e had a great deal to say about the king's education. It
was Bute who induced George II. to appoint Andrew Stone to have charge
of the young prince. Then the fat was in the fire. The Bishop of
Norwich accused Stone of being a Jacobite, and the quarrel became
hot--so sharp that the bishop entered the schoolroom to have it out
with Master Stone. Now I suppose, my dear rector, you would have
staked your money on the bishop, on the theory that the church
militant should also be the church triumphant."

"Possibly, if I were in the habit of laying wagers," the rector
replied.

"I certainly should have done so, reverend sir, but I should have lost
my money," continued Mr. Dapper; "for Mr. Stone was plucky, used his
fists beautifully, and gave it to my lord the bishop right between the
eyes. The bishop was quite gamey, though, and aimed a blow at Stone's
nose, but finally got shoved out of the room, greatly to his
mortification. He couldn't let the matter drop, and so accused Stone
of being drunk. The matter finally got into Parliament where there was
quite a row about it. Such were the auspices under which our good
sovereign was educated to administer the affairs of the realm. His
mother wanted to make him pious. She would not allow him to associate
with other boys because they would corrupt his morals. Lord Bute
advised the princess dowager to keep the prince tied to her apron
strings, and succeeded."

"Lord Bute," Mr. Adams responded, "is very much disliked in the
Colonies. When he was at the head of the ministry, he was hung in
effigy on the Liberty Tree."

"So he was in London," Mr. Dapper replied. "Your detestation of him
cannot be greater than it is in England. No one can quite understand
how John Stuart made his way up to power. He was a poor Scotsman from
the Frith of Clyde. He went to school at Eton and also at Cambridge,
then came to London, hired a piece of land out a little way from the
city, and raised peppermint, camomile, and other simples for medicine.
He had a love for private theatricals, had shapely legs and liked to
show them. One evening the Prince of Wales saw his legs, and, taking a
fancy to the owner, told him to make himself at home in Leicester
House. That was enough for John Stuart. Having got a foothold, he made
himself useful to Fred, and especially to the princess dowager. George
II. was getting on in years and irritable. The old king took it upon
himself to pick out a wife for the prince, se