The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1904-01-08


whole grist OF such bait as his
brother Epbe Dodge, and yet they
never called Ephe poor, whatever
worse name they might call him. when
Ephe was off at show in the village
Abe was following the plow, driving a
straight furrow, though you would not
have thought il TO see the way his nose
pointed.
In winter, when Epbc was taking
The girls to singing school OF spelling
bee or some other foOlisbncss-ou til
after o'clock at night, like as not
Abe was hanging over the fire hold
ing q book so the light would shine,
first on one page ana then on the other
and he turning the book, and reading
first with one eye and thcn with the
other.
There. the murders ont Abe couldn't
read with both eyes at once If Abe
looked straight ahead he couldn't see
the furrow-nOr anything else for that
matter His best friend couldn't say
but what Abe Dodge was the cross
eyedest cuss that ever was. Why, If
you wanted to see Abe you'd stand in
front OF him, but If You wanted Abe
10 see you you'd have 10 stand behind
hlm, or pretty near II. HOmoly2 Well,
if you mean downright "bumbly,"
that's what he was.
When one eye was in use the other
was ont OF sight, All except the white
Of it. The girls used 70 say ne had 10
wake up in the night 10 rest his face,
jt was so "humbly" Ia school you
ought TO have seen him look at his
copybo0k. He had 70 cant his head
clear over and cock his chin mp till il
pointed out Of the window and down
The road. You'd really ought to have
seen him; you'd have died. Head of
his class, too, right along Just aB near
10 the head as Ephe was TO the foot,
and that's saying good deal. But 10
see him at his desk. lie looked for all
The world like week old chicken peek
IN at tumbiebug And him grown
man, too, for he stayed 10 school win
ters SO long as there was anything
more the teacher could teach him. You
see, there wasn't anything 10 draw him
away, no girl would look ut him
lucky, too, seem the way he looked
Well one term there was a new
teacher cOme-rcgular high-up girl,
down from Chicago. A. bad luck
would have II, Abe wasn't at school the
first weck-hadn't got through his fall
work. SO she got 10 know all the
scholars, and they was awful ticklcd
with her-cvcrybody always was that
knowcd her The first day she came in
and saw Abe at his desk she thought
he was squintin' for fun. ana she up
and laughed right out Some of the
scholars laughed, too, at first but most
Of 'em, TO do 'cm justice, was lcctlc
took back; young as they was. and
cruel by nature. young folks is most
usually cruel-dont seem 10 know no
better)
Well, right I'm the middle of thc hush.
ABE gathered up his books and uppcd
and walked outdoors. lookin' right
ahead OF him, and consequently scciu'
the handsome young teacher unbc-
known TO her.
She was the worst cut up yOu ever
did see; but what could she do or say?
Go and tell him She thought he was
maxim up face for fun? The girls
do say that come noon-spcll when she
found out about ii, she cricd-juSt fair
ly cried. Then she tried 10 be awful
nice to Abe's orncry brother. Ephc. and
Ephe, he was ticlilcd most To death;
but that didn't do Abe any good Ephe
was just OrnCry enough 20 take care
that Abe shouldn't get any comfort
out of II. They do say she sent mes
sagcs TO Abe. ana EphC never delivered
'em, or else twisted EN- SO as 10 make
things worse and worse Mcbbc SO,
mebbc not-Ephe was orucry enough
for it,
Course the schOolma'am she was
boardln' round, and pretty soon il come
time TO go TO OF man Dodgc's ana she
went; but no Abe could she ever see.
He kept away, and rs TO meals he
never set by, but took a bite of by
himself when he could get chance
cCourse his mother favored him, being
he was so cussed unlucky) Then when
the folks was all to bed. he'd come i'm
and poke up the fire and peep into his
book, but first one side and then the
other, same as ever.
Now what does schoolma'am do but
come down one night when she thought
he was abed ana asleep, ana catch him
unawares. Abe knowed it was her,
quick as he heard the rustic OF her
dress, but there wasn't no help for IL,
80 lie just turned FMS head away and
covered his croSseyes with his hands
don't know, but Abe never said a word
only told her he didn't blame her, not
q mite; he knew she couldn't help it
no more than he could. Then she asked
him 10 come back TO school, and he
answered TO please excuse him. After
q bit she asked him if he wouldn't come
back to oblige her. and he said he cal
culated he was obligin' her more 10y
stayin' away.
We'll, come 20 that. she didn't know
what TO do, so, womanlike. she upped
and cried; and then she said he hurt
her feelings. And the upshoot OF II
was he said he'd come back, and they
shook hands on it.
Well. Abe kept his word and took up
schoolln' as IL nothing had happened;
and such schoolin' as there was that
winter. l don't believe any regular
academy had more learnin' and teachn'
that winter than that district school
did Seemed as IL all the scholars had
turned over a new leaf. Even wild.