o recite,
when, with his ready wit and retentive memory, he would gather up what
it required hard study for the rest of us to put into our craniums. But
it sometimes happened that Dame Fortune, wicked jade! forsook him, and
Willing had to march up, as we thought, to certain disgrace. But
whatever forsook him, one thing never did--invincible assurance. He
would bear himself in so composed a manner, talk round the subject so
ably, and bring what little he knew so prominently forward, that the
professor himself was often deceived, and was sometimes entrapped into
telling the very thing Willing most wanted to know.

"If any side-helps were given by sympathizing friends--for Willing was a
general favorite--he availed himself of them without scruple. I remember
the question was once put to him, 'What is the Latin name of the earth?'
Any boy surely should know that; but for once his memory failed him. He
nudged the boy next him, saying in a stage whisper, 'Tell us.' The
teacher's ears were quick, and his wit also; he answered, with a
quizzical look--before the boy could speak--'That's right, Tellus is one
of the names; but you should direct your answer to the desk, and not to
your neighbor.'

"In composition he was sometimes brilliant, but not always sustained or
original, for I have more than once detected a striking likeness to
Addison and other well-known worthies of our English tongue. Evidently
the same Muse inspired both, for in style and sentiment they were
identical; but unfortunately for Willing, they had the advantage in
point of time, and made their mark in the world before he came along.
The wonder to me was that the teacher did not see it; but his was not a
wide range of scholarship, though thorough in what he taught. His groove
was narrow but deep and well worn, I felt indignant when I heard Willing
praised for what should have brought him disgrace; but he was so
pleasant and ready to oblige, such a good companion and playfellow,
that I soon forgot my righteous anger--until next time.

"Another trick of his I could not like. Possibly my young friends may
have seen the same; for schoolboy failings are very similar throughout
the ages. I don't doubt school-children cheated before the flood! They
certainly have done so since. He sat at the same desk with honest Jack
Howard, the most unsuspicious of mortals because himself so free from
guile. Many a time have I seen him slyly glance at Howard's slate when
we were