Now came hard times for
poor George. In college there is not much mercy shown to bad scholars; and
George had neglected his studies so long that he could not now keep up
with his class, let him try ever so hard.
8. He could, without much difficulty, get along in the academy, where
there were only two or three boys of his own class to laugh at him. But
now he had to go into a large recitation room, filled with students from
all parts of the country. In the presence of all these, he must rise and
recite to a professor. Poor fellow! He paid dearly for his idleness.
9. You would have pitied him if you could have seen him trembling in his
scat, every moment expecting to be called upon to recite. And when he was
called upon, he would stand up and take what the class called a "dead
set;" that is, he could not recite at all. Sometimes he would make such
ludicrous blunders that the whole class would burst into a laugh. Such are
the applauses an idler gets. He was wretched, of course. He had been idle
so long that he hardly knew how to apply his mind to study. All the good
scholars avoided him; they were ashamed to be seen in his company.
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