Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1881-02-19
THE NEW SCHOLAR.

going to school in September, and it
was his ambition to finish the whole
year without u "mark, partly because
he really liked to be prompt, and part
ly because he thought it would
be so nice to see his name in the paper
at the end OF the school year.
December had come, and the short
mornings were very lively ones in his
mothers little Kitchen, because of so
many things to be done before the nine
o'clock bell. There was the wood-box
to fill, the canary 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 a cup of Yeast,
and had become so interested in u
recipe for chocolate cake, pattern for
boys blouse, the pound party at the
Methodist minister's, and some new
ways for trimming Christmas trees, that
she entirely forgot the time of day.
Meanwhile, little Ebert, with his
overshoes and scarf on, and cap' in
hand, rocked the cradle, and kept his
eyes on the clock, Five, ten, minutes
passed away. The long hand was
crawling alarmingly near last-bell time.
He tied his scarf, pulled his cap over
bis cars, and rocked harder than ever.
Still no mother. Then he went to the
door, looked anxiously toward the
corner, and sent ottt lusty shout
"Mamma-a-a, come ho-o-omer' but
no one responded Except the baby.
.t oh deari dearr' he exclaimed, as he
rushed back to the cradle; aud Just
then his expectant ears heard the first
slow cling-clang of the last bell. 1t
would ring for five minutes; the school
house was only three streets away, and
there was time enough yet, if he could
only start. One thing was certain n-he
would never leave his little baby Sis
ter. He remembered a story of a poor
! baby who was almost burned to death
because her brother, who had promised
to take care of her. left her, and ran
out on the street to play.
Ilt htllu W tlC dOOt bliN ShOubCd
again. 1t was something like the case
of Casabianca. But when two mothers
are talking about patterns and Christ
mas trees, who ever knew them to no.
tice every little outside noise? Ebert s
shout ended in big sob. A man 60
ing to lose his entire fortune couldn't
feel worse than this little fellow did,
with that dreadful "tardy" mark
hanging over his head.
Then 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, snatched her half
filed milk bottle, dashed out of the
house, and ran off in the direction of
that changing bell as fast as his stout
young legs could carry him. The baby
was light little mite, only two and a
half months old, and Ebert was nearly
six years, and large for his age.
He met two women whom he knew,
and who commenced making weak re.
marks, like "Why, ElbertI' AND
"What on ealthn' but he bounded past
them, with no answer but his painting
breath, and reached the school house il
such good time that the bell gave it
last two clangs just as he handed owe
his funny burden to the astonishet
teacher.
Il couldn't leave her, and | cOulClll'
be late" he said, as soon as he could ge
breath enough to speak. "And she IL g
to sleep and bereal good" he continued
az the teacher began to unwind tn
shawl
And then the whole room saw sur
prised, MISUNDERSTANDING littl
baby, still in her night-gown, one bar
foot sticking out, and her little fist
tightly clenched, as if defying anybod
to send her home.
The teacher was good-nature
young lady, and she laughed so tha
she almost dropped the baby on tn
floor, and then the whole room laughed
and finally Ebert joined in; for he wa
glad he had escaped the tardy mark
and the baby certainly did look funn
in school.
Of course there could be no order
Nearly all the scholars hau DaDleS q
home, or were well acquainted wit
those of their neighbors;; bat they acte
as if they had never seen one before
and every movement of the little pin
hands and every turn of the small bal
head made them scream with laughter
until the principal of the school cam
into the room to see what the disturb
ance was, and after trying to loo
severe for five seconds, he laughed, too
And while all this fun was going OF
Elberts mother was running Wild
through the four rooms of her littl
house, calling her boys name, and fee
ing sure that the children were eithC
/ killed and thrown into the cistern, {
! else, carried Off like Charley Ross. an
lost forever. The scattered pillows an
upset rocking-chair indeed, made th
, kitchen appear as if there had been
struggle, aud the wide-open door an
, the gate creaking to and fro had
, dreadful look to Elbert's mother. Ju
| then the women whom Elbert had M
stopped at the gate, and said to th