Through the school: The experiences of a mill boy in securing an education — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Through the school: The experiences of a mill boy in securing an education
John Stuart Mill · en
I looked around and up for a place to sleep. There on one of the high
shelves, I saw a young fellow sitting up, eating a sandwich. He saw me
looking in his direction. “Hello, fellow,” he greeted cheerily, “you’re
English, aren’t you, fellow?” I replied that I was and that I was
wanting a place to sleep for the night. He said, “These places are for
two. Get a leg up and bunk with me.” He reached down his hand, braced
me as I stood on the edge of a lower berth, and then I found myself in
the bed with my benefactor.
He sat there in his shirt, ready for bed, with a large basket of
sandwiches in front of him. There were more sandwiches together in that
one basket than I have ever seen piled up on the counter of any lunch
room.
“You aren’t a train boy, are you?” I asked. “Oh, no,” said the young
fellow, “that’s my lunch. I got a week’s go on the trains yet, so
I brought enough to eat for that time. I’m going to college away
out West. Have one,” he broke in and pointed to the basket. I had
no scruples in assisting at the reduction of such a mountain of
sandwiches, for I imagined that a company of soldiers could have
subsisted on them for three days. I ate my fill, and the young fellow
watched me with evident delight. “I’m going out to college, too,” I
explained. “We’re birds of a feather, eh?” “What college?” he asked.
“Evangelical University,” I replied. “It’s easy to get through there
because expenses are moderate. I don’t think I’ll have a chance to get
in right away,” I explained. “You see, I haven’t written them that I’m
coming or asked for a chance even. I can get out there and get some
kind of work, and when everything’s arranged, get into the University.
A friend told me about it.”