The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-03-05
THE NEW SCHOLAR.

EBERT COLLINS had never been
marked absent or tardy since his first
going to school in September, and it
was his ambition to finish the WHOLE
year without 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 q
recipe for chocolate cake, pattern for
a 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
his ears, and rocked harder than ever.
Still no mother. Then he went to the
door, looked anxiously toward the
corner, and sent out a lusty shout
"Mamma-a-a, come ho-o-omew but
no one responded except the baby.
''Oh dear! dearr' 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 school
house was only three streets away, and
there was time enough yet. if he could
only start One thing was certain-he
would never leave his little baby Sis
ter. He remembered story of 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.
He went to the door and shouted
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? Elbert'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 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, snatched her half
filled 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 a 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, Elbertn and
"What on earth!' but he bounded past
them, with no answer but his painting
breath, and reached the school house in
such good time that the bell gave its
last two clangs just as he handed over
his funny burden to the astonished
teacher.
81 couldn't leave her, and coatldn'
be late," he said, as soon as he could get
breath enough to speak. "And she'll &C
tosleep and be real good" he continued,
as the teacher began to unwind the
shawl.
And then the whole room saw sur
prised, half-smothered-loo little
baby, still in her night-gown, one bare
foot sticking out, and her little fists
tightly clenched, as if defying anybody
| to send her home.
The teacher was a good-natureG
young lady, and she laughed so that
she almost. dropped the baby on the
floor, and then the whole room laughed
and finally Ebert 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 al
home, or were well acquainted with
those of their neighbors; but they acted
as if they had never seen one before
and every movement of the little pink
hands and every turn of the small bale
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 looR
severe for five seconds, he laughed, too
And while all this fun was going on
Elbert's mother was running wildly
through the four rooms of her little
house, calling her boy name, and feel
ing sure that the children were either
killed and thrown into the cistern, OIL
else carried off like Charley Ross, anc
lost forever. The scattered pillows anC
upset rocking chair, indeed, made the
kitchen appear as if there had been {
struggle, aud the wide-open door anC
the gate creaking to and fro had ;
dreadful look to Elbert's mother. Jus
then the women whom Ebert had me
stopped at the gate, and said to the
| mother who was coming hurripdlv ont