The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-03-31
A LESSON IN FRACTIONS.

III was such n blow TO mc-stlch q bit
ter, overwhelming blow. had beel
so comfortable and happy since tn
schoolmaster had boarded with me. TIL
big front chamber had been so grin
and ghostly, always shut up and empty
II was our spare room when poor dea
Charley was alive; but now that | wa
q widow and poor, il was needles
luxury to keep guest chamber. Nom
of our old friends cared to visit me now
just when needed them most, when
was lonely and sad and miserable, the,
refused to come. But when Mr.. Slad,
took the room, l didn't grieve about tn,
loss of friends. II seemed odd to hav,
money for the guest chamber, but ih,
way ! was situated rcconciled me {,
the thought very speedily.
Then when my boy Charley goi int,
that scrape at school, | should have die,
| if 1t had been anybody but Mr.. Slade.
"Madam," said he, "your boy is mis-
chievous-very mischievous."
eyes, sir" I said meekly.
"And TO extend rope in such man
ner that the unconscious heels of hi
teacher shall be tripped up thereby; I,
fill the hat Of his instructor with stones
to put wax upon the bench, so that the
tails of his coat may adhere to thii
sticky substance, and thus come to grie
all these things are very reprehensi
Bile, madam, and merit condgn punish
ment."
eyes, sir" replied and wiped ava,
my regretful tears. knew what was
coming. Either Charley would be ex.
PEELED from school or drcadiully heater
by this injured man. II was better tC
have him beaten than expelled, hut ci
ther was horrible.
''Pleasc don't expel him, Mr. Sladc.
] said, "IIc must be punished, ofcourse
but please don't beat him very hard"
II shall not beat him al ALL" he said
Don't eXpel him." rnlrealcd.
Nor expel him." he replied. III
you'll leave the boy TO me. there will be
no further trouble. He has a good heart
and an open, generous, manly nature
III appeal to these, madam, if yon'll al
low ne. | think we can get along with
Charley if we take the right way"
ooh, Mr.. Slade, I said, chow noble
you are. how generous! how magnan-
imOus. think Heaven was good to
send Inc such ia boarder."
He grew little red under my praise
and as il was school-time, bowed him
self out; but really he looked like
an archangel 10 me as he walked down
the street. OF course the similc was
absurd. lie was tall and lean and un-
calmly; the tails on his long coat did not
flap as gracefully as many another coat
close by. Charley said he was knock
kneed; perhaps he was; | don't know
what the term means. lie might have
been knock-kneed, but to me that day
he was all that was desirable in man.
The way he managed Charley after
that was miraculous; there is no other
word for it. The boy was as wild and
as nntamable as young colt when Mr..
Slade took hold Of him, and shortly af-
terward he was the most tractable and
orderly of mortals. | could sec, though,
the time and trouble ii cost to work such
wonders with him. Tn the spring they
went fishing together, and Mr.. Slade
taught Charley how to manage his hook
and line and wheedle the poor little fish
TO his bait. In midsummer they got up
Iernlrs anu aiI sorts or tninSs. ''n il WIS Was
terrible TO the poor insects, / suppose
but, oh, dear Heaven! what resi- and
cOmiurt ii was TO me TO have Charley
amused and kept out oftr0uble.
began to rest upon Mr.. Sladc, to
confide in him, TO ask his advice, and
invariably taking ii on all occasions, to
gratefully take advantage of his knack
In repairing things about the house,
and putting in order troublesome do
mesiic utensils. He ALWAYS put up tina
shakes in house-cleaning time, and hung
the pictures; and what should have
done without him that time the machine
got out of order, Heaven only knows. I
had dress TO finish for Mrs. Chappel,
and was working away when all at
once the machine began to squeak
dreadfully. II was rasping noise, fit
to raise the hair on ones head, and mine
had ached dreadfully all the morning
/ oiled and fused 1t, but all to no pur-
pose; 1t squeaked more and more. And,
to crown all, the nice pumpkin pie
had made for Mr.. SHADES luncheon was
burned to q crisp. / smellcd 1t, and
rushed 10 the stove, but too late. II
was nasty black ruin, and / Just sat
down and cried over it. 1t seemed TO
me 80 sad and terrible, wanted to lie
down and die, when in walked Mr..
Slade to his luncheon.
OTIS no use coming in," said. II
don't know how YOU can stand board
ing here any way; I'm such q miserable
housekeeper. 1t would be so much bet
ter if Charlie and l were qcad!"
"What has happenedT said Mr..
Slade; and l was ashamed when | saw
look of alarm in his face.
at is very sad," said, ''to burn The
crust Of nice pie all TO crisp"
"Do you think SOP" said Mr.. Slade.
Now for me II ia o most excellent mis-
chance. OF all things In the world, |
revere the burned crust of pie. have
hesitated TO declare this prediction,
because | know II Is remarkable one,
and not at all likely TO be shared by the
majority of people; but fortune has
favored me to-day. Mrs. Sweet. let us
have the pie by all means"
And he actually lited the horrid black
thing TO the table, and ate it-yes, he
did; he ate (which was the most
perfect and graceful piece eofnariyrlom
| ever saw in a man. And ihcn got
courage to tell him how | burned il.
That Mrs. Chapel must have that dress.
and the machine had begun to squeak
in the most terrible way; that oiled II.
and fused with ii, all to no purpose,
and how was TO finish that dress OF
Mrs. Chappel's with that dreadful noise
distracting my poor brain, didn't
know.
"Well look at H." he said, in that
resting, comforting, soul-cheering way
Of his; and as 1 followed him into
the sitling-room, | knew in my heart
he would exercise that squeaking demon
from the machine. And he did.
OTIS the ball." he said; ''it becomes
smooth from friction, and il voull
bring me little fonr or meal, Mrs.
Swcet-stay! here is piece of chalk
which is better than all !" and with that
little white lump that he took from his
waistcoat pocket, he made the machine
perfect in ilve-in two minutes.
Now how could help watching him
nom the door again, as ne walked away
10 school; and let his coat tails flap as
they may, or he be knock-kneed to eter.
nifty, how could help sending aiter
Al. t. 4