Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-02-25
well. Kimball. 7 think it's worth

J
and tell her If you don't bring it, l
shall have to send you home for it.
Good night, Kimball and remember
what l say"
"Yes'm."
"What did she do to you this
time?" asked Joe Fuller, who had
been waiting outside.
80, go long, now; she didn't do
anything to me-" replied Kim, sheep
ishly. "Come let's run down to the
pond and catch bloodsuckers."
Next morning, about school time,
Kim stole along into the shed kitch-
en, and hung about the cheese tub,
where his mother was chtting curd.
"Why don't you start for school?
You'll be late, my son."
"The mistress whipped me yester-
day." muttered Kim, helping himself
to a lump of curd.
'Did she? Well, I've no doubt
you deserved it. There, run along,
and see if you can't be a better boy
to-day"
''But mother"
"Well, wbat?"
"Well, you see, the mistress"
"Well, speak it out, sonny. Pm in
a hurry"
"Why, you see, mother, the mis-
tress wants twenty-five cents for
whipping me-"
"Twenty-five cents"'
"She says it lamed her arm," said
Kim, hanging his head. "She says
she can't do it for nothing, and if |
don't bring it she'll have to send me
home"
Mrs. Price looked down at the
curly-haired culprit with twinkle of
fun in her eyes-she had black eyes
very much like Kim's.
"Wcll, sonny, go get my purse out
of the end cupboard. If | am poor
it shan't be said that don't do all |
can for my chiIdren's education"
Kim brought the purse-a red
worsted one, with steel rings.
eyes, here is silver quarter, with
the pillars on it. We are out of GIN
gerbrcad, and I was going to spend
it for molasses, but never mind, do
not blame Miss Pentecost. I know
it was hard work to whip you, and
she deserves the money"
"Thank you, Kimball," said Miss
Pentecost, in low voice, when she
received the bright new quarter
'Didn't your mother think | deserved
it?"
"Yes'm," replied the boy, his chin
sinking into the hollow place in his
neck.
81 thought she would. Well, now
my dear, l shall carry this quarter
home, and keep it; and the next time
I whip you, you must bring me an
other. Do you understand"
Kim scowled down at his little
bare toes, and tried to stick them in
to Il crack in the floor. Why, this
was getting serious. Would the wo-
man keep on crying quarters" for
ever? 1t was perfectly ruinous.-
His mother had all she could do to
support the family before; but what
would become of them now?
"You may take your seat" added
Miss Pentecost, still in low voice,
so that no one could hear, but with 9
smile that exasperated poor Kim. 'It
is dreadful that you will be naughty;
but then, you see, the more l whip
you the more money | shall get; and
perhaps before the summer is ont, |
shall have enough to buy me new
dress"
"No, you DON'T" thought Kim, as
he shut his teeth together "Catch
me letting my mother buy a new
dress for you! Why, we've even
got to 90 without gingerbread to-
day. You don't get another chance
to whip me for one while, ma'am-
now you see!'
To avoid a whipping it was neces-
sary to study, for Kim was a boy that
must be busy at something. He saw
Bob Whiting go asleep, and longed
to drop a tame cherry into his mouth.
He saw Joe Fuller sauntering down
the aisle, looking straight before him,
and it was the "cutest chance" to
trip him up; but Kim resisted all of
these allurements, and fifty more, and
got his geography lesson so well that
Miss Pentecost patted him on the
head and said, "that's my good boy"
which would have been delightful if
he could have forgotten that ginger
bread!
Next day he tried studying again,
and rose to the head of his spelling
class.
"Why, l haven't had a whipping
since Tuesday," thought he, Saturday
noon, as he ran home with the silver
medal on his neck.
After that he seemed somehow to
fall INTO the habit of studying
Study is habit, let me tell you, just
as much as playing, though suppose
it IS rather harder to acquire.
The little fellows will was aroused,
and that was precisely what he need
ed. In short, Kim had his last whip
ping from Miss Pentecost OF anybody
else, and instead of being her most
troublesome boy, he became the best
scholar in school.
81 shan't be able to buy that dress,
after ALL" said she, the night before
she LETT Shoodac; "but, Kim, dear, |
know you are glad"
"Yes'm," replied Kim, meeting her
with a smile.
"And I'll keep the quarter to re-
member you by. Your mother says
she wishes me to-"
"Yes'm."
Kimball Price is now one of the
wealthiest and most respected men
in his native State.
"And that man." said Squire Hath
away, the other day, in his Fourth of
July Grafton, twas educated over
here at Shoodac, boys, in that little
black school house, that is SO poor
and miserable that when it took fire
a few years ago it wouldn't burn
down."
Mr.. Kimball Price returned from
Europe last May with his wife, and /
heard Mrs. Hathaway say-she was