St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-02-07
GEORGE WASHINGTON'S DAY.


N.Y." asked Miss Brown, the teacher, just
before Diminishing school,
saturday, " said Tommy, promptly.
''That's very true, but will 1t be Just
like any other Saturday,
Tommy considered few moments and
then said in a slightly injured tone of
voice
''Im sure l don't see how I can tell
beforehand what kind of day it will be-"
"What month is it Jack 2' said Miss
Brown, turning to boy in one of the
front seats, who had been frantically wav-
ing his hand for some minutes.
"February-and it's the twenty first, and
tomorrow will be the twenty second and
be George Washington's Day" answered
Jack eagerly.
Lets talk little about George Wash
ington, children. Why do we celebrate
his birthday?'
Because he never told a lie," said one.
''Because he chopped down his fathers
cherry tree" said another.
"Not quite right yet, said Miss Brown
smiling encouragingIy. "What do you
think is the reason, RandolphY'
because his father lived in the coun-
try" answered the boy with deep convic-
ton. II know that right. for heard pa
tell Mary SOL he added Indignantly as
some of the scholers laughed.
30, Miss Brown" spoke up Mary
Papa didn't say that, he said it was be-
cause he was the father of his country"
Yes replied Miss Brown kindly,
"Randolph did not hear correctly"
Then they had five minutes talk about
the great and good man, that quite enthus-
ed them all.
When school let out, the children con
tinued to discuss the father of his coun-
try" with great interest.
"Well, remarked Harry Snow, with
patronizng air. "theres no doubt in my
mind but George Washington was Just as
good and great as they make him out.
There was no sham about him"
"Dats Jest what ma said when she
named de baby after him, said Eta Scott,
a little colored girl
"Oh, has sha named the baby?" inquired
the children.
Yes, she toll de nuss dat she spect
George Washington Scott was a good nuf
name for de king, and den it was plenty
good nuf for the baby"
I'm coming to play with you to-mor-
row, Tommy" said Harry. "Don't you
remember what nice time we had last
Washington's Birthday | shall never
forget it, will your
"No, indeed | won't answered Tommy.
Il shall not forget what good time
had either" said Lille Mason. "Iou
were there too, Mollie. We spent the day
with Naneee, and she had dolls we'd
ding Wasn't it lovely 2"
"My sister, Dora Garfield Scott, keeps
diary said Eta quite proudly, and she
was reading in it this morning that last
George Washington's Day it was so cold
that the harmonica was fourteen inches
below zero"
~ guess she must have buried it in the
ground, then shouted Harry, bursting
into hearty laugh.
"Thermometer, you mean. Eta said
Tommy Brick. "a harmonica is some
thing you play on. 1t don't tell anything
about the weather.
I'm sure she said harmonica, said Eta
quickly.
For an instant Tommy felt like joining
in the general laugh the children raised
over poor Et'a's mistake. Then better
thoughts came into his heart.
1T don't make any difference which it
was, they sound a good deal alike, and re-
member it was mighty cold, too
$50 it was, and think your sister Dora
is real smart to keep a diary" added Joe
Danvers good naturedly.
Eta looked gratefully at the two boys.
The harmonica was fourteen inches
below zero ~ laughed Harry, That's the
best thing | ever heard. O Eta, you
ought to be put in the paper you're SO
funny
"Look here, fellows" said Tommy, in
his honest, good hearted way, they all
liked SO well, Il was Just thinking that
we weren't any of US acting much the way
George Washington would in our places
when he was boy. Don't you know he
was always kind ?"
why, don't you suppose he would
laugh if he heard what Eta said ?" asked
Charley Stone, still laughing and wiping
the tears from his eyes.
''There she goes home and l believe
she's crying. What baby We didn't
any of us mean any HARM said Harry, in
terrupting.
Eta is younger than the rest of US"
said Tommy in low tone, And then l
know how it is myself. l hate to be
laughed at when | make a mistake. Espec-
Tally when whole lot laugh together"
That's So said Joe ut al ways makes
me so indignant if anybody laughs at me.
Now this morning in school when l called
Stephen step hin, it made me so mad
when Harry laughed that l couldn't help
being glad when teacher marked him."
s'It served me right acknowledged
Harry cheerfully. But what made teach
er take it back afterward? She said she
had good reason but must find it out
for myself, and then she looked so queer
that I've wondered ever since why she
changed her mind and didn't mark me af-
ter all"
II don't know,-but l suspect, laughed
Tommy. looking sharply at Joe's tell-tale
face.
"Oh, keep still, Tommy" said Joe much
ashamed.
Harry looked first at Tommy and then
at Joe in puzzled silence. Suddenly a
thought struck him.
Il believe I know" he cried. Joe,
| you asked her not to mark me and that's
| what you stopped after school this moor
for. It's just like you. You're the best
| fellow | ever knew.
Joe blushed and turned the talk towards
| another subject as soon as possible.
"See here, Mollie," said Harry "rur
after Eta and tell her to come back with
US and see the little puppies we've got il
our barn. Do please before she gets out
of sight. She would start and run if she
saw me coming"
In a few minutes Mollie returned will
Eta all smiles.
"Say, let's see if we can remember
what we said George Washington was,
proposed Mollie.
81 think he was like Joe." said Harry
earnestly.
"You begin to tell, Harry, and then Joe
and so on, and see if we can't get it al
i'm
"He was always kind said Harry turn
ing and slipping checkerberry lozeng'