Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1860-06-15
THE WORST BOY IN SCHOOL
From the Iowa School Journal.

sis that one of my scholars?"
Miss Merton, the new teacher, pointed
to lad just outside the garden fence He
was ragged and dirty-barefooted, too
and wore an old straw hat so much in pie
ees that his tangled locks stuck up ''eYery
which way through the holes. He was
throwing stones Of a robin nest that hung
high up in cherry-tree, and serceching
all the time in way that made one in
voluntarily clap his hands to his ears.
81 am sorry to say it is, replied Dea-
con Gray ''The worst boy in school, too,
the one that will make you the most
trouble. Indeed, I don't believe you'll
ever be able to do anything with him.
He's strong as giant, little short fellow
as he is. He fogged the teacher last win
ter, and left him for dead. He's the worst
boy, take him all in all, I ever saw.
HAS he parents" 2"
''No; 4; his mother died when he was a
baby. and his father, a hard-working man,
hadn't any time to see him, and the child,
> [ expect, had pretty hard time of it,
with one old maid and another for house
keeper. Whenh he was five years old, his
father died, and since that he has been
tossed from pillar to post. He's naturally
a bright boy, and if his mother had lived,
he might have been somebody, for she was
just one of the most patient loving women
you ever saw in all your life-a Christian
woman, if there ever was one."
Poor boy!" Miss Merton spoke tender
ly. "What pity somebody don't adopt
him, take him into their home and heart. %
.That's just what I've told father many
time" said Mrs. Gray, looking up from
the bread she was kneading. ''Pve al
ways said, if some one would take him in,
and do by him as they would by their own
born child, it would be the salvation of him. y
Mother wanted I should take him this
spring. when he was out of place, but
told her it was too risky. If | hadn't any
children. I might, perhaps but to have
such a rough tearing, swearing, mischiev-
Gus boy here all the time with my three lit
tie girls, learning all sorts of badness to that
youngster there, and he pointed to two
year old boy, who sat on the floor, playing
with pussy-"I couldn't risk it no way
Yet I'm sorry for him. +"
That's what everybody says" eontin-
ued his wife. "They are all sorry for him,
but no one is wiling to try and reform him
and if it amt done soon, it will be too late,
for just as sure as he goes on in the way
he is now, III be in the penitentiary be-
fore he's twenty-one.
Il wish you had taken him in. Miss
Merton spoke earnestly.
'sYou won't think so a month hence,
said the Deacon ':just wait till you We seen
him cut up"
''But if l dc think so four weeks from
now, will you take him !? Say yes; please
do And she laid her hand confdingly
on his arm.
'Well, yes if after that time you think
you can do anything with him, why, II
try him spell But he's hard case
Miss Merton looked out of the window
again. The boy had climbed over the pa
ling, and was now starting up the tree
She went out quietly into the front yard
There was not many flowers in bloom yet
only few daffodils. bunch of fuer d
lis. and box of violets. She gathered s
few Of the latter, and sauntered leisurel,
down the gravelled walk, pausing now ant
then to look at the ANIMALS Just peepins
out of the moist ground By. and-by shs
rsached the cherry-tree, on whose loves
Dough the boy yet stood, for he had not ad
,anced foot since she came out, havin,
ben closely cycling her
"has are you trying tqsget, little boy 2
5Se spoke pleasantly, and lovely smil
Played about her lips.
A robins nest, ma am He was no Ii
ar with all his faults.
Oh wouldn't" Her voice had