The Minneapolis journal., 1902-07-05
66e Story Teller
LUQs He q C0wdrd?


IT the before compositions to be
in, Johnny Bryant had forgotten entirely
until that morning when the teacher had the
of the fact These compositions the
the school trustees had to be especially good
Johnny whether Thomas little boy sat
the aisle, had written his Thomas
the recitation but Johnny thought that
composition easily it were written So he slid across into
his little friends seat and began rummaging in his desk
Johnny found the composition all folded little
boys geography He took the book and slid back into his
1t made Johnny jealous he the that
Thomas should have good written when he had
Then he thought, ''Why copy it it in
mine? After that tear Thomas and throw
away"
It the tempter speaking to Johnny he listened.
So he began the composition exactly Thomas had it,
putting all capital letters.
the recitation had put
the geography back its owners seat Thomas
stion lying in little bits in the waste basket.
thing morning began COL
compositions Thomas had
out searching excitedy through
where is your composition, Thomas?" she asked.
II I've lost it, he faered still searching through
teacher collected others again
for his.
"1s gone" Thomas exclaimed then added despond-
entity Il must have slipped of geography
when going home last night
time delay had attracted the attention of all
the children in the Some looked ympathetcay at
others stared with at such
and few boys including Johnny smiled know
ingly, "Was there composition to lose?"
Thomas the II call this inexcusable,
warned particularly yesterday morning to
his composition ready to-day; besides,
pupil in the who hasn't handed in and simply
by careessness have disgaced the entire
Now when the trustees and read all these shall have
to There little boy that didn't hand in be-
he it,
Something n tone of her
voice implied that She too was inclined with Johnny
his friends possibilities there having
been composition 1t have been that the teachers
rather of Thomas owing to the fact
that she had wanted pupils work make good i'm
preston the planned particularly
Thomas composition. be of her best pupils in
that line
Thomas by the teacher finished
talking but although of his twitched
gestivey he stared straight in front OF him and never
blnked The other children excepting Johnny study
ing hard with his geography upside down. gave
shocked glances the little who had disgraced the
entire room by his careessness
That night Johnny cancelled engagement
with his football team explaining that he felt he
thought going SICK guessed
ter stay at home. He sat by the window with his chin his
hand and thought long and deeply.
However, the next morning despite the feelings of
approaching i'll health Of the evening before Johnny
school long before the teacher When she and
after the children struggling Johnny
desk engaged in earnest with her Several
little boys him sly punches in the back they passed
him their to their seats but Johnny did notice
them. Had children been in the who inter-
esed enough in Johnny to have listened they might have
heard him say very sobery, But think that ought to-
It's more'n ought to do
Finally, when all the children their
the bell had the
desk and sad children, Johnny has something
you"
of it with red that
heads Of all present. 'Why, he began voice.
"it-t-it that lost Thomas composition I didn't
have copied his and pretended that it mine.
Here Johnny stopped to swallow something that
stick in his throat. "Tm ashamed of what I did,
Then a his head
In the largest book that he
neay to take the the confession his msdeed
to the school proved at least that he had
that he not coward. -Lucretia Bailey
Ninth Grade, East Side High School,