The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-09-26
Wednesday, Sept. 26, 1894.
The Making Of a Gentleman.

The Making Of a Gentleman.
"Robert Gilmore, one demerit, fol
talking without permission" said Mr.
Cell, very loud, indeed, from the desk.
Poor Rob! It was rather hard on
him, for it was more Alexis fault
than his. Aleck had begun the whis,
pering, and on such aninteresting sub
feet that Rob, instead of bluffing him
off. as he knew he ought to do, listen
ed, and answered, and got into trouble,
But Aleck was not caught. "pm
going to fix that little snob after
school," was what Aleck had whisper.
ed to Rob.
"What snob?'' asked Rob, with
quick curiosity he didn't know what
a snob was; I don't think Aleck knew
very we'll himself.
"Why, that dandy, Walter Lindsay.
with tassels on his boots. TasseIs,''
continued Aleck in deep disgust;
"what sort of a boy would wear tas'
sells on his boots ?'' .
Rob looked across at the boy with
the offending tassels hewas yawning
over his spelling-book, kicking his
heels together, twisting stray lock o1
hair, and altogether behaving very
much like other small boys.
: "What are you going to do to him.
asked Rob, anxiously. ,,
"I'm going to follow on behind till
we get to that place right in front ol
Dunlap's grocery, where the two gut
tiers meet-do you remember"
"Suppose he don't 60 home that way
But MI. Cell had been growing
conscious for the last minute and
half of whispering in the air, and
without raising his head, he rolled
those deep-set eyes around till be
caught Rob in the midst of his "sup.
poses," and clapped him down on the
''black book" as the school called 1t.
This demerit was particularly hard
to stand, because it meant that he
would have to stay in half hour at:
ter school, examining dictionary, and
this meant that he would miss the ex.
citement of seeing Aleck "fix" Wal,
ter for being snob and wearing tassels
But 80 it had fallen out, and Rob
7 like most small boys, made the best ol
it, learned as few words as possible
teased big fly he had caught, munched
a withered apple he had found in his
desk, and presently got to the end o.
ssHello! Aleck; wait for me-" he
shouted the next morning Oh bis way
to school, as he caught sight of his
comrades old brown cap q square
ahead. Rob had been in a surprising
hurry to. get away from buckwheats
and maple syrup that morning-his
appetite being keen fer what Alecb
had to tell of his fixing the snob:' u
And, as good luck. would have it,
here was the hero of the engagement
himself, only square away.
"Well, did you do it? Did you fix
him" painted Rob, pulling up along
"Do what9" said Aleck, rather
gruffiy.
"You know about Walter Lindsay
what did you do to him ?"
''Nothing," anwsered Aleck briefly
Rob felt very flat, but Aleck was cross
and would give him no satisfaction
Later in the day, under the thawing
influence of Rob's lunch basket,
Alexis tongue was loosed.
"I say, Rob-" he began suddenly,
and with confidential disregard of good
English, "that there boy has got the
making of gentleman in him."
But Rob had forgotten. "What
boy ?"she asked.
"Oh, puddin' head, I mean Walter
Lindsay Yesterday was sneaking
along behind him, like said, and just
before we got to Dunlap's grocery who
should be out in the middle of the
street but Mrs. Dorsey's little idiot
boy, Mac! There he was, wagons
driving this way and that way, men
shouting at him to get out of the way,
and Mac not paying any attention
bat lust moving out there like calf.
There were q lot of US fellows, and
maybe some Of us would have seen
what to do presently, but just as Bach.
mans big dray came tearing along, out
springs Walter Lindsay, right though
all that nasty water was thinking
about pushing him into, most up to
his knees, too, and seizes Mac around
the waist. .'~ +-
1.-THE little idiot struggled and fought
him, and knocked off his cap, but Wal.
ter showed pluck, I tell you, and wa.
ded back with him, and actually coax.
ed him along home.
"You've got your feet awfully wet
and dirty saysI. -,
"Oh, never mind! says he, they'll
dry off all right and he took no more
account of those fine tassels than If he
didn't have en-"
"And what did you do ?" asked Rob,
with the instinct Of true listener, feel
ing that the story was not done. II?
Oh, I just waded in and got his cap fol
him ~ answered Aleck, shamefacedly
"but I tell you what, Rob, that fellow
can wear tassels hung round him like
a table cover if he pleases, he's got the
making of gentleman, like 1 told
- EOahorpa