The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1899-08-03

| before me, dead and cold. A grave
was there, and by that I knew my
mates must have buried him. Let
him rest" 4 thought, more in sorrow
than in anger; The can work no more
mischief now" Then / turned to the
| place where / had buried the gold. 1t
had not been disturbed, and / covered
| it again carefully, resolving that, If by
Gods mercy we were rescued, l would
take as much of it for my own pur-
poses as was properly my own. For
the rest, my mates should decide what
should be done with it.
My next visit was TO my little Bob's
grave, and | noted with grateful feel
ings how carefully it bad been tended
during my sickness. The flowers
blooming there were a better sermon
than any that man could preach, and
blessed Pearl in my heart for her love
and thoughtfulness.
These signs of love, no less than the
sweet, pure air, refreshed and strength
ened me, and | strolled through the
woods again, thinking of Pearl and her
school with affectionate curiosity.
Seen / heard voices, and / went toward
itcm. Surely enough, there was the
school. in a small clearing, surrounded
by trees. My mates were there, ana
Pearl in the midst of them, holding
book Concealing myself behind a
tree, where / had clear view of the
scene, | listened to what was going on.
Of them deeply interested in the pro-
ceedings, and with such expressions en-
their faces as denoted that knotty
point was being discussed. Tom
Wren, to my surprise, looking some
what rebellious, was seated on some
stones which had been built up to form
a seat. and Pearl was leaning over his
shoulder.
"Now. Tom" said Pearl, 81 have told
you a hundred, hundred times, and
you're a bad boy. Here it is-A. A is
the first letter. Mr.. Bowden, please to
say your alphabet"
To my infinite amusement, Mr.
Bowden, who could not have been less
than sixty years of age, instantly
stood up, and, IN as awkward a man
ner as any new s,hool-boy could ex-
hibit, went stumblingly through the
alphabet. He made a few mistakes on
the journey, and was gravely corrected
by his mates, who themselves were
more often WI, ng than right.
"You see, Tom," said Pearl, holding
up reproving finger, they all know
better than you. A is the first letter,
and o is in the middle"
But obstinate Tom shook his head.
Stand up, sir!" cried Pearl.
Tom stood up so readily and meek
ly, and the other men looked on so ap-
prehensively, that it would not have
surprised me had the fascinating little
school-mistres.z peremptorily desired
bin to hold out his hand to receive six
for his contumacy And Pearl really
did have something in her hand that
looked like cane; but she made no
use of it on this occasion.
"Once more, Tom," said Pearl, as the
bay boy of the school stood submits
sively, and yet with an air of logged
independence on him, before her,
what is the first letter of the alpha
bet?"
Co." said Tom, very decidedly.
"A. sir, A. cried Pearl.
20, Queen Pearl, if you please"
"Then l suppose" said Pearl, con-
descending to argue, and thus in
measure weakening her authority and
strengthening Toms position, you
will say that B is not the second let
ter"
1T is not, Queen Pearl" replied
Tom. boldly.
Pearl gazed at him in ;Tonder. 1
saw the imminence of the crisis, and
waited in curiosity for the result.
What is the second letter, them"
IN"
And the third?"
&C"
"Ah. you've got that right, then. C
is the third letter, and d is the
fourth"
mo, Queen Pearl it is E."
Queen Pearl stamped her little foot,
and Tom looked as grieved as though
he were about to be condemned TO in
slant execution; but he had the cour-
age of his convictions, and he held his
ground manfully.
Upon my word" exclaimed Pearl,
with a comical air of helplessness, Il
really don't know what is to be done
with such bad boy as this!"
Queen Pearl" said Tom, himself
coming to her rescue, like the sly dog
he was, what do you say to the other
school-boys settling it,"
There's nothing to be settled, Tom.
If they tell you you are wrong, you
will still be obstinate. You heard Mr..
Bowden say his A b G. He didn't say