The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-02-09

4'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 of Dun
laps grocery, where the two cutters
meet-do you remember"
Suppose he don't go home that way,
suppose"
But Mr.. Cell had been growing con-
scious for the last minute and half OF
whispering in the air, and, without rails
ing his head, he rolled those deepset
eyes around till he caught Rob in the
midst of his "supposes," and clapped
him down on the "black book" as the
school called it.
This demerit was particularly hard to
stand, because it meant that he would
have to stay in half-h hour after school,
examining dictionary, and this meant
that he would miss the excitement OF
seeing Aleck fix" Walter for. being a
snob and wearing tassels.
But SO it has fallen out, and Rob, like
most small boys, made the best OF it,
learned as few words as possible, leased
big fly he had caught, munched with
cred apple he had found in his desk, and
presently got to the end Of his half hour
and tore away home.
Hello! Aleck, wait for me-" he shout
ed, the next morning. on his way to
school, as he caught sight Of his COM
rade's old brown cap, square ahead.
Rob had been in surprising hurry to
get away from buckwheats and maple
syrup that morning. his appetite being
keen for what Aleck had to tell of his
fixing the snob." 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 alongside.
DO what?" said Aleck, rather gruff-
ly.
"You know about Walter Lindsay;
what did you do to him?"
Nothing" answered Aleck. briefly,
Rob felt very fat, but Aleck was cross.
and would give him no satisfaction. La
ter in the day, under the thawing infiu-
ence of Rob's lunch basket, Alexis
tongue was loosenetl.
81 say Rob- he began suddenly, and
with confidential disregard of good Eng
fish, "that there boy has got the making
- N ~, hin,
But Rob had forgotten: What boy?"
he asked.
20, puddin' head, I mean Walter
Lindsay. Yesterday ! was sneaking
along behind him, like l 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. but just moving out there
like calf. There was lot Of us fell
lows, and maybe some of us would have
seen what to do presently, but just as
Bachman's big dray came along, out
swings Walter Lindsay, right through
all the 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 Walter
showed pluck, | tell you, and waded back
with him, and actually coaxed him along
home.
"You've got your feet awfully wet and
dirty says l."
40; never mind says he; they'll dry
off all right and he took no more ac-
count Of those fine tassels than if he
didn't have 'em."
And what did you dor" asked Rob.
with the instinct of true listener, feel
ing that the story was not done.
II !? o, l just waded in and got his cap
for him." answered Aleck, shamefacedly;
"but tell you what. Rob, that fellow
can wear tassels hung round him
like table cover, if he pleasss, he's got
the making of gentleman, like told
you.'-Selected.