Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-08

THE BOYS CONSULT WITH THE scHooLMAsTER.
! brook is swelled by hundreds and thous-
| ands of tiny rivulets. Little by little it
| gathers force and volume until it grows
into mighty power, thing of terror
which sweeps down the valley destroying
| all in its pathway. At certain points be-
| low US the people found they had the ad-
vantage of the stream and determined
to keep it, and constructed costly iron
bridges, which serve to connect the sec
tions of country in winter time, but
which there is no traffic or population to
justify up our way.
Now, to describe the land of which
speak. My own place borders upon the
brook at point where Its bed is full of
quicksand. just opposite lies this quar-
ter-section, comprising small crescent
of level or gently sloping land, bounded
by the stream in front and noun tains on
either hand, while the remainder ex-
tends up the steep hillside. Near as the
place seems it can only be reached by q
trail leading back over the mountains
and connecting with a rough country
road at point some fifteen miles Instant
from the nearest railroad station. The
land was entered some eight or nine
ars ago by thriftless fellow who soon
abandoned the claim. His failure dis
couraged anyone else from trying it. In
my Judgment, the lower level is of rich
alluvial soil, and could be made produce
tive with proper cultivation. 1 do not
know what buildings there are over
there; probably there is something that
could be made habitable in this accom-
modating climate. The gorge above
onght to afford plenty of firewood.
II our young people go there they
must count upon leading a lonely and Sc
cluded life. They will be in state of
siege for months every winter, when the
trail Will be impossible.
Don ask me whether I advise It..
Everything depends upon what kind of
stuff they are made of. You say there
is girl; so much the worse for her and
the better for them. Yours truly,
DR.. JOHN.
t'What a singular letter, and what an
odd name, exclaimed Martin.
eyes, +" said the schoolmaster, alb
sently. "He is man with history
Martin looked curious, and would have
followed his remark with question, but
Ned, who had been lost in deep thought,
forestalled him.
81 will take the land, - he said.
Mr.. Roberts looked both surprised and
pleased at this decisive speech.
al like that he said, cordially;
"and now 1 am going to make another
suggestion. AS q rule, you know my
maxim IS to make haste slowly but in
this case every moment you wait is so
much precious time lost. All the data
requisite for the entry is here. 1t is now
only a few minutes past nine. What do
IN of he Init
States land Office at eleven?'
''That Will suit me, Mr.. Roberts, -
said Ned.
"And me, - echoed Martin.
"Another thing,' said the school
MASTER ewing the boys little nervously
as they rose, 81 am going to bequeath
to you serious and important charge.
am going to bequeath to YOU my heifer
calf.'
That heifer calf, the gift of c devoted
pupil, has been the masters plague and
Nemesis for months. 1t had drawn him
into more scrapes than Mary little lamb
beguiled its mistress. It was always es-
Gaping from his adjoining yard into the
school yard, frightening timid children
and driving bold ones wild with delight.
1t had lunched on the experimental gar
den planted by the botany class. 1t had
browsed on school satchels and hats and
coats in the entry. 1t had been impris-
oned in the principal g room one day by
some misohievous boys, and, escaping,
wandered into q classroom and greeted
some visiting directors with loud
"baa-a, and then shamelessly pro-
claimed its ownership by sticking its !
nose into the masters pocket 10 find |
some hidden sweets. 1t had brought |
him into disgrace with his neighbors,
and narrowly escaped becoming the SUBJ
ject of litigation IN the courts. 1t had |
even now helped HIM into one more |
scrape, for there in the room doorway |
stood the donor OF the calf, a handsome |
curly haired boy, his face red with vex-
alton.
''If you don It want Beauty, Mr.. Ro-
berts, IN find somebody who does. l |
think you might have had the politeness ]
to tell me, instead of joking about it with |
the boys. AS for you, Ned, and you,
you just dare to lay one finger to
that calf, and IL
''Thomas Bateman, be silent!'' COM
manded Mr.. Roberts, in the tone of au-
thority that no one ever dared to dis
obey. CHOW, boys you may go. Don't
fail to meet me at IL sharp
''Oh, yes, those poor little shavers of
Austin s, - said the foreman of the fac |
tory, folding his arms aud looking |
troubled. cts hard case. The men
are going to do something for them to-
night. Saturdays pay day, you know"
''You can t reach them IN that way"
said Mr.. Roberts, decidedly.
"Eh?h said the foreman, looking
pnzzlsd.
"The boys are young, but they have
character. They don't want charity.
They mean to take care of themselves. -
'Bnt we can t see q man drop right
iown among us and not raise finger to
help his family, and pack of poor little
youngsters at that.
''Then help them in different way.
Mr.. Austin has chest CT tools here,
1asntk ha2,,