Mr.Peterkin agreed it would in the end be not as expensive as a college course, even if Agamemnon should buy all the different Encyclop?dias that appeared.
There would be no "spreads" involved; no expense of receiving friends at entertainments in college; he could live at home, so that it would not be necessary to fit up another room, as at college.At all the times of his leaving he had sold out favorably to other occupants.
Solomon John's destiny was more uncertain.He was looking forward to being a doctor some time, but he had not decided whether to be allopathic or homeopathic, or whether he could not better invent his own pills.And he could not understand how to obtain his doctor's degree.
For a few weeks he acted as clerk in a druggist's store.But he could serve only in the toothbrush and soap department, because it was found he was not familiar enough with the Latin language to compound the drugs.He agreed to spend his evenings in studying the Latin grammar; but his course was interrupted by his being dismissed for treating the little boys too frequently to soda.
The little boys were going through the schools regularly.The family had been much exercised with regard to their education.
Elizabeth Eliza felt that everything should be expected from them;they ought to take advantage from the family mistakes.Every new method that came up was tried upon the little boys.
They had been taught spelling by all the different systems, and were just able to read, when Mr.Peterkin learned that it was now considered best that children should not be taught to read till they were ten years old.
Mrs.Peterkin was in despair.Perhaps, if their books were taken from them even then, they might forget what they had learned.
But no, the evil was done; the brain had received certain impressions that could not be blurred over.
This was long ago, however.The little boys had since entered the public schools.They went also to a gymnasium, and a whittling school, and joined a class in music, and another in dancing; they went to some afternoon lectures for children, when there was no other school, and belonged to a walking-club.Still Mr.Peterkin was dissatisfied by the slowness of their progress.He visited the schools himself, and found that they did not lead their classes.It seemed to him a great deal of time was spent in things that were not instructive, such as putting on and taking off their india-rubber boots.
Elizabeth Eliza proposed that they should be taken from school and taught by Agamemnon from the Encyclop?dia.The rest of the family might help in the education at all hours of the day.
Solomon John could take up the Latin grammar, and she could give lessons in French.
The little boys were enchanted with the plan, only they did not want to have the study-hours all the time.
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In the study of the letter A, Agamemnon had embraced the study of music, and from one meal they might gain instruction enough for a day.
"We shall have the assistance," said Mr.Peterkin, "of Agamemnon, with his Encyclop?dia."Agamemnon modestly suggested that he had not yet got out of A, and in their first breakfast everything would therefore have to begin with A.
"That would not be impossible," said Mr.Peterkin."There is Amanda, who will wait on table, to start with-""We could have 'am-and-eggs," suggested Solomon John Mrs.
Peterkin was distressed.It was hard enough to think of anything for breakfast, and impossible, if it all had to begin with one letter.
Elizabeth Eliza thought it would not be necessary.All they were to do was to ask questions, as in examination papers, and find their answers as they could.
They could still apply to the Encyclop?dia, even if it were not in Agamemnon's alphabetical course.
Mr.Peterkin suggested a great variety.One day they would study the botany of the breakfast-table, another day, its natural history.
