The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-25
THE BOYS DEBUT.

IT was the morning of the first day of
school The bows had collected in the far
corner of the yard where they Industrious
w took turns in wrestling with thet new
how" with the intent of determining once
for all his proper place in the social scale
of the district. The girls, in blue-checked
and red plaid pinafores, were grouped upon
the stile, their arms sweetly encircllng one
another's waists, while they made scorntui
remarks about the new girl" shy, frail
midget. in dropping black sunbonnet, VINO
stood sadly apart grasping battered oln-
ner pail, her eyes fixed on the ground.
"Well, pom my word, here comes an
otherp' exclaimed one of the larger girls,
glancing up the road. who can it be?
thought everybody was here"
No one was actually in sight as yet, but
FAR up the road there approached reVolV-
ing pyramidal pillar of dust, such as only
school boy or, possibly, runaway morse,
could produce. On it came, swiftly sway
ing and waverng like miniature Whrl-
wind and the girls went out to meet II.
AS it drew near, the dim wrath OF a round,
smiling face could be discerned faint
nucleus floating In the midst of the yellow
nimbus Then a dust-covered little waist
was revealed beneath the face, and finally
two twinkling feet. The nucleus suddenly
halted in front of the schoolhouse, and as
the dust dissolved and drifted away, a
fixed and mask-like grin took the place
of the smile. 1t was another new scholar
and the girls Immediately gathered about
him curiously.
IT believe it's Mrs. Wrinkles little boy"
observed one What is your name, dear|'
..Jawnnie Wrinkle, N I'm six years old"
he recited. with automatic solemnity, put
ting on the grinning mask again, with a
emirL as soon as he had finished.
His mother had drilled him upon this i'm
portant phrase all morning, and as he
came careening down the road he had been
repeating it with every step. The girls
formed a circle about him and pressed
closer, one of them STOPPING and trying to
kiss him. without changing his express
sion. he ducked and lodged through the
phalanx with the celebrity of a weasel
Stopping at some distance, he suddenly
thrust his hands into his pocket and
brought rorth a painting, half-dead toad.
Say, this heren make warts!' he ex-
claimed his eyes dilating.
'Why, Johnnie Wrinkle! Throw that
nasty thing away! Amt you ashamed!
cried the shocked girls.
II don't keer," he laughed; "I like warts
an I'm gOin' to have EN- on both hands
an on my feet, too. See?" And sitting
down in the road, he proceeded to rub the
luclSless creature over his feet. Then there
came a jangle of bells and a pelmelI rush
for the schoolhouse.
When, a few moments later, the teacher
looked up in the full glow of her new
found dignity, her subjects had all pre-
empted their claims; every back seat had
from two 10 four occupants, while the fore
ground contained only Johnnie and the new
girl who in their innocence. had taken
seats side by side directly under her nose,
1t was Johannes first appearance-his in
itial journey out into the world Hereto
fore every bit of wisdom he possessed had
been nursed from his mothers breast and
every bit of naughtiness had arisen spon-
taneously from within; but now his first
great epoch had been reached. and hence
forth he was TO win the wisdom of the
world by his own independent efforts and
become familiar with sin by contact with
life. 1t was with such regretful reflections
that his mother had started him school
ward that morning and then hurried sob,
bingly into the house. 1t was with the
shade of a similar thought, too, that the
teacher looked down into the depths of his
blue eyes as he grinned shyly up at her:
but Johnnie himself was oppressed by no
dismal forebodings. His name and age
were soon successfully impaired to the
teacher, and this having been impressed
upon him as his paramount duty to be per-
formed, he felt himself free 10 look about.
The wonders and novelties on every hand
completely filled his mind The huge black
boards and gay eolored maps upon the
Walls, the queer seat be occupied, the