The idea once formed, that Mr. Oswald favoured me above others, gained
ground amazingly fast. Each boy was on the watch, and the smallest
action was noticed and repeated from one to another in an exaggerated
form, till I became an object of bitter dislike to more than half the
school. Many underhand attempts were made by some of my companions to
hurt me in the good opinion of my teacher; but he possessed too much
penetration and discernment to be easily misled, and for some time all
attempts to injure me came back on themselves; but the feeling of enmity
among the boys gained strength with each passing day. One day, about
the middle of the forenoon, a gentleman who was owing Mr. Oswald money,
called and gave him a ten-dollar bill. Mr. Oswald stepped to the door,
where he received the money, and when he returned to the school-room,
being busily engaged with a class, instead of placing the bill in his
pocket-book lifted the cover of his desk and deposited it there;
thinking to remove it before leaving the room, at noon.
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