The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-11-25
JACK.

JACK.
al never knew Jack myself. He was
grown up, and great big man long be-
fore / was born; and I'm only ten now.
But give you the story just as grand
mother told it to me; and then YOU can
see for yourselves if Jack wasn't just -
gGg!
"GrandmOtherlived then. She didn't
live where she does now, in big brown
house that stuck out on the rocks on
the edge of a town called BellepOrt. |
wish she did live there now. Wouldn't
/ have fun going fishing, and catching
crabs; and sailing all around the islands!
And | never come home to dinner
no, not oncel And I'd build hut
down on the beach where the sea
dashes in, just like all the other fisher
men. Oh, dearl But l began to tell
about Jack, so | must hurry
Well-be was in Belleport. That's
where grandmother first knew him.
And he didn't have fun at all--not bit
of it. He was in a hateful, dreadful
old school, where he had been ever
since he had been little bit of boy.
And the master just pinned him down
to work, work, all the time. And when
he wasn't studying, he was always
carrying pals of water, and setting
tables, and blacking the other boys
boots, and the masters. I'd burnt
'em first, would! Grandmother knew
what he did, cause Mrs. HigginsOn.
that's the masters wife. used to tell
about it, and to laugh, and say that was
all Jack was good for. The ideal
When-well, l won't tell till / get
through my story. and then you can
see if you don't think Jack was worth
all the rest of the folks in that old house
put to ether!
Jack was hungry often, grandmoth-
er said, cause she found him down on
the rocks one day, when he thought
there warn't nobody round; and he
kept wiping his eyes on his jacket
sleeve pretty fast. And she got it out
of him what the matter was. And then
/ tell YOU, she took him home with her,
and stuffed him good Don't wish L d
been there to see him eat! At any rate,
he had one square meal Grandmother
says | mustn't say that, 'tisn't nice. |
don't see why-weli, anyway, he went
home feeling good. And after that,
grandmother d always watch when he
went by on errands, and give him cook
les, and apnles and doughnuts, and
Jack would always say she was the best
friend he'd got! and how he wanted to
do something for her, and all that
And grandmother d laugh and tell him
to run along, he worGed enough at
home. If he'd only grow rosy and fat,
that's all she ask.
Well, he didn't grow fat and rosy;
no. not with all grandmother stuffing;
but he just got thinner and thinner
every day, till the boys called him Old
Single for a new name. He had lots
of other names before. | can't begin
to tell 'em all; but grandmother says
she used to hear them shouting 'em out
all the time. And he couldn't hurl
them back, and give it to them, cause
then the master had an excuse to turn
him out of the class-roOms; and he was
dreadful fond of study, Jack wasl
Oh, almost crazy over it. I don't
see how he could be, but he wasi
And he'd get up just as soon as he
could see wink every morning, and
dig away like everything. And he was
always at the head of every class, ex-
cent when he had to stay out to be
whipped fol- something or other; or to
90 of an errand. And that made the
other boys angry. So then they'd
"shoo'' him round, and complain of
him. And then he'd get more boots to
black, and more pals to carry, and SO
on; till it got worse and worse.
''Well, the boy that was the hate
fullest to him of the whole lot, was the
masters son. And he was bad to his
father and mother, too. And then he'd
beg Jack not to tell of him when he
saw him filching things, and getting at
the jam pot and everything else, and
they always called him ''Herbie, love-"
that's what grandmother says-his IA
Their and mother did. But he wasn't
"Herbie, love" to the other boys. They
just hated him; he was so mean and
sly; but they'd go shares with him in
plaguing Jack though, and trYingt to find
out ways to spite him.
One day. grandmother says, she
heard Mr.. Higgirson telling the boys
they could have a. half holiday "AllI
but Jack" he said. He wanted him to
go down to the Point, to buy some fish.
Snch a hurrahing and tossing up Of
caps, grandmother said, rs followed
then She was in Mrs. Higginsons
parlor and heardl the whole. And pref
ty soon she started home to be there
ready to hand out the cookies, when
Jack went. by with his basket fSE the
fish.
DIRTY old ish-boYr sang the. mas
ter's bow. sitting on the highest post
out by the. gate, seeing Jacks face
when tie. master said ''half holiday"
81 tell you, Jack, amt glad you won't
be along with us! We are. going to
have fun I'm going after gulls' eggs
that's what I'll do with ply half,
Yes sir!
~Oh, 10, HerDie, love-" screamed
Mrs. Higginsoa. And grandmother
SAYS she ran down the path, and she
hoped she was going to box his ears.
Not much use to hope that. eff any
thing should happen to you. darlinzr'
Hob! no fear of thatr' he said.
squirming over TO the back part of the
post out of the reach of her arms. +" Let
60. mother, do as she grasped hold of
one of his feet; she was SO afraid he
uOuld 90.