Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1901-01-11

due 70 anything but cultivation by
'molly-coddling,' as they expressed
It, and heroic measures seemed to
them fitting, ifnot a laudable, rem
cdy
Two were detailed to fix the bridge
for unsuspecting Phil at the proper
time This time had not yet arrived
when something unexpected hap
pened.
Phil was taking, few days later,
the practice he often INDUCED in by
himself, throwing his ball as high as
possible in the air and catching it in
its descent.
AS he flung it up again and again
he did not notice just where his en-
deavors to stop it before it touched
the ground were leading him, and at
one last high fling, as it descended,
he saw that it was impossible for him
to prevent its falling upon the green
house glass. Down it came, crashing
through aud striking squarely rare
orchid in bIoom--one which Mr.. Gar
nett, the head teacher, had brought
at great expense from abroad, and
priced most highly.
He rushed around to the door and
into the greenhouse to find the mis-
chief done beyond repair--the stem
snapped off close to the bulb.
What PILLS emotions were can only
be imagined, but CONSERVATION and
grief were chief in his countenance as
he stood there, the broken flower in
his hand
He looked around; the gardener
was absent; he was alone; no one had
seen him. How could he face the
anger Of Mr. Garuett? What should
he do?
He picked up the ball. laid down
the flower and walked ont, whittier
than the boys had ever seen him.
lie well knew there was no excuse
for his carelessness, and he also knew
that the penalty would be severe
when the culprit should be known, on
Mr. Garnett's return from the city
The summons bell rang as he went
slowly up the path, and be hurried
to his room to prepare for chapel.
Sandy says the orchid is brokenw|
we're the first words he heard as he
went down the stairway few minutes
afterward
lawfully unlucky chap, whoever
did it!'' remarked one.
81 should say SO. 1t will likely be
at least Mr.. Garnett set
his heart on that plant. The rest of
the greenhouse might have been
smashed in without his caring half
SO much"
"Good thing it wasn't you, Phil"
said Ern Allen to him as he reached
the last step, the others having passed
into the chapel "You'd be scared to
death when the sentence came-for
it'll not be light"
Butt was /" Phil said, slowly
"Wheww Err looked at his white
face a second Glow on Garth did
you ever contriye TO get into such
sorape?'
81 don't know carelessness, that
was all, y was the answer, the troubled
look deepening in his eyes.
Err saw it, and whispered as they
passed in;
"Look here, Phil; better keep quiet
about it! Let it be found out if it
can be- No use to give yourself away
I'll be mum"
They took their seats, and Phil was
left to sit through the exercises with
a tumult of thoughts running through
his brain.
AS the dismissal bell gave its first
warning tap Mr. Garnett hurriedly
entered, and, striding to the platform,
let his keen eye rove over the assem-
bled boys, as he said, in deep, ominous
tones:
"Some one has broken the green
house glass and ruined the orchid. /
have repeatedly warned you all that
the boy who should thus offend would
be summarily dealt with. Now let
the guilty boy stand up"
The stern voice alone was far from
being any inducement to confession,
while the intimated punishment was