The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-05-28

| stove. The top OF the cage was mad'
| Of stats to admit Of ventilation. ant
over 1t a piece Of burlap sacking wa
thrown. to humor the porcupine's low
Of retirement and darkness.
On the morning Of the day which
Jotbam had declared holiday Spring
rose early. with some hope Of getsin,
to school in advance Of his tormentcr
But be was still eating his fruga
breakfast when the bully rode up to th'
cabin. tied his horse. and entered
without knocking at the door.
Wal. perfessor." he said. laughing
boisterously. school amt keepin' to
day. after all. Is she:"
Get out Of this housew roared the
little teacher. angrily.
Jotham's laugh grew more impudent
Il carlnte to enjoy your agreeable
society for some two er three hours
yit," be said. "Set down. as Spring
rose from the table. You look here
and behave yourselfw and he drew m
old pistol Of formidable size from un
der his coat and fourished 1t threat
eningly.
or course he did not mean to shoot
but people who intend to shoot others
are not the only ones who manage to
do it, ard the teacher realized the
fact.
They sat there for half an horr ol
more. lothian chucklinS with delight
Spring Slaring with silent fury at the
bully. At half past eight lothian re
marked cheerfully:
"As we're a-goin' to hev quite a ses.
sion. perfessor. We mays well be com
Portable. My boots gals me some. SO
of they come"
on they came. and lothian. expand
ing with comfort. removed lis coat as
we'll. He also helped himself to q pie
which one Of the women Of the settle.
ment had baked for Spring. and con
sumed 1t to the very last crumb. the
teacher fuming helplessly.
"Now. perfessor." he went on. after
wipipg his mouth upon his sleeve,
"s'posen we enjoy ourselves. You'd
like to be over at school maxim them
little fellers speak their pieces. You
Set where ye be and I'll speak ye
piece. and mind ye teach me good
or I'll likely cone down and wallop
ye"
He mounted the nearest box. which
happened to be Daniels cage, and
dancing a Jig upon It in his stocking
feet. he began to shout, gesticulating
wildly with his pistol the while:
THE boy stood on the burning deck,
Whence all but"
Here the defamation ceased abrupt.
ly, for lothian suddenly leaped high
In the air and came tumbling down at
full length on the fioor. His pistol few
across the room and he writhed about.
his feet In his hands. and howled with
pain and fright.
Daniel. whose temper was none Of
the sweetest. was greatly disturbed
by the racket above his head. and had
bumped his back angrily. A number
of his quills. pointed like steel needles
and barbed like fine fsh-hooks, had
passed between the Stats. penetrated
the sacking and Jotham's woolen
stockings, and entered the soles Of
Jotham's feet. where. in his frantic
movements, they broke OF short in the
flesh.
Spring made good rse of his eneny's
discontinue. Not forgetting to seize
the pistol. which had fallen at his feet,
he tore open the door and made ex.
traordinary speed in the direction Of
the school. 1t was one minute Of nine
when he entered the door; the pupils
gaped at him In open.mouthed won.
der.
II received a call from Jotha-n Neg
ley this morning." he announced. with
dignity. "and succeeded In convincing
him that school would 50 on as usual.
lothian himself will not be present;
and the session need not be delayed on
his account"
Later In the morning lothian. crest.
fallen and sulky. was seen riding home.
ward. his boots slung across the sad
die and bis feet dangling out Of the
stirrups. 1t was more than a week
before he appeared in public. for it ID
difficult task to remove porcupine
quills which have entered the flesh
and quite impossible to do SO without
the delicate barbs tearing the flesh
sadly. He never attended school
again.
The curiosity Of the little community
was painfully acute on the subject OF
the bully's discontinue at the hands
Of the puny little teacher; but Jothanl
was glum. and the professor accepted
Lis increased prestige without think
ing it necessary to explain all the cir
cumstances which were responsible fol
1t.
But II he had been fond of Daniel
before. what were his feelings now
The little beast lived on the fat Of the
land during the remainder OF the
term. aud when Spring left Rocky Hill
he gave the porcupine-perhaps tho
most welcome Of all rewards-his lib
erty.-Youth's Companion.
x.Rays and Eggs.
A cackling Plymouth Rock hen. tha,
has lust Matched half brood ol