The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-12-02

stick to your lessons" said the master,
sharply.
That's so" said Uncle Ben, hurrieily,
hiding himself, as it were, in all-encompais-
ing blush. SIN course lessons first, boys,
that's the motto"
He again took up his pen and assumed his
old laborous attitude. But after few mo-
ments it became evident that either the
masters curt dismissal of his subject or his
own preoccupation with IT, had somewhat
unsettled him. He cleaned his pen obtrus-
lively, going to the window for a better
light, and whistling from time to time with
demonstrative carelessness and depress-
ing gaiety. He once broke into a murmur-
ing, meditative chant, evidently referring
to the previous conversation, in its
'1hat's so-Yer we COLLISIONS the first,
boys, We, heaveO O." The rollicklng marine
character of this refrain, despite its utter
incongruousness, apparently struck him ia
vorablv, for he repeated it softly, OCCASION
ally glancing behind him at the master who
was coldly absorbed at his desk Presently
he arose, carefully put his books away,
symmetrically pihng them in pyramid be-
side Mr. Ford's motionless elbow, and then
lifting his feet with high but gentle steps
went to the peg where his coat and hat
were hanging. As he was about to put them
on, he appeared suddenly struck with a
sense of indecorousness in dressing himself
in the school and taking them on his arm to
the porch resumed them outside. Then say
ing clean aforementioned I'd got to see
man. So long, till tomorrow" he disap-
peared whi,tling softly.
The old woodland hush fell back upon the
school. 1t seemed very quiet and empty. A
faint sense of remorse stole over the master.
Vet he remembered that Uncle Ben had
accepted without reproach and as a good
joke much more direct accusations from
Rupert Filgee and that he himself had
acted from a conscientious sense of duty
toward the man. Buta conscientious sense
of duty to inflict pain upon fellow mortal
for his own good does not always bring per-
feet serenity to the intictor-possibly be-
cause in the defective machinery CT human
| compensation, pain is the only quality that
| is apt to appear in the illustration. Mr..
| Ford felt uncomfortable, and being so. was
naturally vexed at the Innocent cause.
| Why should Uncle Ben be offended because
he had simply declined to follow his weak
| fabrications any furthers This was his re-
| turn for having tolerated it at first! 1t
would be lesson to him henceforth Newer
| theess he got up and went to the door. The
| figure of Uncle Ben was already indistinct
| among the leaves, but from the motion of
his shoulders he seemed to be still stepping
high aud softly as if not yet clear of inse-
cure and engulphing ground.
The silence still continuing, master began
| mechanically to look over the desks for for
gotten or mislaid articles, and to earrange
the pupils books and copies. A few hearts
ease gathered by the devoted Octavia Dean,
neatly tied with a black thread and regu-
larry left in the inkstand cavity of Rupert's
desk, were still lying on the floor where
they had been always hurled with equal
regularity by that disdainful adonis. Picking
up slate from under bench, his attention
was attracted by a forgotten cartoon on the
reverse side. Mr. Ford at once recognized
it as the work of that youthful but eminent
caricaturist, Johnny Filgee. Broad in
treatment, comprehensive in subject, lib
eral in detail, and slate pencil-it represent
ed U ucle Ben lying on the floor with look
in his hand, tyraunizsd over by Rupert Fill
gee and regarded i'll striking profile of two
features by Cressy McKinstry. The daring
realism of introducing the names of each
character on their legs-perhaps ideally
enlarged for that purpose-left no doubt of
their identity. Equally daring but no less
effective was the rendering of a limited but
dramatic conversation between two parties
by the aid Of emotional balloons attac ed
to their mouths like visible gLlp, bearing
the respective legends: II luv you" 20
my" and "You git"
The master was for a moment startled at
this unlocked for but graphic testimony to
the fact that Uncle Ben's visits to the school
were not only KIN Jwn but commented upon.
The small eyes of those youthful observers
had been keener than his own. He had
again been stupidity deceived, in spite of his
efforts Love, albeit deficient in features
and wearing an improperly short bell
shaped frock had boldly re-entered the
peaceful school, and disturbing complica
tions on abnormal legs we're following at its
heels.