Thanks to such men as Dan and Bez, in Melbourne, and to other
enterprising builders in various places, habitable dwellings of wood,
brick, and bluestone began to be used, instead of the handy but
uncomfortable tent, and, at the Rocky Waterholes, Philip had for some
time been lodging in a weatherboard house with the respectable Mrs.
Martin. Before going to look for Nyalong he introduced his successor
to her, and also to the scholars. Her name was Miss Edgeworth.
The first virtue of a good master is gravity, and Philip had begun at
the beginning. He was now graver even than usual while he briefly
addressed his youthful auditors.
"My dear children," he said, "I am going away, and have to leave you
in the care of this young lady, Miss Edgeworth. I am sure you will
find her to be a better teacher than myself, because she has been
trained in the schools of the great city of Dublin, and I,
unfortunately, had no training at all; she is highly educated, and
will be, I doubt not, a perfect blessing to the rising generation of
the Rocky Waterholes. I hope you will be diligent, obedient, and
respectful to her. Good-bye, and God bless you all."
These words were spoken in the tone of a judge passing sentence of
death on a criminal, and Miss Edgeworth was in doubt whether it would
be becoming under the circumstances to laugh or to cry, so she made
no speech in reply.
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