34 AT LANCASTER SCHOOL. CHAP. n. 



two other " gorbals." He went home with his three 

 birds ; but, his sister being ill, his mother told him 

 to take them away, because they made such a noise. 

 In the course of the day he gave them to another 

 boy, in exchange for a little picture-book, containing 

 " The Death and Burial of Cock Bobin." 



Next morning he went back to school, and from 

 that time forward he continued to obey the master's 

 orders. He never brought any more " beasts " there. 

 He was at the Lancaster school about eighteen 

 months, though he was occasionally absent. He 

 did not learn very much. The Bible was used as 

 the reading book, and when he left school he could 

 read it fairly. He could also repeat the Shorter Cate- 

 chism. But he knew very little of arithmetic, and 

 nothing of grammar. He had only got the length of 

 the rule of two, that is, he could add up two lines 

 of figures. He could not manage the multiplication 

 table. He could only multiply by means of Jris 

 fingers. He knew nothing of writing. 



We must mention the cause of his leaving his 

 third and his last school. He had entirely given 

 up bringing " beasts " with him. But he had got a 

 bad name. It was well known that he had been 

 turned out of all the schools which he had formerly 

 attended, on account of bringing his "beasts" with 

 him. Better kill a dog, it is said, than give him a 

 bad name. In Edward's case, his bad name was at- 

 tended with very serious results. 



