The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-06-20
e CORPORAL HEALY walked
lei round the wire fence at the
- corner where the little school
s&eE house stood with the elaborate


S&G&J house stood with the elaborate
air of one who is strolling about for
want Of something better to do. Yet he
burned his head now and again and
eyed the long verandas of the barracks
and the men kicking about football
on the frozen parade ground in way
which was almost guilty. They were
not thinking of him at all, but the SOL
der twirled> his stick and whistled
with unusual loudness, an apparent at
tempt to convince observers that he
was merely enjoying the fresh, cold
wind that whistled over the brown
plains and Redeemed his thin and leath-
cry cheeks. One eye, however, he kept
sharply on the schoolhouse door, and
twice in five minutes he looked secret
ly at his watch. The door opened, and
the children of the post came charging
out, a turhbling group Of boys and
girls, little folks Of the plains, soldiers
babes, clear eyed and self reliant. Hea-
ly walked more quickly round the cor
ner and presented himself at the side
door Of the school, out of sight Of bar
racks and parade ground. Graves, the
soldier schoolmaster, was clearing his
desk and preparing to follow the
youngsters.
"Hellow he cried, looking up at the
tall, straight, redheaded figure in the
doorway. Coming to school, corporal?
What reader shall put you inT
Healy grinned benignantly.
EUR manys the year, Graves" he
said, "the school of the battalion has
been the only wan I've found nicis-
sary, an tactics has bin me RAIDER.
Shure wuz passin' an looked in upon
yez. It's a wearin' job yez have,
Graves, t'achin' them kids, near as bad
as drillin' rockies, I'm afther think
in'."
"Aboutv' said Graves, taking up the
door key.
"Ye've a great head, Graves" the
corporal said sweetly, with flattering
cock Of kis blue eye. give bin hearin'
the major towld the chaplain to lave
yez be, as yez knew more than he did,"
Graves laughed and sat down.
when you flatter me like that, Hea-
IT," he said, II know you're after
something. What Is it?"
mot at all, at ALP cried Healy, sud-
denly becoming nervous. II wuz jist
passin'. But, SEEM yez amt busy,
wud yez do me favor, Mr.. GravesT
''Misterw cried Graves, laughing
again.
"I'll be beggin' yez, though, to kape
it to yerself," said Healy earnestly
and plunging headlong into the matter
on his mind. tits no matther av
shame, but the boys will be betther
not to hear it, SEEM as l might have
to take their foolin' sarious. Wud yez
give me yer opinion on that, Graves ?"
Graves took a big sheet of foolscap
from the corporal and read aloud:
'Sweet girl, accept lowly heart,
Which now thy lover with the majors
permission) lays at thy feet,
For from thee, oh, darling, I cannot dwell
apart!
Be mine I respectfully (and, according
= to the rules and regulations of the
ESS service) do entreat."
ATS POETRY, yell be afther motto
In" said Healy, beaming with sucl
pride that he failed to observe the
schoolmaster's red face and burst OF
seems ye're we'll known fur scholar
to tuch it up bit, Graves. Ye'll OBJ
sarve it don't sing itself, fur it's ms
furst attimpt since a boy. Thrue pc
ethry shud kin av go to a chune whiI
yez rade it, 1 behave"
"Well," said Graves, "my boys usu
ally read the very best poetry sing
song, corporal. Is this IA declara
tion?'
Healy blushed; at least his necl
grew even redder than was customary
But he drew himself up very straigh
indeed and answered boldly:
'In confidence, it's afther bein' tina
same, Graves. Is it all right?"
'Why spoil the sentiment by thes
bracketed assurances of the major Civ
ing his permission"
saw, Graves" said the corpora
winking shrewdly, "whin / wuz your
ger an runnin' afther the gurrls 'twa
mesilf wuz all sintiment, so it wul
But igspariance has larned me that it
the puractical man gifts there. II
,afther dilicately iushinuatin' to tn
lady that she'd need niver fear til
mayor'll objict. Shure she knows
sojer requoiges to ask lave to MARI
av the commandin' officer. But it Spite
the chune av the POETRY, an that
whut I'm askin'. Wull yez jist drill
into shape, Graves, SEEM ye're scho
ar, which, behave, includes poethry.
The schoolmaster good naturally al
sumed the task and, much to the col
poral's admiration, succeeded shortl
in submitting TO the old soldier a su,
ficiently creditable effusion, when He;
~ gratefully took his departure, lea1
ing Graves to chuckle by himself for
long time in the deserted schoolhouse
AS tho soldier left and took his wa
round the rear of the buildings, avoit
ing the neighborhood of the post trat
er's and the guardhouse, his name
was more suspicious than, ever. TIL
n IL srx4s- IL ~ III