Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 January 1904 — A Swinburne Story. [ARTICLE]

A Swinburne Story.

Algernon Charles Swinburne, the poet, tells how when a schoolboy st Eton he found himself once in the same railway carriage with the head, master, Dr. Goodford, who was grimly reading a newspaper. Mr. Swinburne’s father, who did not know the peculMr shrinking of august head masters from strange parents, interfered with the reading by asking Dr. Goodford’s opinion of Algernon Charles. “Now,” continues Mr. Swinburne, “as a matter of fact Dr. Goodford had never set eyes on me and probably did not even know of my existence; but, enraged, I suppose, at my father’s rather unconventional interruption, which he no doubt considered a slight on his dignity, he glanced down at me with a scarlet face and said deliberately, ‘Your boy, sir—your boy is one of the very worst in school!’ and then intrenched himself once more behind his newspaper.” It was no use for Algernon Charles to protest that Dr. Goodfortf did not even know him by sight. “Do you think,” retorted Swinburne senior, “that I am going to take your word before that of your head master?” So there were no Junketings for Swinburne junior in the Christmas holidays.