The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-05-20
NIllIl! Eagle
JAMES PREFERRED TO STAND.
story of Bright SchooImaster and the
Budding Genius of Art.


The schoolmaster was a very athleti
person, a fact of which the boys had faile'
perhaps to take note. He had large hand
and much endurance; indeed he Deedet
both. Hands were unusually necessary il
his department, as those who have tried {,
manage boys between the ages of ten ant
twelve can very well understand, and a
for endurance, he needed the endurance O
the father of one boy of ten or twelve mag
nified to the one hundredth degree, becaus
about that number Of youths had fallel
10 his lot for direction in knowledgabI,
paths.
On the morning following St. Valen
tines Day he seemed unwontedly Cheerful
so cheerful, in fact, that certain ba6
boys in the third row feared that Their,
was something the matter with the UniteC
States mail How a man, particularly 8
schoOlmaster, could smile after receiving 8
certain hbelous picture, a composite figure
the body cut from one of the colored car
ICONS in comic paper, the head that of 8
prize goose clipped from an agriculture
journal, beneath which was printed in in
verified Ms and weary lettering of unmis
takably boyish make a rhymed insinua,
ton that the educated goose knew every.
could comprehend.
Surely that work of art. they thoupbt
must have gone astray. But the notion
was soon dissipated, for after the usual
preliminary exercises IN the opening of the
school had been gone through with. the
master rose from his seat and made the
following remarks:
My dear boys" said he, ''inasmuch as
pSfprd av ofo H. 7
determined TO give to you all half holi-
day"
''Hurrahr' shrieked one of the third row
boys.
Restrain yourselves, boys" said the
master gently. Wait until have finished.
We will have no lessons during the morn
ing hours"
''Hooray!" cried one of the fourth row
boys.
That will do, Willie" said the master,
raising his hand, which Willie no sooner
was than he had relapse of quietude and
covered in his chair.
Il should not have remembered that
Valentines Day had come and gone" con-
tinUed the master, had l not found upon
my desk this morning very clever piece
of artistic and poetic work. l have read
iAIG AAIGS hDDA L 1t I-OuCdItO JOOSe. ana
! am inclined TO think that they are with
out any exception, the cleverest lines of the
sort have ever seen, and | am glad TO say
that my assistant is of the same opinion.
Indeed, he has asked me TO let him have
the production as it stands-picture lines
and ALTO show 10 a friend of his who is
on the editorial staff of one of the maya
zines, because he thinks the magazine
II -
clined to let him do this.
Not that am not proud Of some one of
mypupils who prefers not TO put his name to
his wonderful production, but that if the
sketch were published in the magazine,
should doubtless receive some ten or fifteen
dollars in payment for it, which of course
could not consent to accept. / could not,
under any circumstances, part with a vol
untary testimonial of affection from one of
my pupils, and my only regret is that one
so gifted as the designer of this valentine
has chosen to keep his name secret. p
Tell i'm, Jimmie" came smothered
voice from the fourth row.
Silence, bcysr' said the master. EN-
Outraged by this valentine, l expect to
start you all off in art work in a very short
time, and J an convinced from the compo-
Tit iJll III LlllS IL uTt VI LIE tIOOSE'
that we have among us youth of extraor-
binary talp-
I'm him. came from Jimmie Perkins.
of the third row, MS bosom heaving with
pride If you ean get fifteen dollars for
it, Mr.. Smoker, I'm willin."
"Ah"' said Mr. Smoker, a smile light
ing up his features. 1T was you, was it,
Jimmie?"
Yes. sir" said Jimmie with enthusi-
asm. Il done it all by myself. No help
from anybody. If it's worth fifteen dol
lars
Wen talk that over together, James"
interrupted Mr.. Smoker If you Will
so great Importance should not be talked
over SO publicly The school is now dis
missed until O'Clock"
Mr. Smoker disappeared into his private
room. and Jimmie stalked proudly after
him, hardly deigning to notice any one,
while the rest of the boys departed for the
skating pond with envy in their breasts.
Jimmie alters was lucky Teller" said
one.
'Regler cat for landin on MS feet, said
another.
And so the time went on.
At ! o'clock school opened again. and as
the boys trooped in they Were surprised to !
see that Jimmie, standing by Mr. Smokers |
desk, looked deeply panied and thoroughly |
James" said Mr.. Smoker as the boys |
quieted down and school began again, |
you may take your choiCe-you may re
turn to your seat or stand in the corner"
And strange 10 relate, James preferred |
10 stand in the corner. and since that time /
he has lost all his interest in art
Mr.. Smoker still has the valentine, /
which has not Yet been published. -Har- I