t
depends," he replied thoughtfully; "yes, if they turn their toes out_."

* * * * *

"_The testator meant to keep a life interest in the estate himself,"
remarked the judge, who was trying a will case._

"_Surely, my lord," said the barrister, "you are taking the will for the
deed_."

* * * * *

_Sydney Smith said of an obstinate man, "You might as well try to
poultice the humps off a camel's back_."

A MASTER WITH BRAINS
[Sidenote: _Memorials of Edward Burne-Jones_]

At Bideford, died the only master I ever had who had any brains. When I
was fourteen or fifteen he taught me to place my knowledge as it came,
to have its proportion. He so kept me to the drawing of maps that the
earth has ever since lain beneath me as if I could see it all from a
great height, and he so taught me history that I see it now as a
panorama, from the first days. In his time I could draw the coasts of
all the world in very fair proportion, without looking at a map, and I
think I could do it now, though not so well as then, perhaps; and always
afterwards, if ever I heard or saw or read up a thing, I knew in what
little pocket of the mind to put it. Right up to the end of Oxford days
no one could compare with him. His name was Abraham Thompson, a doctor
of divinity he was; black hair grew on the back of his hands which I
used to marvel at, he was very handsome and dark. Funny little boys
are--how they watch. He could be very angry and caned furiously; at
times I caught it. I think he grew poor in his last years and had the
school at Bideford. I never heard about him at the end. I worshipped him
when I was little, and we used to look at each other in class. I wonder
what he thought when he looked; I used to think Abraham of Ur of the
Chaldees was like him, and I am sure if he had bought a piece of land to
bury his Sarah in, he would have been just as courteous as the first
Abraham. I was always sorry that he was called Thompson, for I like
lovely names--should have liked one myself and a handsome form--yes, I
should. So that was Thompson. I have thought how far more needful with a
lad is one year with a man of intellect than ten years of useless
teaching. He taught us few facts, but spent all the time drilling us
that we might know what to do with them when they came. Abraham Kerr
Thompson, that was his name. I wonder if any one remembers him. A
strange thing he would do, un