Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-10-13
By FANNY FERN.

SEMnI LAW1ONs
By FANNY FIRM.
"HURRA! School is out |" screamed ali
the boys, and up went their caps In
the air, as they all commenced trying
the strength of their limbs and trowsers,
some by climbing up trees, some over
fences, some by leap frog, some by bat
and ball; and thus they ali separated. and
went their different ways home, and Jem-
my Lawton went his, too. II was not
with 30 light step as mis- school fellows |;
and when the last boy was out OF sight,
he drew deep sigh, and crowding his hat
down over his eyes, and looking carefully
about him in every direction, as If to re-
assure himself that not one boy lin
gered TO keep him company, moved on.
He was an honest boy; he had no thought
OF stealing anything on the way-it was
not that he was afraid of "the MASTER"
for he was always at the head OF his clase,
and seemed more anxious to understand
his lessons than any boy In school He
was not afraid any big boy would thrash
him, nor was nc lying in wait for any
smaller boy to thrash. No, Jenny was
no such coward. On he moved, with
leadeD feet, past the old, fam liar spots !;
past the grocer's, with his peanuts and
oranges, and cocoanuts, and nicely potted
flowers, that he hoped would attract the
housewives who came there to buy his
sugar and tea; past the bakers, with his
tempting pies and tarts, and piles OF
sugared cakes, and heaps Of candy; past
the toy shop, and the timers, and the
shoe store he had read all their signs
ttlf ,hnxv f.x.it,.r IN EttSs 10
own name, and now he bad turned the
last corner Of the street In which was his
own house. Now II was that the child
turned pale, and set his white teeth to-
gether, and drew his breath hard. His
mouse was very pretty one, with nice
little garden spot In front, In which were
fragrant flowers, for his mother was very
fond OF them--almost as fond as she was
OF Jenny.
He had kind mother, them Yes;
but do you sec that crowd OF boys, like
little black swarm, round the pretty white
gate before his houset You cannot see
what they are looking at 30 earnestly in
side the fence, but you can hear their
shouts and laughter, and 30, alasi does
Jenny. His face is not white now lit IL
as red az the daisies in his mothers gar.
den, and his eyes fash like the raindrops
on the daisies bosoms. that the bright
sun 10 now shining upon. Alasl when
will there be sunshine in Jemmy's house
"Ah, there's Jim now," said q rude boy,
loud enough for Jenny to hear. "Here's
your drunken father, jim"
"Stand away go homel OF with you
all r. shouted Jenny, in harsh, fierce
voice, that contrasted strangely with his
slight figure and sweet, infantile face /;
"otf with your and he walked into the
centre of the group, where, crouched
upon the ground, was man, vainly try.
ing, on his hands and knces-for he could
not stand-to reach the door to get In |;
his nice broadcloth coat was covered with
dirt; his hat WIS crushed in; bits OF
straw and grass were sticking In his thick,
black hair; his eyes were red, and he did
not even see his own little boy, who WAS
crimson with shame ag he stood over him,
and vainly tried TO help him 10 his feet.
"Of with you I" shouted Jenny again 70
the boys, who laughed AZ his father fell
against him, almost knocking him over ;
"of with you, sayr' bringing his little
foot to the ground with = stamp that
made them ell start; then, rushing up to
the door, he rang the bell violently, and
turned his head away, to conceal the
tears that would no longer be kept back.
A woman came to the door--it was Jem-
my's mother, and together they helped in
the drunken husband and father.
No wonder Jenny dreaded going homo
from SCHOOL, II was not tho first time,
nor the second, nor the third, that he had
helped his father in at the area door when
he was too drunk TO find his way up tho
front steps to his own house; and some.
times Jenny, only that he thought Of his
mother, would have wished himself dead.
1t was 30 terrible-the brutal laugh and
jests Of those cruel boys. Obi / hope
known children who tainted their play
when they were angry with them, or
sometimes, 40 In this case, for mere sport.
II Ia sign OF q base, mean, cruel nature,
and the Doy or girl who would remind
any child Of their acquaintance OF . dis.
agreeable thing Of this kind, which e
hard enough TO hear ct best, and twit and
taunt them with II, OF pain them By motto
ing 1t in any way, - boy OF girl TO BE-
summed and avoided. Nero, the tyrant,
who roasted people for his amusement,
must have been such boy. am sorry
TO esy have known little girls equally
malicious and wioked-bad women they
win surely grow up, Y not broken Of such
mean cruelty before they are women.
A drunkaId h dfunkAfd al the same,
whether he gets drunk on bad rum or
whether be takes his senses
away Is the club house, Of low, corner
grocsry-hs comes g The. gutter Just =