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OCR Rendition - approximate
Childhood and Boyhood 73 Frank returned home on June 30, and had only a clear day at home. On July 2 he went to the Colonnade House, Worthing, for the holidays. On August 31, Tertius Galton took his son up to London to join Mr Bury for Boulogne. In a letter three weeks later (Sept. 20, 1831) Francis announces his safe return to his mother. After the usual phrases as to the happy character of the school, Francis continues " I arrived here very safely. It was very calm indeed I think, but all the other people thought quite the contrary. There was a very fine Newfoundland Dog, but he was very tame indeed. Almost all the women were seasick. I lost my Berth, but even if I had not, I would not have slept in it. When I was asleep we past the Hector (the ship in which Captain Parry sailed to the northern regions), but when I awoke I found myself just opposite Gravesend. There were many Brigs and Frigates. One of them fired two guns, which I suppose was a salute. I did not see Sheerness, nor any threedeckers anywhere up the Thames. We past the Wellesley and the other ships at the Downs " The boy of nine was developing into a good traveller. The last letter but one of the Boulogne series may be given' in full 11th November, BOULOGNE, 1831. MY DEAR MAMA, Please will you send the desk' which you gave me, by somebody that comes over here, or in anyway that you can, furnished well with wafers, sealing wax, a gimblet (for mine is broken), a turn-screw, good paper like that which you write on to Erasmus and a little packet containing about twenty nails, and the same number of screws, with a file. All the wire is come off that chain which Adele bought me, so I. am obliged to tie my keys to the buttonhole of my jacket by a piece of string. I have got the key of my playbox, which I quite forgot to tell you in my last letter. My Greek Lexicons have not become of great use to me, but I think they will soon, but I am always wanting my Classical Dictionary when I do my Virgil. I am quite well and I hope that you are also. II get better notes a great deal than I did last half-year±and am much happier. One of the Masters saw my candle in my desk which I brought last half, and he slyly took it away and put it on his desk, intending as I thought to keep it, but as soon as he was gone to the other end of the room, I sneaked it up and took it away and put it in my cap,-but alas ! he found it out, and I do not think I shall get it again; so please add a Taper to the various articles and a pretty seal. Desks are so much in fashion this half, that there is hardly any big Boy that has not one. Send a quantity of pounded gum arabic, as I cannot manage to get it here. Send in my desk 1 In the following letter he writes : " I am so desirous s of having my desk, that I am making a very nice place to put it in, where no Boy can get, and I am always thinking of it." P. G. 10
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