The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1889-09-19

AUG ulShSGor upon his OF leF size.
Nearly half the spoilers were down
when Mr.. Douglass pleaded WEAKNESS
and turned the book over to Mr.. Frost.
breakfast was the word he gave
out next and it was ..Big Bill Bru-
bakers turn.
Brock, brek, f-a-s-t. fast. break
fast, : he sang out with the prompt con-
fidence OF easy mastery. But before
the word was all out Of his mouth
pretty Ruth Turner. on the other side,
snapped it up with q ';b-r-e-a-k, break.
f-e-a-s-t. fast, for breakfast" and as
instantly Lucinda Sweet, standing next
to Bill. took it back from Ruth by
spelling it correctly, amid an enthusi.
assn at the rapid and brilliant work
that could not be wholly repressed.
Ruth sat down in a confusion of morti-
fcation which mantled her cheeks and
suffused her eyes at thought of her
foolish mistake. and the teacher pal
liatiugly suggested:
.'You see, Miss Ruth. it isn't break
ing ones feast, but breaking ones
fust." ... g.. F..
1t was noticed, however, that Bill
Brubaker had not sat down, as the
perception of his failure should have
led him to do, but remained stolidly
standing in spite of the efforts of those
around him to pull him down.
Il didn't understand the word, no
how" he said. sullenly.
Didn't understand it!'' the teacher
exclaimed. ''How could you help I'M
Outstanding it? You knew what the
word meant. I hope" Y. b,
At this sally of Briggsville witv there
was general litter of derision from
the other side, which added to Bills
discontinue.
"You said breck. not 6rake," he de-
clared, recklesslv, IAN spelti it as You
give it out I reckon know how to
spell brake % well as any on 'em."
"You fairly missed the word," the
teacher said, decisively, and you must
take your seat like the rest, Mr.. Bru-
baker," Even the exceptional honor
implied Il this deferential address did
not wholly appease Bills wounded van
ity.
I'll take it if waunt tew. an not
otherwise, he muttered. sinking down
with an ugly scowl on his face.
Big Bill was hardly third-rate
speller at best. and usually was among
the first to go down, but his unprece-
denied good fortune at keeping on his
feet 50 long had imbued him with a
staggering confidence in his powers
and induced the vain hope of a possible
emergence as one of the champions of
the contest.
When the spelling was finished and
the preliminary preparations of bund-
ling up, blowing out the candles, and
lighting the hickory-bark torches pro-
vided for lighting the homeward way
were going forward amid much con-
fusion and merrimeat, two of the
smaller boys drew the teacher aside to
say with bated breath:
Say, master, Big Bills threat'nin'
of you an sayin'' t he kin lick the
boots often you an not hat try, nuther. :"
They wished-such at least was the
pretense-to put the master on his
guard against Il possible surprise.
''You tell Big BILL the master said
quietly rs he went On completing his
preparations for departure, THAT
say he's bully and coward, and
that if he wants any thing of me he
can be accommodated in mighty short
order"
The boys carried such message
with proud alacrity, as what boys
would noto The version that reached
| Bills ears outside moment later was
something like this:
'Th' master says It you're cowerd
an'-an" (the other term was not in
familiar use at the Corners)
was it, Jim?'
"A bully" Jim declared from care
fully-stored memory.
''Ya~as. An''t,ef you want any thing
of him you kin git it mighty quick
"Huh!' grunted Bill. Hes peart
enough with his tongue, but he'll fine
t 4 smart tongue haint no match for
these two fists.'
He fourished them in the air as if
to assure himself that they were in
thorough working order.
AS the master come out the door
with Lucinda Smith on his arm, look
ing aggravatingly spry and citifed.
foot tripped him up and sent him
sprawling on the ground, amid the
half-suppressed outlaws of the group
at the door. He was on his feet in an
instant, his face as white as the snow
upon which he had fallen.
"Who did that?" he dem anded, with
an intense GOODNESS of voice and man.
ner. that caused a hush of expectation
| to fall upon the increasing group of
spectators; for when was there ever a
| dog fight or a man fight that the group
of spectators did not rapidly increase?
There was no answer to his question.
"Who is the cowardly cur that
tripped me?" he repeated, his eyes
fixed steadily on the face of Big Bill.
''Well, I did it then" Bill finally
growled. recognizing that the contest
for which he had loaged was at hand.
The TEACHER shrew of his overcoat.
Bill. always bare OF such a superfluous
garment, had no need of sir,;!ar
preparation.
YOU'RE the fellow that wants to lick
me, are you?' said the teacher. open
ing hostilities with vicious blow at
Bills face, which the latter caught on
his massive forearm with less punish
ment to himself than to the striker.
He made a lunge at his antagonist.
If he could once get the slender form
| within his powerful clutch the fight
would be practically onded. Bat the
teacher was too quick of foot for his
ungainly opponent. Jumping to one
,sl 10 +; II A.. -.