The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1882-01-26
"GOOD LUCK" AND "POOR LUCK. -

Cat, cat; cat, cat: cat, cat"
These words were uttered by q voice
in tiny, unfinished room in the pitch
Of the roof, A small piece of tallow
candle spluttered and fiared on the win
dow-sill, throwing strange shadows into
the dim corners and among the rafters
overhead. A young man in rough
clothes was in the room leaning over a
book held close to the candle. He was
spelling out the words slowly and pain
fully, over and over, Goat, cat; cat,
cat bat, bat"
AT last he heard the clock down stairs
give a long w-h-i-r-r-r-r, and then beUin
to strike. He looked up and counted
twelve. Then he closed the book, blew
out the candle, hastily threw off his
clothes, and was soon sound asleep be-
side his companion, Ned, who had been
already three hours in bed.
The sun had not yet risen when he
awoke. In a moment he was up, and
dressed, and studying away again.
Hat, hat; hat, hat and so on through
all the ats. Then he began again.
Be you up, bOysP'' cried a rough
voice down stairs. Come, hurry up
and git to work"
Ned rolled slowly over in bed, and
stretched his arms, and yawned
Oh, what fool you be, Jack Lewis"
he drawled out in a sleepy tone. Don't
you git enough work without stickin'
over them bOOks?"
Il don't care" answered Jack. "Tm
bound to get an education. I've never
had chance yet, since I've been bound
out, but IL be my own master in year
now, and the schOolmaster he's put an
idea or two into my head"
Well, you're a fool, that's all, " said
Ned.
A year had passed by. It was the
first day of school, and the children
were flOcking toward the little black
school-hOuse. The teacher, who was
seated on high platform behind desk,
wiped his glasses, raped on the desk,
and called the school to order.
He arranged the classes-frst the
scholars in advanced arithmetic and ge-
ography and history; then, a class in
decimals and grammar; and so on till he
came to the last.
"AH those who have never studied
fractions, OF grammar, or geography,
will rise, he said.
Five or six little girls, with long hair
and short dresses, and two small boys in
short pants, stood up. And one other
stood up, too. He was six feet tall, and
was clumsy and poorly dressed. 1t was
Jack.
The teacher looked down at him and
repeated what he had said.
" You misunderstood me-" he added.
" No, sir said Jack, firmly. ''I be-
long to this class.
Several Of the children giggled. One
of the boys threw a great spit-ball, that
struck him on the back of the head.
% cant help it, said Jack, with face
as red as fire. This is the first chance
I've ever had to learn, and I'm a-going
to take it, And he sat down and was
soon studying away at an example-add
2-5 to 3-5.
Baby boyr' cried one Of the scholars
at recess.
"Spell fool, cried another
Where did you go to college?"
when did Columbus discover the
" Add one apple and two dogs"
But poor Jack did not look up He
was studying away at his old spelling
book, which was thumbed and dog
cared and torn; m-e-a-s-u-r-e, measure;
plea s-u-r-e, pleasure.
" l say cried one of the boys at
last; 't.what kind of q mother have YOU
got II she didn teach you anythingP'
Jack was on his feet in a moment.
His face was flushed and his hands |
clenohed. He seized the boy by the |
collar and was just about to throw him, |
when be stopped. ]