New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-09-04


the traditional weather for Prize Speaking Con
tests
Yen be speakin' at the school-house to-day"
said Mrs. Dempsey to her son, he sat down to his
breakfast. She ironing, with dull thumpS.
pair of beautiful white-duck knickerbOckers On the
clothes horse hung freshly Numbered white blouse
There rutf1es the sleeves of it, and its wide
collar stiff.
Michael recognized them sourly the garments of
Percy Willets He nodded gIumly
Il amt got clothes" he muttered.
Well it's true We amt lookn' like millionaire"
Mrs Dempsey admitted with critical eye. An
I'd been hopin' to get the bit of linen suit but
what with the rint-" she sighed. But yer not
naked-an III wash We a shirt if l have time The
teacher SAYS yer the fine speaker. I'll be goin hear
We meself-if the wash;ns out o the way
Il amt goin " said Michael.
Hoop" cried Mrs Dempsey. "an' We are! I'll
lick the hide ofn We i We amt there prompt TO the
mint. Fill the waSh-boiler Michael"
In of the morning the festivities did not
demand his presence until half after two-Michael
Dempsey managed TO escape from the steany, soapv
oversight of his mother
He retired lonesomely a small patch of woods
along the Big Creek where he amused himself halt
heartedly by stoning woodPecker. and recitng The
Charge of the Light Brigade
Seven times he IN swimming. with the faint
hope each time that perhaps he might drown It
would be a horrId shock to Miss Lucy Stringer %
hear of his death he fondly imagined. Perhaps even
they might bring him. a nasty, wet. "drippy
corpse, right into the school house while the speaking
going And then. he guessed they'd b-
sorry
About two o'clock Michael Dempsey emerged from
his unhappy seclusion, drawn from thence by the
thoughts OF the contest He assumed a derisive in
difference and sought field bordering on the road
that 10 the school Seated here huge uptrrnei
stump he watched with bitter heart the groups
go by-parentS in high complaSant dignity; gigglins
ClunpS of thin-legged little girls in white muslin
their about each other Importantly stiff hot
necked. uncomfortable boys with shoes and STOCKINGS
on. and clean Sunday raiment, occasionally with
"buttonholes of pnkS panSies These latter
erry-rnakers sometimes hailed Michael with reserve
Hey. Rooster."-his nickname was Rooster
amt YOU go-Jn'"
Nah" replied Michael laconically Nah I'm
go-un Swimmin' Come on"
Finally they all were gone. Despite his forced
courage. Michael Denpsey's chin quivered And
Miss Lucy wouldn't ever be proud of him again he
sighed.
~ At that moment Michael saw in the
7 I.I distance figure Of angelic purity His
I'D eyes cleaned with rage. and his varty
q IN little fists ClenChed IN anger In
GL/IA some blind way he associated all his
EYEZA i'll luck with this spotess person
~&A rapidly approaching
III SE~A 1t was Percy Willets.
|. !. ]. !" !. !. !.
81 S,ttNN%A He late. At the last
~ JH|4H'RSS-A moment button had come
y l.ltt Ms off the front of his blouse and
n lilIlEsES=N. his mother held him. champing
IH N 4 NHVl HSN1H<F with Impotence. till IL was
NAlt 'ilbNNNEl2 sewed Mrs Willets was
NlW'U' 'WNEEg grievousy affected with head
ttNl, MN |HM ache, and herself could not
MSN.H| HW come TO the entertainment She
M had kissed Percy MOSTLY several
WWNWM III VII times and bade him C1od-speed She
-vysssms-s~- ~ ~ knew that he going TO win
NA&'A When the obliviOuS Percy was
II &NNfA nearly opposite Michael DEMPSEY