Omaha daily bee., 1896-03-22
ALONZO THE BRAVE.
A TRUE STORY OF A LITTLE CITY BOY

ny ELIZABETH nIsLAND.

Copyright. 1896. by Elizabeth Bisland)
"a story, please, Aunt Amy"
Yes, a story-and Aunt Amy, II you
know a real, truly story, we'd like that
hest"
"oh, no, Jimmie! Let auntie tell about
Alonzo the Brave, and Imogen the Fair. l
like that best"
mo, auntie, dear-tell us a true story"
wait, don't dispute over it. I'll tell you
about Alonzo, or I'll tell you a true story.
Not the Alonzo you mean, Betty; but a real
boy who is drawer than any knight in the
old romances. This is the story:
1T began with the new teacher in the
second primary grade. She said:
Reading class, please come forward, and
bring your books
The new teacher was young and had
pink cheeks and a pretty dress. Her brown
hair was parted in the middle and brushed
back very smooth, and she had an alert,
energetic expression which suggested bust
nesslike methods. The children of the sec
ond primary observed her with great curios-
ity. and when she was looking they whis-
pered to each other that they thought they
should like her very much. Far better than
old Miss Allen, who wore a funny bang like
broken corkscrews, and had rheumatism and
had given up her classes to go and live with her
sister. Miss Smith was the new teacher
who had come to take her place. A change
which the second primary found very inter-
esting.
There were fourteen boys in the read
Ing class. Miss Smith counted them. Then
she counted them a second time. When
that was done she stared a little. Her pink
cheeks grew pinker, and she bit her lips.
What is your name?' she said to the
first boy in the row. He had a pug nose
and freckles and a cheerful blue eye.
Johnny slatthery, ma'am,' he said.
with a smooth Irish brogue.
land yours?'
Freddy Baumgartner.'
"'And yours?'
"'othcar Thelinthky,' said the curly
headed little Pole, who lisped when he
talked, giving a violent sniff in his excite
ment at being called on for his name right
in the midst of the class. Miss Allen had
never done such a thing-never!-but Miss
Smith went right down the line asking
everybody the same question, until she
came to the fourteenth boy, who said his
name was Alonzo Armstrong.
"'Are you sure?' Miss Smith insisted with
some sternness.
1.-The whole reading class stared. Oscar
shifted again, more loudly than before.
"'Yes'm,' Alonzo said politely, but he
looked surprised.
"Oh!-well, please open your books, boys,
and go on with the lesson
ALONZO IN DISGRACE.
1T wasn't very successful, that lesson.
blundered and Oscar shifted so
often that Miss Smith sent him back to his
seat. The reading class was not so sure 1t
the new teacher to Miss Allen,
after all.
When school was ready for dismissal
Miss Smith said to Alonzo that he was to
wait: she wished to speak to him. He
disturbed, but he said 'Yes'm' again
very politely, and sat still.
"'What is the matter with your head,
child?' the new teacher said as soon as
they were alone.
my head, 'm?'
Don't pretend that you don't know what
| mean" Miss Smith said, a little sharply.
She was a great believer in discipline, and
her temper was sometimes short. why do
you wear your hair in that silly fashicn?'
"Alonzo grew scarlet. He opened his
mouth, and shut it again; but he said moth
ing.
7" 1t seems to me absurd that a big boy of
your age should wear long hair. You must
be at least 10 years old. I thought you were
a girl at first. 1 could not believe my own
eyes,
"Alcnzo grew redder still, and the tears
into his eyes. He admired the new
very much, and that she should for
even one moment have thought him a girl
seemed very shocking. He hung his head. |
On the top of it was a heap of sllken yellow
IL q JIG INV NoS "s 1870 |
fastened with h%airpins. but one or two soft
ends strayed out and curled like little yellow
feathers. |
Miss Smith waited for an answer, and
when none came she said, coldly:
You may go now; but tell your mother
Tor me that | think long hair on a boy of
your age is a mistake. She had better have
cut at once
"Alonzo said 'Yes'm,' once more, and
went; but when the class in reading came up
next day there was the same thick coil on
MS head. Miss Smith noticed that it was
1moother and tighter than yesterday, and no
title curls escaped, and that Alonzo knew his
.essons perfectly. Indeed, he stood we'll in
Ill his classes
Ibid you give your mother my message?'
Ihe asked, as he was gathering up his books
20 go.
"Alonzo blushed again and locked very
"'Yeo'm, I did; but she said it couldn't be
"'Oh-very well! or course, your mother
must do as she pleasas about it; but | still
hink that a boy with long hair looks alb
UNDER SUSPICION.
"By the end Of the month the whole second
Urinary grade was quite sure that not only
i'd it like Miss Smith better than Miss Allen,