The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1873-04-17

day SO I went to him and told him
| felt I deserved a very bad record on
I account OF that Algebra affair. Here
piled
1T would have made you q bad rec
/ orc, Hunter, If you had allowed me
( te give YOU the credit that morning,
/ but I could readily forgive q fault so
. quickly and voluntarily renOunced,
even at the worst
What is at the worst y asked I.
IF you laid up that answer in mem
ory, for the purpose of placing IN after
your uncompleted work.
1T was not SO bad as that. did
not premeditate deceit. 1 reached the
answer, mentally, by short cut, bat !
knew we were not allowed TO cross
lots in that way
Il am glad you mentioned this mat
ter to me- said Mr. Eldridge. L can
trust you better in the future 1 could
never be tempted to do such a thing
again, mother"
''You may be tempted, my son, but
you have gained new power to re-
sist."
The monthly reports which followed
were equally good. Hal studied faith
fully, and was very careful of his con-
duct. He has clear conscience in
looking over his record, and is now
upon the last month.
keep a sharp lookout, Hail." said
Uncle Hamilton, who was making his
sister a flying visit. "The watch is
yours if one more report is all right,
but not if it falls fraction below the
standard. See here, if you win you
shall have my watch and chain and /
will get a new one. This cost me
three hundred gold dollars in Europe,
q year ago, and has not varied three
seconds a week since 1 have carried it.
There is no fail to the watch so must
there be no fail in you"
at is a great temptation to a boy"
said Halls mother to her brother when
they were alone.
Temptation to what E"
''To keep up his rank this month,
by right means or wTOng.n
"Just as if your Hal could ever wear
a watch won by foul means Don't
do him such injustice"
But the mother was anxious, and
daily, by some quiet word or act, re-
!
are worth more than gold watches.
It is the day for Halls division to
hand I'm compositions. Mr.. Eldridge
having been tried beyond endurance
by the delinquency of the pupils, has
laid down some very stringent rules
respecting the themes being presented
at the set time. Some have deceived
him by stating that they were acci-
dentally left when they were not
written; and some who had truly only
neglected to bring them, being fully
excused, were by that clemency incl
ted to remember them, so he had
made the rule that every one whose
composition, for any cause, was not
brought Wednesday morning should
receive a check in department and
stop One-half hour afterschool to
write up a new subject, given out at
that time.
Judge of Halls dismay when, in
school, he discovered that he had left
his theme at home, carefully placed
in a book which he supposed he had
brought.
Poor Hal it was hard indeed; so
near the accomplishment of his OBJ
ject, and for no fault. "Better that
than for some fault" whispered Con-
science, Hal tried to think so; but
there was a checking in his throat
and he made poor sense of the Latin
/ he was trying to cOnstrue.
"YOu look as if a walk wouldn't
/ hurt YOU" said Mr.. Eldridge, walk
ing up to Halls desk and speaking in
an undertOne. "Will you oblige me
by filling this order at the stationer's?
The pens are out and suppose there
will be writing after school. Perhaps
| it is best to know.n Then he said
aloud to the school: "Any of the first
division who have not their cOmpO
sltions will please rise" Several rose!
Hal was already standing, having
risen when Mr.. Eldridge first spoke
to him. He felt that he should say
his also was deficient, but the words
did not come. He struggled with
temptation. Mr.. EIdridge would send
him past his own door to the station
er's when he came back he could
bring his composition
ayes, Hal, they will be needed"
continued Mr.. Eldridge, in the quiet
undertone. The order includes come
other articles besides the pens. Don't
hasten; you are studying too hard, and
if your lesson suffers l will excuse
you"
Hal went out and down the street
pale with inward conflict. When he
reached his own door he went in and
put the theme in his pocket. Then
he executed his commission and re-
turned promptly.
''Those whose themes are wanting
will remain,n said Mr.. Eldridge on
dismissing the school, "the rest will
pass theirs in as they leave the roOm."
Hal had only to pass his up in silence
as he went out. He started with it,
| hesitated, returned to his seat and re-
manned with the delinquents.
"Was your theme wanting, Hun
ter?"
'Yes, sir"
"Why?n
''I forgot it this mOrning.n
'Is it eompleted?"
ayes, sir. 1t was composed and
copied on Saturday" Hal rose and
passed it up.
"You procured it when you were
out this morning."
"Yes, sir"
"Another temptation manfully re-
sisted" said Mr.. Eldridge approving
ly, in a low tone, rs he took the pa
per from Hal, who was not q little
comforted as he returned to his seat.
81 hope" said Mr.. Eldridge, leach
will do his best with the subject 1
now give: The War" 1 suppose you
will not need to be told 1 mean our
last war. Now dash into the sub
ject, remembering that half an hour
/ is short"
'I have lost the watch, mother"
said Hal, cheerfully, when he reach
ed home; and told her how.
"You have gained a victory gold
could never buy. L am happy in you,
| Hal!D
'That is more to me than watches,
mother"
Now while Hal was at the station
er's he could not hear Mr.. Eldridge
say to the school:
'It is my desire that those who
write after school learn that they can
compose when they really set about
| it; and as an inducement to you to do
| vour host 7 will saw that the theme