The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-08-21
A HOMELY HERO.
sPoor Abe Dodge!"

aPoor Abe Dodger'
That's what they called him, though
be wasn't any poorer than other folks
nstso poor as some. How could he be
poor, work as he did and steady as he
wasp Worth whole grist of such bait
as his brother, Ephe Dodge, and yet
they never called Ephe poor-whatever
worse name they might call him. When
Ephe was off at show in the village,
Abe was following the plow, driving a
straight furrow, though you wouldn't
have thought it to see the way his nose
pointed. In winter, when Ephe was
taking the girls to singing school OF
spelling bee or some other foo lishness-
cub ill after 9 o'clock at night, like as
not-Abe was hanging over the fire
holding book SO the light would shine
Anat on one page and then on the other,
and be farming his head as he turned
tho book and reading first with one eye
and then with the other.
There, the murders out. Abe couldn't
read with both eyes at once. If Abe
looked straight ahead, he couldn't see the
furrow nor anything else for that mat
ter. His best friend couldn't say but
what Abe Dodge was the crosseyedest
cuss that ever was. Why, if you wanted
to see Abe you'd stand in front of him,
but IL you wanted Abe to see you you'd
got to stand behind him or pretty nearit
Homelyi Well, if you mean downright
''humbly," that's what he was. When
one eye was in use the other was out of
sight, all except the white of it. Humbly
amt no name for it. The girls used to
say he had to wake up in the night to
rest his face, it was so humbly. In school
you'd ought to have seen him look down
at his copybook. He had to can't his head
clear over and cock up his chin till it
pointed out of the winder and down the
road. You'd really ought to have seen
him; you'd have died. Head Of the class,
too, right along; just as near to the head
hs Eph was to the foot, and that's sayin
good DEAL But to see him at his desk!
He looked for all the world like week
pld chicken peekin at a tumblebugl And
him a grown man, too, for he staid to
ychool winters so long as there was any
thing more the teacher could teach him.
You see there wasn't anything to draw
him away; no girl wouldn't look at him.
Lucky, too, seein the way he looked.
Well, one term there was a new
teacher come regular high up girl,
down from Chicago. AS bad luck would
have it Abe wasn't at school the first
week-hadn't got through his fall work.
So she got to know all the scholars, and
bhey was awful tickled with her-every-
body always was that knowed her. The
hrst day she come in and saw Abe at his
desk she thought he was squintin for
fun, and she upped and laughed right
put. Some Of the scholars laughed, too,
at first, bat most of 'em, to do 'em JUS
tice, was a leetIe took back, young as
they was, and cruel by nature. young
folks is most usually always cruel
don't seem to know no better).
Well, right in the middle Of the hush
Abe gathered up his books and upped
and walked out doors, lookin right ahead
of him and consequently seeing the
handsome young teacher unbeknown to
her.
She was the worst cut up You ever did
see, but what could she do or say? Go
and tell him she thought he was maxim
up face for fun? The girls do say that
come noon spell, when she found out
about it, she cried-just fairly cried.
Then she tried to be awful nice to Abe's
ornery brother Ephe, and Ephe he was
tickled most to death. but that didn't
do Abe any good-Ephe was jest ornery
enough to take care that Abe shouldn't
get any comfort out Of it. They do say
she sent messages to Abe, and Ephe
never delivered them or else twisted 'em
so as to make things worse and worse.
Mebbe so, mebbe not-Ephe was ornery
enough for it.
Course the schoolmarm she was
boardin round, and pretty soon it come
time to go to ole man Dodge's, and she
went; but no Abe could she ever see.
He kept away. and as to meals he never
set by, but took a bite off by himself
when he could get a chance. cCourse
his mother favored him, being he was
SO cussed unlucky.) Then when the
folks was all to bed he'd come in and
poke up the fire and peek into his book,
but first one side and then the other,
same as ever.
Now, what does schoolma'am do but
come down one night when she thought
he was abed and asleep and catch him
unawares. Abe knowed it was her quick
as he heard the rustic Of her dress, but
there wasn't no help for it, SO he just
covered his crosseyes with his hands
and she pitched in. What she said i
don't know, but Abe he never said a