yarns, and laughing at the jokes they cracked. Much of this
conversation was coarse and even vulgar, such as a pure mind could not
listen to without suffering contamination, or at least a blunting of
its delicate sensibilities. It is a serious misfortune for a youth to
be exposed to such influences, but Oscar did not know it, or did not
believe it.

Among the hangers about the stable, was a queer fellow who went by the
name of Andy. His real name was Anderson. He was weak-minded and
childish, his lack of intellect taking the form of silliness rather
than of stupidity. Indeed, he was bright and quick in his way, but it
was a very foolish and nonsensical way. He was famous among all the
boys of the neighborhood, for using strange and amusing words, and
especially for a system of spelling on which he prided himself, and
which is not laid down in any of the dictionaries. He afforded much
sport to the boys, who would gather around him, and give him words by
the dozen to spell. The readiness and ingenuity with which he would
mis-spell the most simple words, was quite amusing to them. He never
hesitated, nor stopped to think, but always spelt the given word in his
peculiar way, just as promptly as though he did it according to a rule
which he perfectly understood.

One Saturday afternoon, as Oscar and Alfred were looking about the
stable, Andy suddenly made his appearance, and asked them for a bit of
tobacco. Both of the boys, by the way, wished to be considered
tobacco-chewers, and usually carried a good-sized piece of the vile
weed in their pockets, though it must be confessed that the little they
consumed was rather for appearance sake, than because they liked it.
They also smoked occasionally, for the same reason.