　include　that　of　the　cow。　Even　that　of　the　butter…dish　would　bring　in　geology。

The　little　boys　were　charmed　at　the　idea　of　learning　pottery　from　the　cream…jug；　　and　th