The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1890-01-10
"Does it Hatter!"

! was Arthur, who often asked this
! question. He was not bad boy,
nor a careless boy, but did notlike
a fuss, and very seldom made one
if he could help If. He took things
quietly, if they were such as could
not be avoided, and he was one of
, the best-tempered boys in the
whole school.
Because of this. some of Aia
, classmates tried to tease him nj 2.
being angry. They said among
themselves, arthur thinks things
do not matter when they touch US;
1 wonder what he will say if we do
something t. vex him"
That was because he had been
trying to make peace between two
lads who would certainly have
) fought if he had not persuaded
them not to do so.
" It is unnecessary, he said.
"Supposing you do lot quite I'm
derstand each other, ii really does
not matter. Keep quiet for a few
minutes, and you will soon feel all
right again"
The boys took his adj, ce, and a
quarrel was prevented. But 1 am
really afraid that even this did
not please all the boys. Some of
them would rather have enjoyed
seeing this dispute carried a little
farther, for they were not peace
makers.
"What can we 30 to vex Arthur
one said.
Various things were suggested
But that which found most favor
was that they would hide his
clothes the next morning and so
make him late for breakfast They
knew that there was rule to the
effect that if boy were ten min
ntes after the time Of commencing
breakfast, he would lose the meal
altogether; and they decided to
try the effect of hunger upon the
temper of Arthur.
They always had breakfast at
seven in the morning, and the boys
were expected to be ready. Arthur
was very punctual. He was never
late if he -conla-r>,e7fitbiy prevent
1t, and the boys knew that, and
thought it gave them a better
chance to annoy him.
The next morning the bell rang,
and the boys began to dress.
Arthur sprang out of bed, and a
look of surprise came over his face
when he could not see his clothes
In their usual place.
"What did 1 do with them?" he
said to himself.
The boys kept their faces grave.
81 say, you fellows, have you
been playing any pranks?' he
cried.
But the bays we're particularly
busy just then washing or dress
ing, and did not appear to hear
him. They were, in fact, rather
too deeply occupied, and Arthur
began to suspect them.
"Who has taken my things away?
You might tell me, he said.
"What things? Thata fuss you
are making, Art Why doA't you
look for your things?"
q have looked. They are not
here"
Surely they are where you LEI,
then?"
"Indeed they a.e net.
The boys went on with their
occupations, and for moment
Arthur felt rather vexed. But he
speedily controlled himself.
at does not matter. It not worth
while to lose my temper over it, .
he said to himself. cat the worst,
I shall only have to without my
breakfast, and l am not very hun
cry"
So he got into bed agnin, taking
with him a book which he was
studying,.aud cody began his days
work. The boys looked at each
other.
ut does not matter, does. it,
Arthur" said one.
"Oh, no, it does not matter" he
replied.
The boys were determined to
carry it through, and Arthur lost
his breakfast. But they did not
dare to keep him longer in bed,
and so they gave him his clothes
in time for morning school.
'tHe is a good humored lad,
said one of the Oldest boys, "and it
is shame to try to yex him. 1
wonder if anything matters to
him"
He had not to wait very long to
know that certain things mattered
very much to Arthur; but they
were not things that concerned on
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