The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-01-06


4 South Hill schoolmaam, the other day,
while working an example On the board, de-
tccted an urchin directly behind her in the
unlawful act of devouring an apple. She
aid to him, Tim, what are you doing"'
No him." said Tim, with his mouth so full
that his cheeks stuck out on either side of his
head like aldermens stomachs. "Yes, you
are" paradoxically insisted the teacher
"what have you in your hand?' "'Napple,"
said Tim, with some surprise, as he looked at
the fragment of the apple in his hand and
wondered who had bit il while he was study
ing. what has become of the rest of il p
" Dunno" said Tim, looking around IN an
amazed effort to discover who had the rest of
it. Somebody's been eatln' it, "IIave
you any mOre?" demanded the teacher.
i" Yes'm," SAID Tim, dolefully; gotnother."
Where is :" relentleSsly pursued the teach.
err an my DESK" sighed Tim, as he began
to suspect that the teacher was going to de.
mand it of him. "Well, take it out and 90
stand on the platform and eat it, Eat 'em
both ?" quered Tim. :" Yes. eat them both"
" Eat all got?' demanded Tim, in a subdued
tone of countenance. Yes, eat all you have,''
Iimpatlently responded the teacher, and turn.
ing to the board she continued, And don't
you leave that platform while you have an
apple left uneaten." Silence reigned in the
school-room. The paper pellet pursued its
tranquil transit unObserved. The busy hum
of the studious made more noise than the
cautious smile or the indolent. Tin stood at
his post, Munch MUNICH, MUNICH. The frag-
ment in his hand soon disappeared, end he
fell upon the other apple silently, but deter
minedly. Quickly ii followed the first. Then
he put his right hand into his pants pocket
and took out an apple, and, after cautious
|reconnollre, during which he wiped il on his
trousers, he began the attack. He carried
the fort. Down went that hand again, :and
another apple was brought to light 1t was
quickly dispatched. A third followed. Then
he changed his position and, resting the
weight of his body on his left leg, sighed as
he drew from his lett breeches pocket anoth-
|er apple. When 1t was gone he drew on the
commissary tor another, aud by the time he
produced the eighth apple he was silently be
ing observed by two-thirds of the boys IN the
room. The teacher turned ana saw the boy
still standing in the attitude Of one who was
reaching for something in his coat pocket.
Aren't you through yet?' she querled, in
some establishment. Got mother" stoically
responded Tim, producing it and falling to
work on it. In surprise the teacher saw him
reach for still another, and when that was
gone surprise grew TO amazement as his un.
wavering hand again sought the gaping
mouth of that pocket. AS the boy ate he grew
IN dimensions, and the teacher became alarm
ed. There seemed to be no end to the apples
that he had in his clothes. Tim for mercy's
sake, have you any more applesy' Got
MOTHER" said Tim, indltferently. How
many more apples have you?' Dunno" said
Tim; guess got two or three more" The
teacher did not dare TO let him proceed, and
appointed herself an investigating committee
to look after the back counties. The boy
never changed muscle of his countenance
nor moved an inch while that teacher pulled
apple after apple from his coat ana stacked
them up upon the desk, until there Was some.
thing less than Il peck piled up, with Dade
County TO hear from. The school.room was
scene Of nlarity which wasn't so much sub
dued as il had been. Tim had laid in apples
for the winter, and the pocket of his coat hav.
ing no bottom, the coat was thus an immense
bag, which would hold as many apples as he
could carry The matter hasn't been laid bt-
fore the School Board yet but the exhausted
school maam declares that the next time she
will learn how much of a crop Of apples Il
boy has about him before she Issues any or
s-BurlingtOn HaTk.Eye.