In this miserable way did he pass over the tedious period of a year,
going about every night in rotation with the scholars, and severely
beaten on all possible occasions by the master. His conduct and manners
won him: the love and esteem of all except his tyrant instructor. His
assiduity was remarkable, and his progress in the elements of English
and classical literature surprisingly rapid. This added considerably
to his character, and procured him additional respect. It was not long
before he made himself useful and obliging to all the boys beneath his
standing in the school. These services he rendered with an air of such
kindness, and a grace so naturally winning, that the attachment of
his schoolfellows increased towards him from day to day. Thady was his
patron on all occasions: neither did the curate neglect him. The latter
was his banker, for the boy had very properly committed his purse to his
keeping. At the expiration of every quarter the schoolmaster received
the amount of his bill, which he never failed to send in, when due.

Jemmy had not, during his first year's residence in the south, forgotten
to request the kind curate's interference with the landlord, on behalf
of his father. To be the instrument of restoring his family to their
former comfortable holding under Colonel B------; would have afforded
him, without excepting the certainty of his own eventual success, the
highest gratification. Of this, however, there was no hope, and nothing
remained for him but assiduity in his studies, and patience under the
merciless scourge of his teacher. In addition to an engaging person and
agreeable manners, nature had gifted him with a high order of intellect,
and great powers of acquiring knowledge. The latter he applied to the
business before him with indefatigable industry. The school at; which
he settled was considered the first in Munster; and the master,
notwithstanding his known severity, stood high, and justly so, in