The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1902-06-07
II GOOD HnviL.


narochiaI and Jack Pickachip was at
the blackboard in a very bad humor.
Sister Dorotea had been letting the pu-
nils choose numbers" as was the Gus
tom on Friday afternoons, and Jack
had drawn one that did not suit him.
AS all may not understand what
choosing numbers means, we may
explain that Sister Dorothea had a
manuscript book with many wise and
practical sayings in it. These sayings
were all numbered, and each child
drew number on Friday and kept the
saying for guidance throughout the
week.
Jack had drawn on this particular
day: One must learn to be a good
anvil before he can safely give blows.
He would not have minded this so
much had not Sister given him an en-
phatic little nod as she read it, and
added: That is for you, jack" Then
all the children laughed, and that made
the boy very indignant. He saw Steph-
en- 0'Brien's foot stretched out from
under his seat right iRathe aisle where
he stood. Stephen was absorbed in his
arithmetic card, and Jack rather rude
IS aroused him by planting a heavy
heel on his great toe. stephen writhed
with pain; but Sister Dorothea's back
was turned, and he was not the how
10 complain. In the meantime he quiet
~ drew his foot under the desk. but. |
lear, with the thought in his mind that
at some future time he would test
whether Jack had become. a good an
pil.
Another reason for Jacks ill-temper
was that he could not solve his card.
sister, TO be sure, would help him
il he asked her: but if she helped him
np NOflln Craf
the back of the cards He wanted to
nave the most cards at the end of the
winter term. The cards We're collected.
he gave his up still unsolved. and went
Bloomily to his seat. There he found
a source of consolation. He had drawn
picture of "Pharaohs Horses" They
were fercely breathing yellow flame.
and he had put in a tine background
with blue crayon. Then he cut them
out in medallion form and put red
frame around them. He held them up
TO Marie Cltffe, uncertain whether he
had not better give them to her since
the unpleasant anvil experience; and
then Sister sealed her fate. She heard
the whisper, and, quickly turning her
head from her desk where she was dis
Pensing drawing materials, said, in a
severe tone:
Marie,"
L did not whisper to Jack" said
Marie, with red face. Il only Just
said How beautiful"
Another significant smile passed
around. 1t was too much Jack held
up two fingers; which signal meant
permission to leave the room. He was
nrmly resolved that Sister Dorothea
should not become the happy owner of
"Pharaoh's Horses"
The Sister nodded her consent. She
a la Haxr e.
thought little change and fresher air
might be the best remedy. She then
stepped in front of the class and gave
"a snort instruction on drawing a book
an different positions, placing three big
dictionaries in position so that each
row OF desks had a model; and all went
busily to work
Sister Dorothea had passed. round the
room twice before she noticed that
Jack Pickachip had not returned to the
class. Much surprised. she sent Steph-
en- OBrien after him. Stephen re-
turned in a few moments. with ewes
nearly twice their usual size and re-
ported that Jack was not to be found.
either in the building or about the
grounds.
Sister looked very sober. Such a
breach of discipline had never been
heard Of before. A scholar leave the
dren glanced at one another with Won
der. Nothing more Vas said: the
school closed as usual tbut a messen-
ger was dispatched with a note 10
Jacks home.
That evening Sister Dorothea was
called to the convent parlor to see
Jacks father. He said Jack had not
been heme since he left for school. and
that his mother was nearly crazed with
Fna ND -s.,+w-
II sister could not give some clue as to
the lads whereabouts or some reason
why he should have left. his home
- cannot, indeed, sir said sister
Jack has improved so much this year
that cannot at all understand this
sudden freak of his"
That's just what his mother says"
replied Mr.. Pickachip. "She says he
has become so fond of reading since
the children got Father Firms books
with that soap order that she does nor
have any trouble keeping him at
home evenings, and that he has be-
come so careful in his dress that she
can't keep him in collars"
Sister smiled little. but it was
forced smile; and she said:
Our boy viii be brought back to us.
lam sure Of that. Let US have con-
fidence."
God bless you, sister," said the
poor father. getting up to take his
prayers
You win surely have them she
replied, as she showed him out: and
better prayers than mine
There was little sleep that night.
however, for the nun or the lads
parents. When Jack left the classroom
he made race down the stairs and
paused at the door that looked out into
The playground. 1t was lovely spring
fuay; me snow was all gone and the
yard quite dry AS he looked out some
thing caught his eye which added still
more defiance to his present frame Of
mind. It was the sight of a lone ladder
leading up to the roof of the three
story building. h had been there at
recess. and he heard the ianitor tell
sister that they had to repair.the roof
and were going TO put in wire netting
in the bell tower TO keep out the
pigeons.
Now he was alone in the playground
and he meant to so up that ladder. TTp
he went, his heart humping harder
as he got higher The ladder reached
the caves, and another was laid flat on
the roof reaching to the ridge pole near
the bell tower Would he dare to stand
on the ladder he was mounting and
pull himself up on the roof to the 9th
er? He reached the top of the ladder
and took hold of the caves trough.
stood up and looked On the roof. His
heart was beating fast, but he could
not make UP his mind 10 give il up. as
he was so near. Slowly he grasped
the lower round of the ladder OF the
roof and gave himself desperate pull
UP. Never 20 his dying day win Jack
forget his feelings as his feet left the
ladder below and he clung for one