Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-02-17
A LESSON IN FRACTIONS.

Ter, Overwhelming DloW HUI Deeu
so comfortable and happy since the
schoolmaster had boarded with me. The
big front chamber had been SO grim and
ghostly, always shut up and empty. 1t
was our spare room when poor dear
Charley was alive; but now that was a
widow and poor, it was a needless luxury
to keep guest chamber. None of our
old friends cared to visit me now: Just
when needed them most, when 1 was
lonely and sad and miserable, they re-
fused to come. But when Mr.. Slade
took the room. didn't grieve about the
loss of friends. 1t seemed odd to have
money for the guest-chamber, but the
way that was situated reconciled me to
the thought very speedily indeed.
Then when my boy Charley got into
that scrape at school, should just have
died if it had been anybody but Mr..
Slade.
Madam, said he, "your boy is mis-
chievous-very mischievous.
Yes, sir, I said, meekly.
"And to extend rope in such
manner that the unconscious heels of
his teacher shall be tripped up thereby;
to fill the hat Of his instructor with
stones; to put WAX upon the bench, so
that the tails of his coat may adhere to
this sticky substance, and thus come to
grief-all these things are very repre-
hensible, madam, and merit n condign
punishment.
eyes, sir, l replied, and wiped away
my regretful tears. I knew what was
coming Either Charley would be ex-
PEELED from the school or dreadfully
beaten 10y this injured man. 1t was bet
ter to have him beaten than expelled,
but either was horrible.
"Please don't expel him, Mr.. SIade,"
l said. "He must be punished, of
course; but please don't beat him very
hard"
81 shall not beat him at all, )" he said.
"Don't sxpel him." entreated
"Nor expel him." he replied. elf
you'll leave the boy to me, there will be
no further trouble. He has n good
heart and an open, generous, manly ma
ture. I'll appeal to these, madam, if
you'll allow me. I think we can get .
along with Charley if we take the right .
way"
ooh, Mr.. Slade," said, chow noble
you are! how generous how magnani-
nous 1 think Heaven was good to
send me such IA boarder."
He grew little red under my praise,
and, as it Was school time, bowed him
self out; but really he looked like an
to me as he walked dowr. the
street. OF course the simile was ab-
surd. He was tall and lean and ungain-
ly; the tails of his long coat did not flap
rs gracefully as many another cont close
by. Charley said he was knock -kneed;
perhaps he was; I don't know what the
term means He might have been
but to me that day he was
III that was desirable in man.
The way he managed Charley after
hat was miraculous; there is no other
word for it. The boy was as wild and
as young colt when Mr..
5ade took hold of him, and shortly
he was the most tractabe and !
'rderly of mortals. I could see, though,
he time and trouble it cost to work such {
wonders with him. In the spring they !
vent fishing together, and Mr.. Slade !
aught Charley how to manage his hook
nd line, and wheedle the poor little fish '
o his bait. In midsummer they got up s
collection of beetles and bugs and
and all sorts of things. 1t !
'as terrible to the poor insects, L sup ! !
ose; but, oh, dear Heaven what rest !
nd comfort it was to me to have Charley n
mused and kept out of trouble. &
I began to rest upon Mr.. Slade, to con- $
de in him, to ask his advice, and in !!
ariably take it, upon all occasions, to q
take advantage of his knack v y
/ repairing things about the house, and b
utting in order troublesome domestic Ii
tensils. He always put up the shades =,
| house cleaning time, and hung the u y
ictures; and what 1 should have done Z
ithout him that time the machine got Il
1T of order, Heaven only knows. "
I'd dress to finish for Mrs. Chapel, Al
I'd was working away, when all at once y
e machine began to squeak dreadfully. .,
was rasping noise, fit to raise the /,
,ir on ones head, and mine had ached n
all the morning. I oiled and I
ssed at it, but all to no purpose; it III
ueaked more and more. And, to crown SC
|, the nice pumpkin pie I had made for 81 .
r. SHADES luncheon was burned to h,
lisp. I smelled it, and rushed to the
ove, but too late. twas nasty black in
in, and just sat down and cried over u
1t seemed to me so sad and terrible, II
wanted TO lie down and die, when in :.