The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1904-05-20
How Stumpy
Learned to
Subtract -.-B' A as,;c,
Copyright, 1903. by T. c. Mcclure

Il i
In Munkersville everybody agreed
much off. but off. Pa Dent himself
did not deny it. OF course ma was on
exception to the rule and vigorously
denied everything and anything that
touched on the softness of Stumpy.
And toward pa, because Of his sittin'
on the fence attitude, she assumed a
frigM front.
SILENCE is jes' the same as consent,
Dave Dent" she complained bitterly.
eying her spouse with a shrewish look.
SHANE on We, an him your own flesh
an bloodv'
But Dave paid no heed to these out
bursts. AS a matter of fact, pa was
past speaking to Stumpy. He had
fought the good fight and failed. In
time perhaps, he allowed. intelligence
might penetrate to ,Stumpy's brain.
Good humored, fat and fabby,
Stumpy had seen nine healthy sum-
mers. His eyes were blue and watery,
his cheeks dimpled and red. Rain or
shine he wore hayseed hat two sizes
too small for his abnormal crown, kept
in place by an elastic SO tight that it
puckered and Redeemed his skin. His
pants were drawn up three inches
above his knees, and, though ma tried
hard to prevent it. Stumpy's kneecaps
were always exposed. for Stumpy had
a weakness for curbstones and mar
bles, and rather than stand on his feet
he hustled along on all tours.
In school work Stumpy was disap-
pointing, two grades behind the times.
Yet he could read, spell, add to the
thousands and would attack millions
if he dared. But, oh, subtraction, sub
traction = not even standing black
board example could enlighten
Stumpy's mind.
His long suffering teacher, like pa
was nearing the evaporation point,
when suddenly happy thought occur
red to her. She had observed Stumpy
on the curbstone playing marbles.
Sure! He must have marbles in his
pocket. He did have them, a bullying
pocketful, jealousy guarded. and after
struggle she successfully extracted
three. But it was all she could do to
get them, and for days her soft, white
hand retained evidence of the getting.
"Stumpy Dent" she cried, with blaz-
ing eyes, NOW tell what have donew
''Cobbed ma Marbles" walled the
outraged pupil, with streaming eyes
and waggling toes.
"Hush, hush, sonny. I'm going to
give them all back to you. I'm only
trying to show you what subtraction
is. Now, how many marbles had you
when you came to school?'
Twelve" shouted Stumpy.
"How many have you now?"
One by one Stumpy counted them
and considered.
"How many?' repeated the teacher.
Twelve when We give 'em back
t'me," calmly announced the hopeless
one.
From pent up forms roar of boyish
laughter made sensitive Stumpy tear
full and tight as a clam, and away
went hope like the filmy wake of a
dream.
OF course Pa Dent soon heard the
story and looked sadly at his son. He
himself had tried the practical illustra-
ton scheme, but the lad was unrespon-
sive.
''Stumpy." he demanded, shaking the
boys fat hand little roughly, do you
like school?'
''Yis." was the glib reply.
''Then you must do better or I'll take
you away"
Now, Stumpy spoke the truth. He
really loved his teacher School was
his heaven, and in his clumsy way he
had tried hard to catch subtraction.
But it wasn't pas threat that awaken
ed Stumpy. To Darby Peck, the towns
leading grocer, must be given the cred
1t. Darby had way with him, such
a way that for every customer his
rival, Bollinger, boosted, Darby could
set up four, and Darby had just open
ed branch near Stump's school.
NAV, the laddies' trade amt much"
he admitted, "but Am a-caterin' tenn
jest the same"
Here hitherto Bollinger had held full
sway. But Bollinger was mean. hard
as nails; he didn't give marbles away
with every five cent purchase. But
Darby did, so Darby corralled the
school. Bollinger tried hard to get it
back. At half price, as lure, he ad-
vertised squeakin' balloons and sticks
of candy, the chowchow kind. Who
wanted squeakin' balloons and chow
chow candy? And again Darby went
him one better: