START AT EARNING MONEY 



him when he went to sleep, for he would be off in a 

 minute and snore to beat the band. 



There was no organ, and the hymns were started 

 by the precentor, who gave the note on a little pipe. 

 The choir would hum to get the kick-off right, then 

 would launch out. The conductor, a man named 

 Russell, was a charming little fellow, with an enormous 

 beard, who for many years held a prominent position 

 in the Hudson Bay Company. It was he who advised 

 my father to give me a Scottish education, and I was 

 sent off to the care of Dr Bryce, who, from being chief 

 classical master at the High School, eventually founded 

 a school in Charlotte Square, Edinburgh. His private 

 house, where he took boarders, was in Moray Place. 

 Really it was an excellent decision, and the most con- 

 genial spirits possible were found. With regard to 

 what was learned I held my own, and in the second 

 — and what proved my last — year there there was the 

 satisfaction of piles of whole-bound calf books to take 

 back with me to show that the money had not alto- 

 gether been wasted. Several things were taught — 

 such as shorthand and precis writing — which came in 

 very useful later when I had to make a start in jour- 

 nalism. There was no copy-book writing, but we had 

 to write quickly with a quill pen. It had to be legible, 

 however, or we had a vicious flick on the ear, and a 

 series of blots meant the tawse — that split-up strap — 

 on the hand. 



A few years ago I happened to meet a man at 

 Sandown Park and he said : " Fancy you being a racing 

 man ! You were such a swell at Scripture at Bryce's. I 

 remember you taking that special prize. Wonderful ! 

 How did you do it ? " 



At the end of the second year, during the holidays, 

 an uncle of mine told me that things were not going 



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