The San Francisco call., 1896-10-25

multiplied by minus multiplied by IA
divided by S-what do you get as the an
swer?"
Much to her surprise, up went Hayes
hand, to signify that he had it.
"WelI, Hayes, what is lt2' she said.
"Seven," said the boy.
"Did you work the example?"
mo, ma'am, guessed it" was the self
satisfied reply.
But one thing that Hayes was notorious
for among the other boys was what they
termed his cowardice, and Coward" was
the name frequently hurled at him in a
contemptuous tone when Miss Armstead
was not within hearing. He never resented
it; if struck by another boy he never re-
turned the blow. He was a timid boy,
owing more to unkind treatment than to
natural ccwardice.
The schoolhouse stood in very lonely
place, having but one thing in its favor as
ocation-it stood exactly in the center
of the district on back road seldom
travelled. with white birches, alders and a
heavier growth of timber all about Most
of the scholars came 'cross lots'' from diff
ferent directions. Miss Armstead herself
came and went across the fields to shorten
her walk, and number of her flock kept
her company.
There was brook which they crossed
on stepping-stones, but Hayes, whose
route home lay that way, would almost in
variably spring up the nearest tree, swing
himself hand over hand from branch to
branch and drop to the ground on the
opposite side of the stream before half the
children were over, and then he would
help the smallest across.
He was always kind to dumb animals.
A mouse had visited the schoolroom fre-
quently, coming through a crack in the
floor, and bare feet would be quickly drawn
up whenever it appeared.
With some shingles and bit of twine
Hayes fashioned a trap. baited it with
scrap of cheese from somebody's dinner
basket and the next morning The mouse
was prisoner. Some OF the boys thought
there would be some sport now in killing
the trem bling little thing. but Hayes
thought differently. He kept the little
creature safe all day and on the way home
opened the trap near u barn and the mouse
scampered away unhdrt.
Tim Adams cried, "Cowardp'
Bessie, Tins sister. slipped her little
hand into Hayes, and with an indig-
nant look at her brother, said. 'Y ou amt
coward; be you, 'Hayseed'2'
Eyes, s'pose So" said Hayes; "the
boys all say am"
Not long after this sad thing happened
Farmer Adams. the father of Bessie and
Tim, was gored to death BIZ bull that at
tackled him in his barnyard. Mr.. Adams
had been district committeeman and the
school was closed the day of his burial.
Most of the scholars attended the fu-
neral, and every night since then, on their
way home with Miss Arnstead, they had
talked of him as they passed his old home
The bull was kept in the barn yet, they
knew, although be was soon to be sold.
Several pairs of eyes, with looks of fear in
them, gazed at the thick oaken door of the
barn and crowded more closely around
Miss Armstead as they passed it.
Tim and Bessie had come back to school;
very sad and quiet they were, too.
week after the terrible occurrence they
were on their way home; Hayes and
several more were with them and Miss
Armstead.
For quarter of a mile before you
reached the Adams home rocky precipice
bordered one side of the road there was a
board fence ten feet in height on the other
side, which inclosed a plot of ground used
as raeecourse and also as baseball
ground. 1t was only two miles from a
large town. and in summertime the
grounds were frequently in use.
One evening Miss Armstead and the
scholars had gone about half the length of
the fence, when down the road they saw a
cloud of dust moving toward them.
Miss Armstead OWNED the cause. The
children. with the exception of Hayes, had
not noticed it, but soon a faint, ominous
roar came to their ears.
''The bull has got loose, Miss Armstead.
and is coming for us!' 1t was Hayes that
said this, but in very quiet manner.
In a moment the children were in
panic, clutching Miss Armstead's dress
and screaming. What should she do?
For an eighth of mile in each direction
was that high board fence which no one
could scale and on the other side that
rocky precipicel
There seemed to be no way of escape.
She might have escaped herself, but she
In the meantime the believing grew
louder. The bull was coming on at full
speed
Miss Armstead, come on quickl" cried
Hayes; "this way; follow mel''
| She did not understand, put she obeyed
as if he had been the master and she the
pupil. Taking the smallest-one by each
hand-and telling the rest to come, she
turned to follow Hayes. Back few yards,
up to what seemed solid plank, he led
them, and in the twinkling of an eve one
Of the heavy planks slid back, leaving an
opening large enough to admit one per-
son.
In the meantime the brute had gained
upon them; they could not hope to get
out OF his reach in time.
miss Armstead, give me your cape, I"
and Hayes had snatched it from her
shoulders and sprung out to what seemed
certain death, directly in front OF the ami
NAL.
Miss Armstead believed that her time to
die had come, but she determ med to save
| her little pupils if possible Callino +bam