Tom Playfair, Or Making a Start Father Francis J
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Xavier University Exhibit Father Francis J. Finn, S.J. Books Archives and Library Special Collections 1891 Tom Playfair, or Making a Start Father Francis J. Finn S.J. Xavier University - Cincinnati Follow this and additional works at: http://www.exhibit.xavier.edu/finn Recommended Citation Finn, Father Francis J. S.J., "Tom Playfair, or Making a Start" (1891). Father Francis J. Finn, S.J. Books. Book 4. http://www.exhibit.xavier.edu/finn/4 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Archives and Library Special Collections at Exhibit. It has been accepted for inclusion in Father Francis J. Finn, S.J. Books by an authorized administrator of Exhibit. For more information, please contact [email protected]. TOM PLAYFAIR • • • • • • • • =-...,,., 11Jiki, ya "And are you really and truly a fool?" asked Tom.-Page 56. TOM PLAYFAIR OR MAKING A START BY FRANCIS J. FINN, S.J. Author of "Percy Wynn," "Harry Dee,n "Claude Lightfoot," etc. N&w YoRK, CINCINNATI, CHICAGO BENZIGER BROTHERS COPYRIGHT, 1891, BY BENZIGER BROTHERG Printed in the United States ef America PREFACE. HE vicissitudes of the "Tom Playfair" maa"J. T script would alone make a story. How it was written over seven years ago, for the sake of a college class, and with no ulterior thought of publi· cation; how pc.: :ions of it gradually found the~r way into print; how the writer hesitated for year3 whether to consig : the remaining parts to the bock publisher or to the waste-basket; how the cordial i?eception of" Percy Wynn," and the kind words con ·terning "Tom Playfair" from critics and from read ers inspirited him to take the venerable manuscript -done at all manner of odd times, in lead pencil and ink, upon all sorts and conditions of paper- from his trunk, and subsequently devote no sma~l part of his vacation days (July, August, 1891) to its revisal; how the valued advice and kind words of literary friends served him in the revision-are not all these things indelibly impressed upon the author's memory? And now he ventures to offer this story to the boys and girls of the land, in the hope that it m~y afford them healthful pleasure. Advancing the figure lea1;1edly styted hysteron proferon from sentences to volumes, he 1as publishe~ .s 4 .PREFACE. "Percy Wynn·• first, although Percy's adventures are subsequent to Tom's. The reason for this pro· cedure may be gathered from what has been said of the "Tom Playfair" manuscript. St. Maure's is a pseudonym for a certain college in the West. Besides inventing incidents, the author, to suit his purpose, has on occasion taken liberties with the local surroundings; but in the main he has adhered to the prototype. It is almost needless to say that the real college never suffered from the effects of a thunderbolt; in fact, the "cupola," upon which turns a catastrophe recorded in these pages, was erected, not by an archi· tect, but by a few strokes of the pen. Near this Western college there is a village-a thriving, happy community. This village the au thor has eliminated from these stories. The village of St. Maure's, which takes its place, is a fiction. In drawing, with certain necessary reserves, upon his three years' experience at this Western college, £.he author has, perhaps, made too little of one strik ing feature-the manly piety of the students. In all his experiences there he could count upon his fingers those who, while in attendance, had evidently changed for the worse; and they were marked exceptions. It is hard upon seven years since the writer last saw" St. Maure's." Then it was just on this side of its pioneer days. Now it is a college with a history of which it may well be proud. The "old church building," the little boys' dormitory and wash· room, the long, low frame structure used as an in· tirmarv. are iOne; new and nobler piles nave arisen PREFACE. \n their place so that the college of to-day, as Peg gotty remarked, I believe, of her nephew, Ham, has '' growed out of knowledge"; and yet the sweet spirit of faith and prayer has abided unchanged amid all changes. The author has not seen these changes he is blessed in believing. Nor can he doubt, aside from all testimony, that the same spirit pervades them all. The JJial, a college paper conducted by the students, reaches him every month; and he can read in the lines and between the lines that the college of to-day and the college of seven years ago are one in