Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-10-31
GOIng 10 school.

pronC' af
Going to school.
Detroit Free Press.l
1.-THE cause of education be
hanged" he muttered, as he sat
down on the curbstone on Shelby
street.
He was lad Of thirteen. His
pants were supported by a piece Of
wire clothesline girted around his
waist, his hat was ancient and
greasy, and his big flat feet seemed
to be waiting for a thunder shower
to wash them clean.
"That's what ailS me !" he went
on, as he pushed his toes into the
wet sand. S"l don't believe in a
feller diffing in and learning all
there is to learn, and not letting
other folks have a chance. There's
lots Of other folks in this world be-
sides me, and | amt going to be a
hog, and try to learn all there is to
learn"
After a minute he went on:
"Don't | know 'nuff now? Three
times two are six, four times five
are twenty, and four and four are
eight. That's as correct as | could
get 'cm if | went to school for a
hundred years. And don't l know
how to spell? Cat Is 'cat the
world over, and III bet on it every
time, Hen spells 'hen,' and |
know it as well as if | weighed a
ton"
He rose up to throw stone at a
dog across the street, and after
resuming his seat he went on:
Jogerfy kinder wrestles me
down, but don't go much on
jogerfy. What do l care whether
an island is entirely surrounded by
water, or whether there amt any
water within ten miles of it? S'pose
I'm going to buy and sell islands
for living? | don't care which is
the highest mountain or the longest
river do I? Pm going to keep a
feed store, and when I'm rolling
bales o hay around will care
about mountains and rivers? I've
heard the boys go on about exports
and imports, and straits, and seas
and capes, but what's them to me
If feller wants bag O. oats, is he
going to wait and ask me when the
Island of Madagascar was discoy-
cred 2" %
He carefully examined the big toe
of his left foot and the heel of hi;
right foot, and gloomily observed
"The old folks are making ready
to push me into school, and I've
got to make ready to keep out. ]
can't take to school, somehow.
could sit here and study all day, but
the minute | get into a school-house
I'm nervous. Something's going tc
happen to me this week. I'll be
taken home in a wheelbarrow with
a big cash in this heel, or this toe
almost cut of. That will mean foul
weeks on cruteh, and they don't
allow lame boys to go to school and
crutch up and down the aisles. Or
spoSin' l go home with palpatation
of the heart? The old lady has
had it, and | won't more than get
into the house before she'll have me
tucked up on the lounge, the cam
phor bottle down, current Jelly and
sponge cake in the distance, and
she'll call out to the old gent;
Father, it's no use Of thinking
of sending this boy to school. He
locks stout and healthy, but he's d
mere shadder. The close atmos.
phere of the school-room will kill
him before the snow flies"
The boy looked up, There was a
grin all over his lace, and he
chuckled: tto
"Palpitation is the key motel A
sore toe can be seen-a palpitating
heart is hidden away under hide
and fat and ribs. Now then-oosh
l. woosh, u-m-m-m - hold yeI
breath, roll yer eyes, kick out yer
left leg and make her bob around
like a fly on a hot stove cover"