62 



BRUCE'S SCHOOL, NEWCASTLE. 



CHAP. V. 



Carrying out the resolution as to his boy's education, 



j Robert was sent to Mr. Bruce 's school in Percy Street, 



Newcastle, at Midsummer, 1815, when he was about 



! twelve years old. His father bought for him a donkey, 



on which he rode into Newcastle and back daily ; and 



there are many still living who remember the little boy, 



dressed in his suit of homely grey stuff, cut out by his 



father, cantering along to school upon the " cuddy," with 



his wallet of provisions for the day and his bag of books 



slung over his shoulder. 



BRUCE'S SCHOOL, NEWCASTLE. [By R P. Leitch.] 



When Eobert went to Mr. Bruce's school, he was a 

 shy, unpolished country lad, speaking the broad dialect 

 of the pitmen ; and the other boys would occasionally 

 tease him, for the purpose of provoking an outburst 

 of his Killingworth Doric. As the shyness got rubbed 

 off by familiarity, his love of fun began to show itself, 

 and he was found able enough to hold his own amongst 

 the other boys. As a scholar he was steady and diligent, 



