Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-07-14

i cOulunt 90 10 scuOoL i"So go
chance of promotion"
That's my case exactly" said Tom'
bitterly.
Its too bad, Tom." called Joe,
keeping well out of breathing distance.
Z" But | say, old fellow, you can study
all the same. you know. You re a
sturdy chap; it won't hinder you. IL
would knock me higher than kite. L
can't afford to lose any flesh and blood.
/ I'm next door to a skeleton, now"
Tom remembered that. He was glad
then he had hoisted the quarantine
flag.
Joe went on shouting: "rn keep
YOU posted i'm the lessons, Tom. so you
won't fall behind. I'll stick 10 you
like bees-wax. Eli. Tom, is that all
rightp"
IAN right" called Tom.
| The quarter bell rang. Joe and Tom
] parted for many a day. Tom went out
to his grandfather's farm with his
mother, and Joe went to school.
To an Indifferent observer it would
seem that there was no comparison be-
tween Toms luck and Joe's. To have
a grandfather was good deal. in the
| first place; Joe hadn't any. lie hadn't
even "A father. But TO have grand
| father that owned farm! Here was
what you might call downright good
fortune. Tom did enjoy it. His whoop-
ing-cough was of n light variety, and
didn't disturb him much. But he was
all the while thinking of the boys
fighting away Mt those exam
Piles, and how much easier 1t
was to puzzle them out in the class
room than out there in the haymow.
There is so much to distract a fellow.
| If the boys mt school made rs much fuss
over doing n sum AS the hens did about
laying an egg thev'd drive the teacher
mad. Then the swallows went circling
around the top of the barn until it
made body's head swim, and that
young rascal of n colt gnawed tho
Manager and kicked and coaxed To go
aiield with Tom. and ii ever there did
happen to be lull in the racket. some
thing i'm that hay made n fellow so
| sleepy-must have been some poppies
dried in that grass. And, worst OF all.
Joe Brown had turned traitor. lie had
been as good rs his word ut first, and
had kept Tom posted right along; but
for more than month he hadn't sent
him line. 1t was 50 hard to plod
along almost in tho dark. His
I
on Saturdays, and Tom didn't give up.
He studied on out of spite; but il was
harder work for boy with heart like
Toms to strive for spite than love.
Tom felt that he might perhaps pass
with the rest of the bows, and keep
abreast with Joe Brown after all, but
there wasn't much comfort in it.
His father took him back 10 the city
the last week in June. aud on the night
of his arrival Tom went out to the
wood-shed to have it out with Joe. He
made up his III nd to tell him wdat no
thought of him, aud never speaS 20 him
again; but he felt very miserable over
it, very miserable indeed.
Bridget was out there splitting wood,
and called to Tom as lie began 10 climb.
"1ou needn't rache uptp see the
boy beyant. He'll climb no more.
He's lyin' in bed these three weeks, and
they say he's wastin' away. That nasty
'hoopin'-cough whit bad wild the poor
little craythur."
"Whooping-cough!' cried Tom.
"Did Joe get it9'
"Av coorse he did. wild all the rest of
the gossoons; but it wint wrong wild
poor Joe's windpipe, bad luck to it,
and ruined him intirely."
Tom ran out in the street. He felt
so sorry, and so glad-so sorry Joe
was sick, and SO glad he was true. His
heart leaped up to think he had found
his friend again, and then sank because
what Bridget said had given him n
nameless fear. The very first boy Tom
met told him the doctor said he didn't
think Joe Brown would live TO go TO
school again.
Tom ran in to his father with SO pale
face that it frightened Mr.. Jones; but
he was Toms confidant as well rs his
father. and soothed and comforted him.
Come" he said. taking Tom by
the hand. "lets 20 around and see
Joe.'
They found him i'm bed, and rs white
rs the wall he was propped against.
He held out his wasted hand TO Tom.
You We come back i'm time for the ex-
animation" he said, with n little bit
terness in his smile. you've got all
the odds now, Tom; go in and win. I
told you this thing would cripple me.
I'll never tackle an example again"
Tom grew almost rs pale as Joe, and
looked imploringly at his father. Big
tears rolled out of Mrs. Brown eyes.
"He's all L have in the world"
whispered the poor widow to Mr.. Jones.
"Well, please God. madam said
Mr.. Jones. Joe will be all right yet
With your permission we II gel him out
in the country on Toms grandfather's
farm. What he wants is country air
and rest, and to give up this wicked
struggle for supremacy. There's bet
ter victory. my boys, than that with q
mathematical problem - to do the best
YOU can, and bid godspced to the one
that can honestly do better. There are
some things far better than class pro-
motion. and you II find them out there
on the farm; health, contentment-"
"ADd the iolliest colt YOU ever saw,
Joe," broke i'm Tom. "and no end to
dogs and pigeons"
Joe began to look so much brighter
and better. "Wait till you 20 back
and pass the examination. Tom" he
said. 1--we been awfully mean and
envious of you; but I'd take rs much
pride in it now as you would"
Y