The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-04-08
How Ebert Collins MISSED a Tard >
Mark.

IlDtIb OOllllS llhu iCNCi DCCh hOu
absent or tardy since his first going to
school in September, and it was his am
bition to finish the whole year without q
"mark," partly because he liked to be
prompt, and partly because he thought
it would be SO nice to see his name In
the paper ut the end of the year.
December had come, and the short
mornings were very lively ones in his
mother S little kitchen, because of SO
many things to be done before the 8
o'clock bell. There was the wood-box
to fill, thecanary to feed, and generally
the cradle to rock; while the mother at
tended to such work as could be done
best while there was some one to look
after the baby.
On this particular morning, however,
the mother had gone to Mrs. Browns,
around the corner, for n cup Of yeast,
and had become so interested In re-
cipe for chocolate cake, a pattern for a
boys blouse, and the pound party at the
Methodist minister's, that she entirely
forgot the time of day.
Meanwhile, little Ebert, with his over
shoes and scarf on, and cap in hand,
rocked the Grade, and kept his eyes on
the clock. Five-ten minutes passed
away. The long hand was crawling
alarming near the last bell time He
tied his scarf, pulled his cap over his
ears, and rocked harder than ever. Still
no mother. Then he went to the door,
looked anxiously toward the corner, and
sent out lusty shout: "Mamma-a-a,
come ho-o-omel" but no one responded
except the baby "Oh, dear! dear - he
exclaimed, as he rushed back to the
cradle; and just then his expectant ears
heard the first slow cling clang of the
last bell. 1t would ring for five minutes;
the scnool-house was only three streets
away, and there was time enough yet, if
he could only start. One thing was GER
tain-he would never leave his little
baby sister aforementioned the story
of the poor baby who was burned to
death because her brother, who had
promised to take care of her, left her,
and ran out on the street to play.
He went to the door and shouted again.
1t was something like the case of CASA
blanca. But when two mothers are talk
ing about patterns, who ever knew them
to notice every little outside noise 2"
Elbert's shout ended in big sob. A
man going to lose his entire fortune
couldn't feel worse than this little fellow
did, with that dreadful ''tardy" mark
hanging over his head.
Then a happy thought flashed into his
mind. Running to the cradle, he caught
up the baby, scattering pillows and
blankets right and left, bundled an old
shawl over her, and snatching her half
filled bottle, dashed out of the
house, and ran off in the direction of
that chnging bell as fast as his stout
young legs could carry him. The baby
was little mite, only two months old,
and Ebert was nearly six years, and
large for his age.
He met two women whom he knew,
who commenced, "Why Elbert!" and
"What on earthl' but he bounded past,
and reached the school-house just as the
bell gave its last clang, and handed over
his funny burden to his astonished
teacher.
81 couldn't leave her, and I couldn't
be late. She'll go to sleep and be real
good" he said, as the teacher began to
unwind the shawl.
And then the whole room saw sur
prised, Observation-Disclosures little
baby, still in her night-gown, one bare
foot sticking out, and her little fists
tightly clinched, as if defying any body
to send her home.
The teacher was good-natured young
lady, and she laughed SO that she almost
dropped the baby on the floor, and then
the whole room laughed, and finally Ell
bert joined in; for he was glad he had
escaped the tardy mark, and the baby
certainly did look funny in school,
OF course there could be no order.
Nearly all the scholars had babies at
home, or were well acquainted with
those of their neighbours but they acted
rs if they had never seen baby before,
and every movement of the little pink
hands, and every turn of the small bald
head made them scream with laughter,
until the principal of the school came
into the room to see what the disturb
ance was, and after trying to look severe
for five seconds. lie laughed, too.
And while oil this fun was going on,
Elbert's mother was running wildly
through the four rooms of her little
hOuoC, NbihuS iiCi IVY ~ uhN iOCl-
ing sure that the children were either
killed and thrown into the cistern, or
else carried off, like Charley Ross, and
lost forever. Just then the woman whom
Ebert had met stopped at the gate, and
said to the mother who was coming hur-
ridly out, els anything the matter, Mrs.
Collins?"
go, don't know where my children
are! left them while ran into Mrs.
Browns minute, and I'm afraid
"Why, we just now met Ebert with
the baby, kiting along like the wind.
Leastways, we supposed it was the baby,
from the way he carried it. And he
never"
"Merciful mani he's taken her to
SCHOOL,
Ten minutes later fustered little
woman raped at tho door of the First
Primary room, and inquired for baby
1t was handed to her, along with an
empty milk bottle, and Wrapping them
both in red cloak which she carried,
she thanked the smiling teacher, and
walked home.
AT first she had felt very angry toward