Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-12-20

Gallowses' desk for the rest OF the att
ernoon. "rll thrash you within an
inch Of your lifer'
Why shouldn't hep Wasn't he three
times as big as the coward Gallowses,
and a hero Of the school into the bar
gainP
Two weeks passed, and the curb-bit
of tho Elm Tree School still held steady
and strong; but outside winter had
been marching merrily on, till it swept
suddenly down one Friday night and
locked up everything, Deacon Bayber-
ry's mill pond included, in prison walls
Of ice. And the next day, a Saturday,
with blue skies, air like wine, and the
ring of the skates on that pond starting
the deacon up to the liveliest pslam-
tune he knewi From Miss Pophmsts
kitchen window pair of eager brown
eyes had watched every boy Cf the
school scurrying past, and the jingle
of their skate-irons was like the trumpet
to a warehouses; ears; but what is a
war-horse without bride or spurs, and
-Gallowses had no skatesl And what
fun was there in going to look onp
Miss Judith grew little nervous at
last, watching the little figure with ell
bows on the table, and sborn head in
its hands, pouring over lesson for
next week.
"Why don't you follow the rest of
the boys, wherever they arep The
kitchens no place for a Saturday.
Miss Pophurst had turned the scale,
and once astir, the war-horse seemed to
have wings.
Halloi There's Gallowses! Come
on! Let's see what he can dor' was
the cry on the pond. Gallowses felt
his fnger-tips tingle; the skate-irons
rang circles, squares and pigeon-wings
Deacon Bayberry was setting up an
other pslam-tune down in the mill; and
oh-why couldn't he go on with the
restp
At last a sudden curvet brought a
small skater, glowing and breathless,
close to the bank where he stood.
"Hallo, Gallowses, why don't you
come onP Where are your skatesP"
81 haven't any, and then, could he?
should he? Yes he must! Couldn't
you lend me yours for five minutes or
SOP"
"Couldn't do itr' and with another
curve and shot, Bob Aylmer was out of
sight.
"Didn't you find the boysP" asked
Miss Pophurst, as the latch lifted slow
ly under Gallowses' hand. "Skating
on the pond, ehP There's been more
than one boy drowned there before to-
dayr'
Monday morning came again; but
the sport of Saturday seemed to have
ell 81 20, l,n 10
spirits thirsting for a fray. "Now,
boys" said the 'Squire's son, "it's
time to settle few things. Are we
Elm Tree boys going under, or are we
going ska ting again this afternoonP"
A shout of applause followed, and
Hal went on. The master always sat
absorbed in law-books through the in
termission, the keys could be turned on
the outside in flash, the heavy wooden
shutters pushed over the windows, and
there would be an afternoon for the ice.
and one for the master to learn lessons
in the dark! Hand-pledging began
again, but there was once more gnat
to the lion; the slack trousers stood mo-
tionless again! Sans eyes blazed, but
Hal slowly unrolled bundle and held
something glittering and dangling be-
fore Gallowses' face. With a great
bound Gallowses' heart leaped up, and
the brown eyes shone like stars. "For
n,e?' but Hal drew the prize away.
Hold on! Just give us your hand
you won't meddle with our lookup,
firstr'
Miss Judy's boy started back. Was
this quick, sharp-shooting pain what
people call disappointment? He hadn't
been used to expecting things, and he
had not known
"Don't Hal! Don't show them to
me! | can't promise! You know 1
can't"
"Look here, Gallowses, don't be a
fool! Didn't Sam let you have enough
the other timer"
The Elm Tree School sat that morn
ing with flashes and mutterings like a
suppressed volcano, and Miss Pophurst
swayed in her chair with short, crispy
little creaks. She had been thinking
about something ever since Saturday
afternoon, and at last she sprang sud-
denly up.
"What difference does it make to
Tom? Perhaps he'll be gladr' and
once more the attic boards creaked,
and when Miss Judith took her seat
again, she laid little bundle softly by
her side. The old clock ticked slowly
on, but the latch lifted at last, and Miss
Judith raised the bundle from the floor
"See if those skates will tit you; they
might as well be worn as to rust, sup
pose," she said.
That visit to the trunk haunted Miss
Pophurst after Gallowses was asleep,
and at last she stole silently into his
room, but before she reached the bed
side, she stood transixed. "Good
land! if the child amt hugging close to
Toms skates, yet! And that other
things under his cheek again, and / do
believe he's been crying! Why, what
ails the boyP And the SHOWS coming
down now at rate that'll put that
mill-pond out of sight for one whiler'
And so it did, and the life went out
of skates and the lookup plan, to-
gether; the heroic spirits dropped, and
quiet settled in upon the school-room
for the next two weeks. The holidays
were coming so near that perhaps
it was as we'll to let them come
peacefully, after all. Thanksgiving
day astonished every one with an un-
precedented thaw, and rain that turned
the snow-covered pond into an oozy,
surface, black as ink; and though Miss
Pophurst had a chicken and little ball
of plum-pudding for dinner, there was
no getting out, and still less of the
merry-making and gay company Gal
lowses had heard all the boys promise
themselves; and he hid away in the bed
at last, thankful that the day was done;
how should he ever live through a
whole week like that when Christmas
camep
But before Christmas came the world
seemed to be in altogether different