The World’s Tragedy

PREFACE. XIII 6. The “ Badgers’ Meeting ”. Every Monday night the school was ranged round the back of the big school- room, and the scourings of Barnswell (Cambridge’s slum) let in, fed, preached to, and dismissed. Result, epidemics of ring worm, measles, and mumps. Oh no ! not a result ; the Lord’s hand was heavy upon us because of some undiscovered sin. I might go on for a long while, but I will not. I hope there are some people in the world happy enough to think that I am lying, or at least exaggerating. But I pledge my word to the literal truth of all I have said, and there are plenty of witnesses alive to confirm me, or to refute me. I have given throughout the actual names, addresses and other details. ADOLESCENCE Too ill with albuminuria brought on by the savage treat- ment of Champney to do any regular work, I was sent away with various tutors, mostly young men from Cambridge, members of the unspeakable C. I. C. C. U. I remember in my first term at Cambridge how I was in the rooms of a leading light of the C. I. C. C. U., the Revd. Something Doddridge, my Uncle Tom’s trusted henchman. I remember how eloquently he held forth on the cou- rage to stop any “ impure conversation.” I remember how impressed we were ; how a gentleman with an “ honou-