The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1897-03-04
Ions TRIUMPH.
BY MARY b, DOWNS.

"Seems to me Lon carries all his small
brains in that button on his coat in
stead of in his head, like folks that God
made" Thad was sitting on the bench
beside Ordelia when he said this, sharp
-ening her pencils with his new knife.
LIONS right nervous. I reckon he'll
never get used to reciting before folks -
said Ordelia. LIONS smart, though"
she added, dcmurely.
'Bmart! He couldn't answer boo to
a question without that button to twist
his fingers on"
'Anyhow, wherever his brains are, he
makes good Rotations" persisted Or
della.
''Cuts a right foolish figure at it, just
sthe same"
"Who's that you're calling foolish ? -"
asked an awkward boy, who had
planted himself before Ordelia's DESK
she looked up, laughed, and said:
"Thad says you can't recite word
without that button to twist"
Ions freckled face flushed sensitive
'ly. ''What'll you bet?" he asked, turn
ing on Thad.
"Tll bet a half dollar that you can't
explain one example in mental arith-
metic straight without yanking it all
out of that button of yours"
Gall right, I'll bet, said Lon, reckless
Sly. Then he looked down with rueful
smile at the button in question, which
@dangled by frail thread or two from
his coat.
II reckon I'm bound to do without
It," he remarked, eff don't get it sewed
Ion soon."
ooh, I'll sew it on for you, if you'll
stop at the house this evening-after
you've won the bet," said Ordelia, light
lily.
The news of the challenge went
Hround, and for once interest was reused
On the mental arithmetic recitation.
herefore',-Ordelia thus concluded
her problem-'sthe man had 601 geese
TO begin with" Ending with glib con-
~fidence, she folded her hands behind
her, poised lightly on her shapely feet
and looked with smiling complacency
lat the 'next."
The "next" was Lon. The whole
school belonged to the mental arithme-
tic class, but of the craning line that
had toed the crack from the water
bucket to the blackboard at the begin
ming of the recitation only three schol-
'ars now remained on the hoor-Or-
della, Lon and Thad.
''Next!"
Ions slender figure shot up in rigid
attention. He folded his arms reso-
Autely across his breast and waited.
Ordelia, on one side, graceful and
serene, waited, too, and on his other
eide stood Thad, his feet widely planted
and his face darkly flushed.
The teacher, Miss Molly, read the
tproblem slowly and distinctly. Lon re-
peated it in q clear, defiant voice and
then took up the explanation with con-
fdence. Ordelia settled back into her
place and glanced about in triumph.
( Thad's brow began to straighten in a
X dark scowl. The school held it's breath
md stared. -:
* "Letting 90 represent the number of
sheep that the man had in the first
place, then IL will represent the num-
Der of sheep-of sheep that-yes, the
snumber of sheep that he bought. Then
then the-the whole number of sheep
that he owned-the whole number of
sheep that he owned-the whole num-
Der of sheep would be represented by
~, which, according to the problem
which, according to the problem, and
u 221s Sheep mean which, according
to''-Lon's arms relaxed. His nervous
& fingers went searching for the inspiring
d button. :>t hal. r..
Ordelia's smile changed to chagrin
a. Thad's face broadened with tlerisiye
grin. A laugh went round the school
e Ions stammering tongue stopped al,
S9 together. There was a moment OF
silence; then the mortified boy turned
supon Thad in a fury. 8 gu sneak T.