In history, that portion that charmed them most was the story of the rebellion against the yoke of England.  Far and wide they went in search of everything that would throw light on this epoch.  They became immersed in the spirit of that heroic age.

As a part of their rhetorical training they were taught to declaim.  Thanks to their absorption in the history of the Revolution, their minds ran to the sublime in literature; and they strove to secure pieces to declaim that recited the most heroic deeds of man, of whatever nationality.

Leonidas, Marco Bozarris, Arnold Winklereid, Louis Kossuth, Robert Emmett, Martin Luther, Patrick Henry and such characters furnished the pieces almost invariably declaimed.  They threw their whole souls into these, and the only natural thing resulted.  No human soul can breathe the atmosphere of heroes and read with bated breath their deeds of daring without craving for the opportunity to do the like.  Thus the education of these two young men went on.

At the expiration of twelve years they had acquired an academic education that could not be surpassed anywhere in the land.  Their reputation as brilliant students and eloquent speakers had spread over the whole surrounding country.

The teacher decided to graduate the young men; and he thought to utilize the occasion as a lasting humiliation of Belton and exaltation of his favorite, Bernard Belgrave.  Belton felt this.

In the first part of this last school year of the boys, he had told them to prepare for a grand commencement exercise, and they acted accordingly.  Each one chose his subject and began the preparation of his oration early in the session, each keeping his subject and treatment secret from the other.

The teacher had announced that numerous white citizens would be present; among them the congressman from the district and the mayor of the town.  Belton determined upon two things, away down in his soul.  He determined to win in the oratorical contest, and to get his revenge on his teacher on the day that the teacher had planned for his—­(Belton’s) humiliation.  Bernard did not have the incentive that Belton did; but defeat was ever galling to him, and he, too, had determined to win.

The teacher often reviewed the progress made by Bernard on his oration, but did not notice Belton’s at all.  He strove to make Bernard’s oration as nearly perfect as labor and skill could make it.  But Belton was not asleep as to either of the resolutions he had formed.  Some nights he could be seen stealing away from the congressman’s residence.  On others he could be seen leaving the neighborhood of the school, with a spade in one hand and a few carpenter’s tools in the other.

He went to the congressman, who was a polished orator with a national reputation, in order that he might purge his oration from its impurities of speech.  As the congressman read the oration and perceived the depth of thought, the logical arrangement, the beauty and rhythm of language, and the wide research displayed, he opened his eyes wide with astonishment.  He was amazed that a young man of such uncommon talents could have grown up in his town and he not know it.  Belton’s marvelous talents won his respect and admiration, and he gave him access to his library and criticized his oration whenever needed.