Morris tribune., 1903-02-14
perfume moment 1 timidly express

ed my desire.
/ had to do more, much more
than that, before l could obtain my
will. l begged, stormed, grumbled,
sulked. / became almost i'll with
hope deferred. At length, for the
sake OF peace, my parents granted
my eccentric wish.
It was a proud moment for me
when for the first time l arrayed
myself in that resplendent nankeen
jacket won at the cost of so many
struggles. Standing before the mir
Tor, | surveyed myself admiringly
for a full hour. I was grand-su-
perb!
''Ah, my Lord Met-a-Mort, you
will find yourself ousted at last!
My shining jacket will soon snatch
from you the prestige acquired by
your stupid, brute force. Georgette,
astonished, fascinated, dazzled and
delighted, will run toward me, for
I shall now be the handsomest boy
in the school. Met-a-Mort will weep
for chagrin, as have so often wept
for jealousy and modification"
Alas for my rose colored antici-
pations! l was greeted with
broadside of laughter. Even our
gentle mistress, Ermance Dulorre,
could not repress a smile, and above
all other voices | heard that of
Georgette. who cried mirthfullY:
ooh, look at him Look at him!
He is canary birdn'
The word was caught up instant
ly. All the scholars shouted in
chorus: 'SHe is a canary! A ca
nary!"
Words fail to describe my bitter
disappointment, my burning shame
and chagrin. I saw my folly now.
But it was too late-the awful deed
was done. Worse than all, in order
to obtain this now odious jacket I
had spoiled all my other jackets and
had nothing else to wear. When on
the evening of that most miserable
day told my troubles to my father
and mother, they were merely
amused. and said to me:
ct is entirely your own fault.
You insisted on having the jacket,
and now you must put up with it. "
Thus was condemned to the per-
petual wearing Of my yellow jacket,
which entailed upon me no end of
petty miseries.
Every day at school l was jeered
at and insulted. Even the babies Of
three years-sweet, blue eyed, gold
en- haired cherubs pointed at me
with their tiny fingers and lisped:
"Canary! Canary"
One day we were playing the game
Of brigands and gendarmes. | was
one Of the gendarmes, who were in
variably beaten.
Met-a-Mert had nominated him
self captain of the brigands and |
chose Georgette Tor his VlVandlefe.
Presently for few moments
there was suspension of hostilities.
Brigands and gendarmes fraternized
as they quenched their thirst and
expatiated upon the joys of the fray.
Suddenly Georgette, with her accus-
toned vivacity, bore in upon the lit
tie group. She bore in her hands
glass ink bottle. q
"See," said her sweet voice. "Who-
ever will drink this ink shall by and
by be my little husband!"
When we resumed our game, I
that I had lost all inter-
est in it. Georgette's words haunt
ed me.
I went to look for the ink bottle,
which the child had carried back to I
the schoolroom. There I stood con-
templating the black, uninviting
looking liquid.
1 closed my eyes and raised the
bottle to my lips.
"What are you about, you dirty
little tling?" exclaimed a voice from
behind me at the same instant that
I received a smart blow upon my
uplifted arm.
Covered with confusion, | turned
and beheld Mile. Ermance, who had
me in my singular occupa-
ton.
l had no time to explain. Just
at that moment my schoolfellows
came trooping in. Georgette, see
ing me standing there, ink stained
and disgraced, and already-the CO.
quette-forgetful of her promise,
exclaimed, with face Of disgust:
ooh, the dirty boy! The nasty,
dirty boy!"
Everything, however, has its
bright side. Mile. FINANCES tap