Page:Lawrence E A-first reader,1907.pdf/25

 WHAT HAPPENED TO HARRY.

Harry Longfellow was not extremely happy one Tuesday, for he had just left home and come to school for the first time. He had found the day very long, and during (through) its whole length he had felt very nervous and awkward. When the schoolmaster said to him " Write your name here," he put his penholder without a pen into an inkpot without ink, let his pencil-box fall, broke his pencils, and when they asked him, " In what does the richness of Ireland consist ? " he answered " In the quantity of cigar-cases and cigar-holders made there." Now he was in the dormitory with twenty strange boys. His nervousness and strangeness were still the greater because he was the only child of his parents. "Shorty," said a little boy, who had just stood up on the bed and put another boy there near him. All heads turned to Harry, who with difficulty understood that they were calling him "Shorty." The little boy continued loudly, " When a new boy comes to our dormitory, we always show the contents of our pockets, and I always divide them again. Ho ! now you must all empty your pockets together." Immediately a strange sight commenced. The boys took off their collars and cuffs, hung them upon the gas bracket, and threw handkerchiefs and other cotton things upon the pipe, where they caught (became hung). At the same time they put out the gas to darken the room ; afterwards they brought a candlestick and lighted a little candle, thus the room was a little light again (became re-lighted). Soon the pockets were emptied, and upon the