Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1904-01-27
with his load of shame. he SUNK


avoid the endless "whist-whist" Of
the corduroy He SMILED as he thought
Of the woe the day still held for him.
Some men, going back to business,
glanced at him to see the cause Of his
whimpering. He imagined they were
thinking cruel things Of his breaches.
He heard the tardy bell ring, and
then he ran in and hurried to his
seat. AS he fastened down the aisle
the corduroy spoke louder than be-
fore, but II Red Head heard, he made
no sign, and as Willie sided on to the
bench beside him he kept his nose
buried in his book and did not look
up.
Willie did not go to the playground
at the afternoon recess. He would
have died rather, and for once he saw
the advantage of the rule that the tar
DIV scholar must lose that half hour
Of play.
When school ended for the day,
Willie hoped the teacher would keep
him in. He was willing to be whipped
rather than meet Red Head again, but
he was dismissed with the rest. He
paused in the doorway gathering his
breath to make q run for liberty, as
he had often run to escape his perse-
cutors. AS he waited, he saw Red
Head approaching, and he drew back;
but Red Head stepped up to him and
! took him by the arm.
"You let me alone now," whimpered
Willie.
Jaw, shut up" said Red Head
roughly. II amt goin' to hurt you.
You shut up an don't be cry baby.
| Come along an I won't let 'em hurt
you"
Fighting and scuff1ing were not al
lowed in the entry. Willie put his
thumb in his mouth and gazed at Red
Head doubtfully. Such friendliness
was unnatural. It savored Of a plot
to entice him forth to be slaughtered.
| It was not easy to believe that the
| Red Head who had drubbed him
hundred times, and who scored him as
cry baby, should seek to defend
| him.
| Red Head waited.
| "Come on" he said at length. "T'll
let you help me drive the COW home
tonight"
Still Willie hesitated, although he
was almost willing to risk a licking
to be allowed to slap the sleek legs Of
Mrs. Murphy's cow with timber will
low switch.
Come on" said Red Head. "Tll let
you smoke my pipe"
won't you lick me?" asked Willie
doubtfully.
"No, 1 won't lick you. What would
I want to lick you for?'
Willie followed Red Head hesitat-
| ingly. with an eye to a safe retreat If
| necessary.
One Of the boys came forward from
the group by the gate.
"Hi here comes Whistle Breechesw
he shouted gleefully.
Red Head turned, and clinched his
fists, his blue eyes blazing.
"Shut up, Bob Palmer!' he cried
fiercely. Don't you call him that
That amt no name to call Teller.
You jist wisht you had breeches like
'em."
Bob stopped suddenly. He looked at
Red Head in establishment. Then he
| turned and ran to the boys by the
gate. They listened to what he said,
and then began loud sing song
chant: whistle Whistle
ree-ches-Whistle Breaches"
Red Head bounded forward, his
eyes glowing with anger. He toppled
two boys over, and rained his blows
right and left.
Don't youse call him thatp' he
cried.
1t was a surprise. The boys drew
back and stood ready to scatter at
the next onslaught. Red Head wait
ed, putting, with clinched fists.
1.-THE next Teller that calls him that,
I'll break his facew he threatened.
"An' I amt foolin', neither"
They saw that he was not, and they
waited respectfully as Red Head and
| Willie walked away.
Willie went with Red Head to drive
| the cow home, and Red Head taught
him how to double up his fist for
battle according to the traditions Of
the school, with the knuckles of the
second finger protruded.
"You jist do that" he explained,
"an' you can hurt I'em worse. An if
they fight back, kick 'em Ia the legs.
| That's how I do. Why. you're as big
as I am, an I bet you're jist as strong.
You jist stand up to 'em. There
amt nothin' in fghtin' when you
know how. If you just stand up to
'em, they most always back down.
You begin on Tom Ament. He's a
bigger baby N you are. Anybody kin
| lick him. I kin lick him with my lit
tie finger. An then you tackle Shorty.
He's a baby, too. You're jist afraid"
It was Red Head who egged Willie
on to strike Tom Ament the next day,