that closest and most sacred ot moral unions-a true, devout, Catholic spirit. FRANCIS J. f'tNN, S.J. CONTENTS. PAGR CHAPTER I. In which the hero of the story is represented in doubtful light, II CHAPTER II. In which Tom by a series of misadventures brings down the wrath of his father in such wise that the author, for fear of forfeiting Tom's chances of becoming a hero in the reader's eyes, discreetly veils what actually happened when justice was administered, 17 CHAPTER III. In which Tom leaves for St. Maure's, and finds on the road thither that fun sometimes comes expen~ive, • CHAPTER IV. Tom arrives at St. Maure's and makes the acquaintance of John Green under circumstances not entirely grateful to that interesting character, 41 CHAPTER V. In which Tom is persuaded to go to sleep, 57 CHAPTER VI. ln which Green and Tom run a race which proves disastrous to both, • 65 8 CONTENTS. CHAPTER VII. Pl.OB In which Tom usurps minor orders with startling results, 72 CHAPTER VIII. In which Tom gets into many difficulties, and holds an astonishing interview with Mr. Middleton, 80 CHAPTER IX. In which Tom concludes that vinegar never catches flies, 94 CHAPTER X. In which Tom gives Green a bit of advice, which, aided by a storm, is not without its effect, <JS CHAPTER XI. The night of the first Friday in November, • IlO CHAPTER XII. Tom's midnight adventure, • CHAPTER XIII. In which Tom takes a trip, • CHAPTER XIV. In which Tom goes to the theatre, CHAPTER XV. In which Tom is lost, • CHAPTER XVI. Io which Tom enters upon a career of extravagance, 146 CHAPTER XVII. {n which the prodigal returns, 154 CONTENTS. CHAPTER XVIII. l'AGS b which Tom astonishes and horrifies his aunt, • 164 CHAPTER XIX. In which Tom and Keenan hold a council of war, :7S CHAPTER XX. Storming of the snow-fort-Mr. Beakey talks at cross purposes with the senior students, • 184 CHAPTER XXI. In which Tom meets with a bitter trial, CHAPTER XXII. In which Tom wins a new friend and hea· a strange story, 201 CHAPTER XXIII. IQ which the 11 Knickerbockers" play the "Red Clippers," 21 a CHAPTER XXIV. Trouble ahead, CHAPTER XXV. A joyous going forth, and a sad journey home, 224 CHAPTER XXVI. Sic knen, CHAPTER XXVIL • , 2'7 IO CONTENTS. CHAPTER XXVIII. PAGE An escape from jail, and the beginning of a snow-storm, 243 CHAPTER XXIX. End of the snow-storm, CHAPTER XXX. Conclusion, • TOM PLAYFAIR. CHAPTER I. IN WHICH T/IE HERO OF THE STORY IS REPRESENTED IN A DOUBTFUL L!Gll1: "TOMMY!" No answer. "Tommy-do you hear me? Get up this moment, sir. Do you think this house is a hotel? Every one's at breakfast except yourself." Miss Meadow, Tom Playfair'smaternal aunt, stood without the door of Master Playfair's sleeping apartment. She paused for a moment, partly to gain her breath (having come up three pairs of stairs to arouse Tom) and partly to await some reply from our sleeping hero. T!1e silence, however, was simply emphasized by the ticking of the great clock in the hall. "Tommy!" she resumed at length, in a higher key, " do you hear. me ?" Her strained ears caught the dull sound as of some one turning lazily in his bed. "Now you're awake, sir, jump right up, and dress for your breakfast." "Sho ! scat!" came a yawning voice from the room. 12 T01ll PLA YFAIR. "Dear me!" cried poor Miss Meadow, "the boy doesn't mind me in the least." "What's the trouble, Jane?" queried Mr. Playfair, who just then issued from his room. "I can't get that Tommy out of bed. He's grow ing worse every day, George. Last week he was late for school five times." "I'll fix that, Jane," said Mr. Playfair. And he took one step toward Tom's sleeping-room, when the door '>f that apartment opened a few inches, dis covering a young face peering anxiously from beneath a mass of tangled hair. "Pa," said the apparition, "I'm dressing just as fast as I know how. I heard you, auntie, and I'm coming right away." Then the door closed. Tom, it must be explained, had been composing himself for another nap, when the whispered dialogue between his aunt and his father had brought him out of bed with most un wonted celerity. The wily lad deemed it best not to wait for an order from his father. Hence the apparition. "If you are not at the breakfast table in two min utes, sir, you shall hear from me," and with these sternly delivered words Mr. Playfairconducted Misi Meadow to breakfast. Little more than a minute later, a stout, healthy, <lark-complexioned lad of ten emerged from his room ready and eager for the labor and heat of the day.