"
"I mean to take him in hand," said Isaac.
"I would make him stop, if I had to take his ears off."
"I mean to make him stop."
"Go and flog him now. I should like to see you do it. You can do it
easily enough with one hand."
"I rather think I could; but I'll not try it to-day."
At this point in the conversation the school-boys parted, as they were
on their way home, and their roads led them in different directions.
The boy alluded to was the son of an intemperate man, who was angry with
Isaac's father, in consequence of some effort to prevent his obtaining
rum.
The drunkard's son took up the cause of his father, and called Isaac
hard names every time he saw him pass; and as he did not do anything by
way of retaliation, he went farther and threw stones at him.
Isaac was at first provoked at the boy's conduct. He thought he ought to
be thankful that his father was prevented, in some degree, from
procuring rum, the source of so much misery to himself and family.
But when he thought of the way in which he had been brought up, and of
the poor lad's ignorance and wretchedness, he pitied him and ceased to
wonder, or to be offended at his conduct.
But Isaac resolved, indeed, to "take him in hand," and to "stop him,"
but not in the sense in which his schoolfellow understood those terms.
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