The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1898-09-23
Willle's Amendment"
(By Estelle Mendell Amory. }

Tomorrow" said Miss Reed. "you
may all bring me some incidents show
ing the harm that liquor and tobacco
have done; something you have read
In the paper or know Of yourself" Miss
Reed was just going to dismiss her
little country school when hand was
raised. and Teacher" came from a
bright, questioning boy.
Don't they never do no good?" ask
ed Willie Swenson.
"That is good question, Willie; we
must always be just, even to our enc
mics, so I will ask you to also bring
any fact or case where they have done
good" And in the burst of uncon-
cerned merriment and noise that fol-
lowed the tap of the bell, it would
seem that all Of teachers" injunc-
lions and requests must be forgotten
But before the long walks across the
beautiful prairies were accomplished
every one Of the twenty blue-eyed
fiaxen-haired little Swedes and Danes
was eagerly searching his scanty COL
lection of facts, and almost before the
piece" was called for, mamma was
asked to help out on teachers ques-
tion." At the supper tables it was
also an interesting topic, especially
Willie Swenson's amendment" as one
of the older boys termed it. This seem
ed to especially please the fathers, most
Of whom used the subtle weed, while
all thought it no harm to take a
friendly glass" now and then. Still
the little community was above the
average in industry and morality, own
ing large, well-tilled farms, and having
a Sunday school, and preaching" &C.
casionally in their own language.
AS might be expected, therefore, facts
concerning "Willie's Amendment" were
abundant, and more than one "Adolph"
and Emil" and "Theda" were very
anxious for tomorrow
ooh, got one; what you got?" was
the universal greeting that bright June
morning; but, oh, how the facts seem
to vanish, as, after the short devo-
tional exercises, they were each called
to give them. "This telling about
things, like a preacher" as Claus OLE
son termed it, was one of Miss Reeds
many new ways" Of developing her
pupils, and as yet was a terrible strain
on the courage of these timid little
foreigners.
Some of the older ones prefaced
their quantity told stories or incidents
with, ut stood in the paper last night"
and, of course, were the familiar tales
of misery and ruin.
"But has no one found any good
that these things do?" asked the teach
er, as Beda Isaacson sat down. her
cheeks rivaling the sweet roses pinned
on her blue gown.
For a few seconds there was an
awkward pause, when the doughty
Willie Swenson rose to champion his
amendment.
"Well, my fader had a aunt, and her
stomach got bad (heartburn), and she
took all the medicine in the drug store,
but she didn't get no better, and so the
doctor, he told her to chew some to-
bacco and swallow the juice, and she
got well right Off"
Every other word of this short speech
had stuck in the poor boys throat, but
by means of worming his bare feet and
working at his one suspender, he scor-
ed a victory. Several of his compan-
ions on the defense" looked jubilant,
but almost before the teacher asked
"how they would answer this fact"
hands were up.
IT don't think It did cure the stom-
ach," replied Iva Larson, who was
studying physiology; at only dead
ened the nerves, so she didn't feel
It."
But If it did cure that" added
thoughtful Anna Iverson, tobacco is
tobacco, and it did other things, too
just what physiology says-about the
lungs and juices and kidneys"
"And 1t hurts the eyes," Clipped in
Adolph johnson, little fellow Of sew
en-. while his seatmate gained courage
to add. "And the heart, teacher"
Eyes" said Miss Reed, "the physi-
clans who are now examining the men
for the war find a great many with
hearts injured by tobacco, and they
can not take them. for they would prt