re covered with some patched and torn old drugget, and upon
subsequent examination I found them to consist of three old claret cases
without covers, which he had probably picked up very cheap; two of them
turned upside down, so as to form the lower square, and the third placed
in the same way upside down, upon the two lower. Mr O'Gallagher sat in
great dignity upon the upper one, with his feet on the lower, being thus
sufficiently raised upon an eminence to command a view of the whole of
his pupils in every part of the school. He was not a tall man, but very
square built, with carroty hair and very bushy red whiskers; to me he
appeared a most formidable person, especially when he opened his large
mouth and displayed his teeth, when I was reminded of the sign of the
Red Lion close to my mother's house. I certainly never had been before
so much awed during my short existence as I was with the appearance of
my pedagogue, who sat before me somewhat in the fashion of a Roman
tribune, holding in his hand a short round ruler, as if it were his
truncheon of authority. I had not been a minute in the school before I
observed him to raise his arm; away went the ruler whizzing through the
air, until it hit the skull of the lad for whom it was intended at the
other end of the schoolroom. The boy, who had been talking to his
neighbour, rubbed his poll, and whined.

"Why don't you bring back my ruler, you spalpeen?" said Mr O'Gallagher.
"Be quick, Johnny Target, or it will end in a blow-up."

The boy, who was not a little confused with the blow, sufficiently
recovered his senses to obey the order, and whimpering as he came up,
returned the ruler to the hands of Mr O'Gallagher.

"That tongue of yours will get you into more trouble than it will
business, I expect, Johnny Target; it's an unruly member, and requires a
constant ruler over it." Johnny Target rubbed his head and said
nothing.

"Master Keene," said he, after a short pause, "did you see what a
tundering tump on the head that boy got just now, and do you know what
it was for?"

"No," replied I.

"Where's your manners, you animal? No `If you plase.' For the future,
you must not forget to say, `No, sir,' or, `No, Mr O'Gallagher.' D'ye
mind me--now say yes--what?"

"Yes, what!"

"Yes, what! you little ignoramus; say `yes, Mr O'Gallagher,' and
recollect, as the parish clerk says, `this is the last time of asking.'"

"Yes, Mr O'Gallagher."

"Ah! now you see, th