A Lucky Magpie 169 



th.it groom never came for the change. The 

 parson gave me a good character, and Miss 

 Pringle asked them to be merciful. How could 

 she help it, poor soul ? She really had begun to 

 like me, I believe, but I spoilt it all by telling her 

 that I wanted no mercy from her, as she believed 

 I was a liar. So they sentenced me to be im- 

 prisoned for a fortnight, and then to be sent for 

 three years to the Reformatory School which had 

 lately been opened in the county. 



" The gaol I didn't mind so much, though it 

 was bad enough, but that school took all the 

 spirit out of me. There's no need for me to 

 tell you what I went through there, the washings 

 and scrubbings, the school dress a badge of 

 disgrace ; the having to obey orders sharp, or 

 get sharp punishment ; the feeling that all the 

 boys thought me a thief like themselves, and 

 up to all their low ways and talk ; and then 

 the bad things I heard, the sense of injustice 

 rankling in my heart, and making me hate 

 every one. I think I should have soon become 

 as bad as any young thief in the place, but for 

 the thought of Nelly and Mag, and even they 



