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a shilling to the good and grateful little boy who had given me the
waistcoat！
〃What waistcoat is it；〃 says the Doctor to me； 〃and who gave it to
you？〃
〃Bunting gave it me； sir；〃 says I。
〃Call Bunting！〃 and up the little ungrateful chap came。 Would you
believe it； he burst into tears；told that the waistcoat had been
given him by his mother； and that he had been forced to give it
for a debt to Copper…Merchant； as the nasty little blackguard
called me？ He then said how； for three…halfpence； he had been
compelled to pay me three shillings （the sneak！ as if he had been
OBLIGED to borrow the three…halfpence！）how all the other boys
had been swindled （swindled！） by me in like manner；and how；
with only twelve shillings； I had managed to scrape together four
guineas。 。 。 。 。
My courage almost fails me as I describe the shameful scene that
followed。 The boys were called in； my own little account…book was
dragged out of my cupboard； to prove how much I had received from
each； and every farthing of my money was paid back to them。 The
tyrant took the thirty shillings that my dear parents had given me；
and said he should put them into the poor…box at church； and； after
having made a long discourse to the boys about meanness and usury；
he said； 〃Take off your coat； Mr。 Stubbs； and restore Bunting his
waistcoat。〃 I did； and stood without coat and waistcoat in the
midst of the nasty grinning boys。 I was going to put on my coat；
〃Stop！〃 says he。 〃TAKE DOWN HIS BREECHES！〃
Ruthless； brutal villain！ Sam Hopkins； the biggest boy； took them
downhorsed meand I WAS FLOGGED； SIR： yes； flogged！ O revenge！
I； Robert Stubbs； who had done nothing but what was right； was
brutally flogged at ten years of age！Though February was the
shortest month； I remembered it long。
MARCH。SHOWERY。
When my mamma heard of the treatment of her darling she was for
bringing an action against the schoolmaster； or else for tearing
his eyes out （when； dear soul！ she would not have torn the eyes out
of a flea； had it been her own injury）； and； at the very least； for
having me removed from the school where I had been so shamefully
treated。 But papa was stern for once； and vowed that I had been
served quite right； declared that I should not be removed from
school； and sent old Swishtail a brace of pheasants for what he
called his kindness to me。 Of these the old gentleman invited me
to partake； and made a very queer speech at dinner； as he was
cutting them up； about the excellence of my parents； and his own
determination to be KINDER STILL to me； if ever I ventured on such
practices again。 So I was obliged to give up my old trade of
lending： for the Doctor declared that any boy who borrowed should
be flogged； and any one who PAID should be flogged twice as much。
There was no standing against such a prohibition as this； and my
little commerce was ruined。
I was not very high in the school： not having been able to get
farther than that dreadful Propria quae maribus in the Latin
grammar； of which； though I have it by heart even now； I never
could understand a syllable： but； on account of my size； my age；
and the prayers of my mother； was allowed to have the privilege of
the bigger boys； and on holidays to walk about in the town。 Great
dandies we were； too； when we thus went out。 I recollect my
costume very well： a thunder…and…lightning coat； a white waistcoat
embroidered neatly at the pockets； a lace frill； a pair of knee…
breeches； and elegant white cotton or silk stockings。 This did
very well； but still I was dissatisfied： I wanted A PAIR OF BOOTS。
Three boys in the school had bootsI was mad to have them too。
But my papa； when I wrote to him； would not hear of it； and three
pounds； the price of a pair； was too large a sum for my mother to
take from the housekeeping； or for me to pay； in the present
impoverished state of my exchequer； but the desire for the boots
was so strong； that have them I must at any rate。
There was a German bootmaker who had just set up in OUR town in
those days； who afterwards made his fortune in London。 I
determined to have the boots from him； and did not despair； before
the end of a year or two； either to leave the school； when I should
not mind his dunning me； or to screw the money from mamma； and so
pay him。
So I called upon this manStiffelkind was his nameand he took my
measure for a pair。
〃You are a vary yong gentleman to wear dop…boots；〃 said the
shoemaker。
〃I suppose； fellow；〃 says I； 〃that is my business and not yours。
Either make the boots or notbut when you speak to a man of my
rank； speak respectfully！〃 And I poured out a number of oaths； in
order to impress him with a notion of my respectability。
They had the desired effect。 〃Stay； sir；〃 says he。 〃I have a nice
littel pair of dop…boots dat I tink will jost do for you。〃 And he
produced； sure enough； the most elegant things I ever saw。 〃Day
were made；〃 said he； 〃for de Honorable Mr。 Stiffney； of de Gards；
but were too small。〃
〃Ah； indeed！〃 said I。 〃Stiffney is a relation of mine。 And what；
you scoundrel； will you have the impudence to ask for these
things？〃 He replied； 〃Three pounds。〃
〃Well；〃 said I； 〃they are confoundedly dear； but； as you will have
a long time to wait for your money； why； I shall have my revenge
you see。 The man looked alarmed； and began a speech： 〃Sare；I
cannot let dem go vidout〃but a bright thought struck me； and I
interrupted〃Sir！ don't sir me。 Take off the boots； fellow； and；
hark ye； when you speak to a nobleman； don't saySir。〃
〃A hundert tousand pardons； my lort；〃 says he： 〃if I had known you
were a lort； I vood never have called youSir。 Vat name shall I
put down in my books？〃
〃Name？oh！ why； Lord Cornwallis； to be sure；〃 said I； as I walked
off in the boots。
〃And vat shall I do vid my lort's shoes？〃
〃Keep them until I send for them；〃 said I。 And； giving him a
patronizing bow； I walked out of the shop； as the German tied up my
shoes in paper。
。 。 。 。 。 。
This story I would not have told； but that my whole life turned
upon these accursed boots。 I walked back to school as proud as a
peacock； and easily succeeded in satisfying the boys as to the
manner in which I came by my new ornaments。
Well； one fatal Monday morningthe blackest of all black…Mondays
that ever I knewas we were all of us playing between school…
hours； I saw a posse of boys round a stranger； who seemed to be
looking out for one of us。 A sudden trembling seized meI knew it
was Stiffelkind。 What had brought him here？ He talked loud； and
seemed angry。 So I rushed into the school…room； and burying my
head between my hands； began reading for dear life。
〃I vant Lort Cornvallis；〃 said the horrid bootmaker。 〃His lortship
belongs； I know； to dis honorable school； for I saw him vid de boys
at chorch yesterday。〃
〃Lord who？〃
〃Vy； Lort Cornvallis to be surea very fat yong nobeman； vid red
hair： he squints a little； and svears dreadfully。〃
〃There's no Lord Cornvallis here；〃 said one； and there was a pause。
〃Stop！ I have it；〃 says that odious Bunting。 〃IT MUST BE STUBBS！〃
And 〃Stubbs！ Stubbs！〃 every one cried out； while I was so busy at
my book as not to hear a word。
At last； two of the biggest chaps rushed into the schoolroom； and
seizing each an arm； run me into the playgroundbolt up against
the shoemaker。
〃Dis is my man。 I beg your lortship's pardon；〃 says he； 〃I have
brought your lortship's shoes； vich you left。 See； dey have been
in dis parcel ever since you vent avay in my boots。〃
〃Shoes； fellow！〃 says I。 〃I never saw your face before！〃 For I
knew there was nothing for it but brazening it out。 〃Upon the
honor of a gentleman！〃 said I； turning round to the boys。 They
hesitated； and if the trick had turned in my favor； fi