whole household declared him to be the finest and sweetest child in
the universe. But if we were to narrate all the wonderful events of
Jack's childhood from the time of his birth up to the age of seven
years, as chronicled by Sarah, who continued his dry nurse after he
had been weaned, it would take at least three volumes folio. Jack was
brought up in the way that every only child usually is--that is, he
was allowed to have his own way.


CHAPTER IV

In which the doctor prescribes going to school as a remedy for a cut
finger.

"Have you no idea of putting the boy to school, Mr Easy?" said Dr
Middleton, who had been summoned by a groom with his horse in a foam
to attend immediately at Forest Hill, the name of Mr Easy's mansion,
and who, upon his arrival, had found that Master Easy had cut his
thumb. One would have thought that he had cut his head off by the
agitation pervading the whole household--Mr Easy walking up and down
very uneasy, Mrs Easy with great difficulty prevented from syncope,
and all the maids bustling and passing round Mrs Easy's chair.
Everybody appeared excited except Master Jack Easy himself, who, with
a rag round his finger, and his pinafore spotted with blood, was
playing at bob-cherry, and cared nothing about the matter.

"Well, what's the matter, my little man?" said Dr Middleton, on
entering, addressing himself to Jack, as the most sensible of the
whole party.