The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-07-30

meant he told himself just before he
dropped of to sleep. ~ shouldn't
have cared il / hadn't had it at all
but to give it upl"
"If it isn't honestly yours, you
haven't had it at all, )" said something
inside. But Phil would not listen,
and went to sleep.
Next day he chose as the
subject of his essay "The schol-
ar in Politics." and began to
read a life OF Gladstone. He
worked on it for week, and every
interested in his lessons. Moreover, he
felt cross and miserable, and his
mother was SO sober! What bothers
honors were!
Mother, do you think ought not
to take it?" he broke out one day at
dinner.
There was no need to say what sit"
was, though Commencement had not
been mentioned between them since
the day he selected his subject.
Certainly you should take it, II
you are satisfied that it is yours"
answered his mother quietly, She
knew the time had coHie when she
must help her boy by leaving him to
help himself.
But was lie satisfied? He slept on
that remark, and the next day he
went to school early with happier
look on his face than had been
there for q week.
''Niiss Stone" he said, glad to find
the English teacher alonein her room,
~ can't feel satisfied about my APP
pointment."
"Did you wish higher grader"
asked Miss Stone, with her quizzical
smile.
mo, ma am" said literal Phil.
"But l don't think ninety-eight can
belong to me, because I've never stood
as high as lots OF the others. Couldn't
you look 1T up again?"
81 don't think it is necessary" said
Miss Stone, kindly. "The standings
were all made out twice, and so many
OF US could hardly have made a ser.
ious mistake. / am glad to see you so
conscientious, but think the place is
yours.
"Here is Mr.. Castle" she went on,
as the principal came into the room;
"Philip is afraid there is some mistake
about his having the valedictory; but
/ have been telling him how carefully
the appointments were made out, and
that he need not fear"
She looked inquiringly at the princi-
pal.
"Not at all" said Mr.. Castle, heart
lily, land we are all glad to SIZE you
come to the front, my lad. The grades
were all down in black and white, and
your ninety-eight is honestly earned.
Don't trouble yourself any more
about it. Miss Stone, can you give
me the number of students in your
classes for the quarterly report2"
Phil felt himself dismissed. He went
through the day with n heart that
was heavy and light by turns. But
Pills moral processes were sure if
they were slow. In the afternoon,
having gone over the ground again
and come back to his doubts, he was
ready to return to the charge.
1t was teachers meeting day again.
In the midst of their miscellaneous
business he knocked at the Office door,
and entered the room in obedience to
Mr.. Castles "Come in!'
The teachers looked amazed. 1t
was a most unusual thing for a pupil
to do. Poor Phil, with cheeks red
and eyes bright, blurted out his care.
fully conned statement without know
ing exactly what he said.
81 don't think my average ought to
be ninety eight" he said, land if you
please, unless it's dead certain, I'd
rather not be on ut Commencement"
Mr.. Castle looked impatient for an
instant, and then smiled.
Every vel, he said, "as it is mat
ter of conscience We will verify the
standing at once, and make it dead
certain You may come into the
office tomorrow morning before
school to hear the result"
Phil turned q shade redder and left
the room. He had not meant to use
slang, but he did not feel much cast
down at Mr.. Castles gibe.
''It feels SO good not to have that
bad taste in my mouth" he said to
himself.
In the morning Mr.. Castle announ-
ced that mistake had been made in
the averages; that Guy
Fenton, instead OF Philip Winters,
should have been declared valedictor-
ian, and that Philip Winters did not
belong in the first ten at all. Mary
Lincoln's standing entitled her to the
tenth place.
Phil was too much relieved to re-
greet greatly the loss of his trouble
some honor. If he had been sore
over it, his mothers words would
have healed the hurt. For she led
him before his fathers picture, and
said, not very steadily:
Father would be proud OF you to-
day, my boy, ! felt sure you would
come up to the best there was in you.
But was anxious, too, for l knew it
was very hard. think you will feel
more and more than it was worth
while, and that you have won some
thing better than a school honor"
Phil said it was worth while, and
that he was glad he had done it. He
didn't link much about it the rest
of the year. Yet he was a human
boy after all, and when Commence
ment came, it was q little bitter to
see the boys and girls on the stage
with their essays and their flowers.
Whenthe valedictorian.sat down in q
tumult of applause, he had to struQ-