Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-09-20
THE FALL TERN.
Getting Ready for the Opening of School
Again,
Detroit Free Press.

Detroit Free Press.
The cause of education be hanged"
he muttered, as he sat down on the curb
stone on Shelby street yesterday.
He was a lad of thirteen. He spit
through his front teeth and he spit often.
His pants were supported by a piece of
wire clothes line girted around the waist,
his hat was ancient and greasy, and his
flat feet seemed to be waiting for a thulll-
der shower to wash them clean
THAT'S what ais mer' he went on as
he pushed his toes into the wet sand. 4
don't believe in fellow diggin in and
learning all there Is to learn, and not
letting other folks have chance.
There's lots of other folks in the world
besides me, and | amt going to be hog
and learn all there is to learn.
After q minute he went on:
Don't [ know huff now? Three
times two are six, four times five are
twenty, and four and four are eight.
That's as correct as | could get EN- if ]
went to school hundred years. And
don't [ know how tospell Cat is cat ,
the world over, and I'll let on it every
time. Hen spells hen,' and / know
it as well as if [ weighed tom
He rose up to throw q stone at dog
across the street, and after resuming his
seat he went on:
Jogerfy kinder Wrastles me down,
but [ don't go much on iogerfy. What
rounded bywater, or whether there amt
any water within ten miles of it? S'pOse
I'm going to sell islands for living? |
don't care which is the highest noun
tain or the longest river, do [? I'm
goin' to keep a feed store, and when I'm
rOllin' 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 q Teller wants a
bag o oats, is he going to wait and ask
me when the Island of Madagascar was
| discovered 2"
He carefully examined the big toe Of
his left foot and the heel of his 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. L could sit here
and study all day, but the minute I get
into a schoolhouse I'm nervous. Some
thing is going to happen to me this
week I'll be taken home in a wheel
barrow with a big cash in this heel or
this toe almost cut off, That will mean
four weeks on a crutch, and they don't
allow lame boys to go to school and
crutch up and down the aisles. Or,
'sposin' [ 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 camphor bottle
down, currant jell and spoke 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 looks
stout and healthy, but he's mere
shadder. The close atmosphere Of the
room will kill him before snow flies"
The boy rose up. There was a grin
all over his face, and he chuckled:
Palpitation is the key note! A
sore toe can be seen-a palpitation
heart is hidden away under hide and
fat and ribs. Now then-oosh, woosh,
u-m-m-m-hold yer breath, roll yer
eyes, kick out yer left leg and make
her bob around like fly on a hot stove
| cover"