Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1896-04-18

4 Ah"Rsa EEo&EFAA
squared himself before an opponent In
the "Amachoor Torment
| III dey kid me- he muttered.
"deren be something broke: OATS all .
He half expected the principal would
laugh when he stated his business.
But. on the contrary. the gentleman
seemed TO regard the affair rather APP
proyingiy. This made Mike feel bet.
1 ter, and he marched through the door.
which was pointed out to him, with
mounting courage. The class room was
pretty well filled. mostly by men OF his
own age. They all had a cramped,
awkward look as they sat at the little
| desks, and there was something pa.
thette in the clumsy way they handled
the spelling books whose contents they
were striving TO master.
There We're two teachers In the class
and both were fitting helpfuliy from
desk to desk. imparting information
TO their big pupils and striving by
kindness to smooth the rugged path to
learning. No one noticed Nike He
stood looking heiplessly about for a
moment, then slid into the first vacant
seat and awaited developments. One
or the teachers was gradually work.
Ing her way up the aisle toward him.
His back was turned to her, but. by
the sound Of her voice he knew that
she was young. In few moments sIe
was. as Mike afterward expressed IL.
"givin' pointers ter de mug right back
o. me-"
1t was not until then that he recog.
nized the voice. A panic Immediately
possessed him.
4Huliy geer' he muttered, as he
twisted and squirmed In his seat. IF
she onct pixies me OF she'll have der
gran Ian on me. What de biazes did
drift inter dis joint fer anyway? r
might a-knowed she'd be here" Then
with yearning look Mt the door
through which he had entered, he con
tinued, IF I fought none o. de gang
wuz on I'd slide"
But fear of ridieule held him In his
seat, and, with a wildly humping
heart, he awaited the denoument. She
spent fully Ave minutes strengthening
matters out for Mikes neighbor. who
seemed TO have gotten almost hope
lessly mixed. UnwittiRgiy Mike had
usurped anOther's seat, and, when at
last she dropped into 1t alongside him,
she asked:
How are You getting along with"
thCh+ III %lfhh aSAOiltSHtutHtt w nv.
Mr. McCartyr
Mike turned scarlet. Her excIama.
tion was perfectly audible, and he i'm.
agined that every one was looking at
him
What In the name Of goodness are
you doing here!" Intercepted she, still
surprisingly. Mike thought this ques-
tion cruel. He felt that she wanted to |
draw him out and then Jolly him /
about his newborn ambitions.
II want ter learn ter read an WRITE
he finally managed to say, but, des- |
perately, IF / had knowed you WIZ In /
here" then paused, not knowing how /
to finish.
You would not have come in. is that |
itg' asked she, arching her brows.
Yes" answered he; ''dat's list IT,"
But Maggie was not offended. She |
understood just how he felt, and her
heart swcllcd with sympathy. She
had wanted to laugh at first, but now
she wouldn't let 80 much as a smile
dimple her face for membership of
the board of education.
Yes said she. few weeks after
ward to her bosom friend. Veronica
McTurpin, the miliner, "Mr. McCar.
tvs getting on splendidly. Indeed his
progress is really remarkable. He goes
through every task | set him like a
fash. That Is. every one but the last
one Of the evening. Somehow or other
this particular task always detains
him until all the other scholars are
gone. Then, Of course" archly, ut ID
too dark and lonesome for me to 10
home alone, and he always sees me as
far as the door. He very seldom comes
in. but with contented little laugh.
II can see that he wants to awfully.'
This little affair happened some
years ago. If the reader wants to
learn how 1t turned, out can only
direct him, or her, 10 a pretty little
residence street In the northwestern
section Of the city. The no sses are
all alike, and the man who built them
resides In the last, but one. His wife,
so the neighbors will tell you, was
formerly school teacher, and there il
o brass sign fixed under the window
bearing the legend:
.............. ...............
/: /:
F: MICHAEL MCCARTHY