The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1897-12-10


Moses needed 10 get into the fresh air
and remember that he was a boy. after
all, and could whoop and shout away
the effects Of the strain and struggle.
aarth' Abby said to herself that that
was why she made him go, but she
knew better. | do not for a moment
pretend that she did not know better.
She was filling the inkstands-lttle
glass wells inserted in the desks. When
she came TO Lenders desk she sat
down. Leander had not been al school
that day; IL was reported that he had
been working so hard for the prize that
il had made him i'll.
She lifted the lid of the desk. There
were the problems in his exercise book,
all set down neatly and with pains
taking in Lenders fine, cramped.
| grlish hand. There was pink pressed
in the exercise book, and the whole desk
smclled of perfumery. Marth' Abby
turned up her nose.
| But the nose came down. and her face
grew pale under its yellow freckles-
the Haycock Hill freckles, that never
came off; for the problems were all
there. Why. of course. that was the
answer 10 the dreadful one-simple
enough when once you saw through il.
The prize would be Lenders; every
thing was his. not only the money Of
which her father had been robbed but
the brains. Nature had been kind to
him rather than TO poor plodding
Moses. Marth' Abby drew long,
throbbing breath. and, all alone in the
schoolroom, her white face blushed red.
She returned Lenders exercise book
to the corner Of the desk-the very cor
ner from which she had taken it, di-
rectly under the ink well, and then she
resumed her occupation of filling the
ink wells.
| A little piece was broken out of the
glass rim of Lenders ink well. 1T
was when she had caught sight of this
that her face had grown red.) One had
to take care in filing the well or the ink
would run into the desk.
Everybody knows l am near-sight-
ed said Marth' Abby TO herself, and
she poured the ink carelessly, poured
and poured. until there was little
trickle Of ink through the desk TO the
| floor.
| Marth' Abby got cloth and wiped
the floor carefully: then she lifted the
desk lid furtively. as if there were eyes
in the walls. Leander's exercise book
was soaked with ink; not a word. not
figure in il could possibly be legible.
She finished her work with trem
bling hands; it was wonder that
more ink was not spilled.
| As she walked homeward Marth' Alb.
by was happy-triumphant. All the
town would know tomorrow that the
brightest boy in Poppleton lived in Hay
cock Hill. Moses chance to be some
body" was assured.
That was pretty bad night; you
would have guessed it il you had seen
Marth Abby going down the hill an
hour before school time the next morn
ing in her old everyday dress and with
out warning Moses about q clean, stiff
collar. although il was the morning Of
the fatal examination day.
She walked directly 10 Uncle Alonzo's
fine house and asked to see Leander.
Leander was surprised and colored and
scowled at her fiercely.
| II came to tell you that I've spoiled
your problems-soaked them with ink,
so you couldn't get the prize away from
Moses" she said. in harsh, strained
voice. II wanted him to get it so much,
so that Uncle Abednego would send him
10 college. that | didn't feel how shame
full and wicked il was. and-and you
can never take things back. you know"
| The boys scowling face softened and
lightened into girlish beauty.
You needn't mind-not at all.
have them all at home here-copied, -
he said. Marth' Abby's face frightened
wonderfully. She was glad-yes. hon
estly gad "But--but I'm not going
to hand them in" Leander looked as if
il were something to be ashamed Of.
"A fellow likes TO see what he can do,
you know. but IL wanted Moses to
worked hard-when he doesn't like II,
ms you and do. you know. tie likes
business. lie knows a great deal about
the mills-the men have told me. I've
spoken to my father. He would like to
give him chance. He would be sure
10 do well. he's SO clever. There are
different kinds of cleverness, you
know"
You would help him-now, now,
| after what I've done?" cried Marth'
Abby, her strong little face beginning
to work piteously. She turned away to
hide it. "You-you're beautiful boy!"
she called. chokingly, from the gate;
land | wish't Id put any head in the
ash hole" (for all her learning and am
bition. Marth' Abby used the vernac-
ular of IIaycock HilD before ever ]
called you Olcander.'
After all. il was a little tow-headed
boy. the youngest in the class. and
! whom no one thought of,who had solved
all the problems and won the prize.
Marth' Abby attempted to comf~rt
Moses on the way home, but Moses was
suspiciously lighthearted. lie went so
far as to say boldly that many fellow
had been somebody without going to