Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1897-11-06


have put it there. might have known
it for piece Of witchwork, Ned said
to himself, trembling all over, but he
stuck to his i'll determination He
would use Weston's exercises. He must
indeed. 1t was out of the question to
think Of studying anything until he
was rid of that fearful string. He must
keep it until playtime. If he slid it out
and dropped it under another desk,
there was no telling what might not
come of it.
The spring was half mile off. Wes-
ton alone might have come back from
it quickly. With Jimmy to bear him
company they were good for at least
the algebra half hour. The master was
even now calling up the class. Ned's
feet were leaden as he went, but again
fortune favored him. After smiling
glance over the exercise paper, which
Ned had handed him, the master called
some one else to the blackboard, saying
in a kindly aside: II must give the
slower wits chance, Neddy. l see
plainly you need no help which I can
give"
"No. He needs manliness and hon
esty. Only himself can give that, the
terrible voice said clearly in Ned's ear.
He set his teeth hard and got SO white
the master said kindly: "You may go
outside for bit, Neddy. If you do not
feel better soon, will excuse you from
all the other classes and send you
home"
"Thank you, sir. IL don't feel just
right" Ned stammered, making for the
door In his haste he was forgetting
the telltale paper.
ooh, you are not even a clever
rogue, whispered the voice. "You bun
gle in your cheating. Remember the
Weston boy will come back pretty
soon."
"If-if you are done with those, sir,
I would like them. II want to show
them to my father" Ned said, holding
out his hand. AS the master laid the
exercise paper within it he turned it
over. Something upon the underside
made his face grow grave, but he said
nothing, only waved Ned away and
went on with the class. If he had
spoken, Ned would scarcely have heard.
The voice was dinning and kissing into
his ears:
"You hate liar and a coward-at
least you say so-yet you have stolen
meanly and lied to cover your theft.
Perhaps you never thought before how
easily one wrong thing slides into an
other. Get away from here! Quick! Go
and stay with yourself awhile and
judge how fit you are for better COM
pany."
He got out Of the house as the water
bringers came to the door. A cool draft
revived him somewhat. He ran on to
great tree, too shaken and miserable to
pay much heed to anything. Presently
he reached cautiously within his pocket
and drew out the hateful string. Still
it looked no more than harmless
piece of queer leather. He noted,
though, that the darkish notifies were
darker and the bright colors somewhat
faded.
"Tell me what that means Tell me
what you are, you terror!" he said at
last, fiinging the string angrily away
from him. 1t fell upon bed of moss
near at hand, and Ned was astounded to
see it dissolve to colored vapor out of
which there soon appeared the daintiest
merry fairy in the world.
"How do you like me, Neddy? You
never saw me before, but have watch
ed you ever since you were born" " she
said, tripping up to him and hopping
upon his hand. "You were born in my
minute Each fairy of us has a minute,
you know, and all the children born
then are our care
"Why didn't you come sooner? Then
Iwould not have done such nasty, mean
things" Ned groaned.
"Why did you make it necessary for
me to come at ALP" the fairy demand
eel, stamping her foot, which felt like a
dewdrop pattering on Ned's hand
eyes, you brought me to you," she
went on. "Such censorious, critical
fellow you have grown! Because poor
Jimmy Weston cannot help his fear of
cows and toads you have sneered at
him and made the school look down on
him, yet used his brains without scru-
pie" "
"No, no. IL hated to do 1t. Imeant
10 make it up to him." Ned broke in
eagerly. The fairy looked at him with
keen eyes. Intentions do not count.
Only actions" she said. "You have
had too easy time You could learn
without effort and are too strong to be
afraid, so let yourself be contemptuous
of less fortunate ones. You have not
learned the consideration due from
strength to weakness. l came to teach
you that more than anything else.
When the master gave back the papep,
he saw Weston's name on it. His first
thought involuntarily was the truth
that you had tricked him. His second
was that because of illness you had
made mistake.
"And he did not tell the rest? Oh, ]
can never thank him enough" Ned said
contritely. "Neither can thank you,
dear fairy, as You deserve.
eyes, you can, said the fairy. Gal
ways believe the best and do the best. ~
81 will try" said Ned. And try he
did always thereafter.