The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1904-11-12
TIMES REVENGE.
BY WILLIAM II. HANDY

| Miss Morrison. | believe. SAID lie
/ with slight inclination of the head She
smiled assent
He studied her face critically for a mo-
ment. Time had brought no inward grace
to compensate the less of outward pretti
/ ness. The same small sordid mind with
its quick but futile brightness looked out
from the small black eyes The same silly
scorn and SelfishneSs were stamped upon
/ her face
She grew uneasy under his gaze, and
look of panied uncertainty came. Prof.
/ Mason had seen that look great many
times during the past ten days. He was
the new county commissioner
Well, sir. Miss Morrison said with
affected hghtneSS, Il thought would
come in aud get my certificate.
1t has not been issued yet, replied
the commissioner.
She flushed, and looked frightened.
Why, professor, didn't make the
grade2'
Yes, you made l per cent. above the
requirement.
I'm 81 glad she exclaimed, bright
euing. at would have been dreadful TO
fail. and this Is my first year here. Back
home. she went on confdeutially. Il
always made the highest grades in the
county. But YOU, professor, have very
high ideals for Us poor teachers to reach.
. Can | get my certificate this morning.
she asked after moment Of silence.
II fear not replied he.
Why she asked with suggestion
of sharpness IN the infection
| think viii not issue b. be replied
Not issue 1t ''' sh,, exclaimed IN lmase-
ment You said made the grade
Yes. you made the grade, but Ia
not believe yoa are Competent
How could make the grade II |
wasG' 3 compe,ent-what's ihe examination
for2 Her yoic, was rising Il demand
a certificate
The law here. Miss Morrison provides
that when the commissioner knows any
rgasan Why per~ln : not good teacher,
he may withhold the certificate, even after
the examination has been passed
1t partiality pure pariialiiy aud
she came toward his de>k ,hakin. her
finger AZ him msuacincly It's because
I / am stranger. and yoa want that Miller
eirl to have my school But sou can't
fool me tha, way, I IN going To have my
certificate If I hay, "a sue you for 1t In
7sruleseai Yea don't know anything
about me-aud you wouldn knoe what
competent was # yoa met IL in the read.
+ tell you have taught for fifteen years,
and | a, gong 10 have my certificate
-, down. said be calmly.
/ She gbeyed
Mis- Norrlsou. don you recognize
ne
Vel. should think do. she said
vith a sheer -'Yoa re Mason the Great
Did you ever -ee mr before you came
T 10 the county,
{ Ne, she snapped.
Z Then Miss Morrison, ! vail tsA you
a story that perhaps vii help you 70 un-
dcrstand
Aboas sixteen years ago towheaded
boy Of seven started 70 school in the oak
I Grove district 10 Stone county. Tie wore
. patched trousers, = torn hat, cotton shirt
aud carried a badly worn frst reader under
hgs arm.
As hc weu' home that hr-t day,
( seventeen yeaT-old slfi aud a young man
walked behind him Am Z that Mason
kid beaui: -he said TO her companion
Z Nou!dn you Ike 90 have thai patch Tor
a saddleblankeit aud the two laughed all
the way home The little chap eried him
~elt 20 -leep that night, aud although he
was ~oandly thrashed every morning for
month he reias''d to 20 back to school
. 1t va' three years before he went
again. lie h'd leAfn'Ta 70 'e"u ana h1u
begun 10 areA'n o' oe'nz d s'ea' ul7a- lie
+ NAs hungry ana 'n''''y ''l A"vh'v'5e' ana
/ because ne hsa ieAF'ie1 70 'e'a ne 'n'uSu'
be could learn tii' clothes were about
TIE same, except thai the p'tcheS were
larger anu more numerous, ne S''i "h'
had laughed at him 'ha' hFs' daE was ne"
a teacher, but he went anyway
7 lie had u te=lh 81 Tue hFSt oi every
7 thing except the reader.
/ You ought 10 he ashamed "I your
sell she said, ~ l"ud that the whole
school could hear. \ boy a. big as you
To be - green.
He never got over that hurt, but he
stayed on. When he'blundered she min
F ickei him and the class laughed. When
/ she wanted 10 punish some one As an ex-
ample she picked out the boy, for his
father had ne influence ia the district, aud
;he boy had no friends in the school. Still
the boy bore 1t aud did his best for he
/ wa starving for knowledge.
.'Oue evening hi father told him that
I he must ,huek load of corn bel,,re he
went 70 school next day. He went to the
7 field AZ o. clock and began husking the
frosted ears by moonlight. When he tin
ished it it was nearly school time aud he
hnrried of without his breakfast He was
twenty minutes late. She did not ask
him for an excuse, but kept him in at noon.
/ The BOYS dinner was always SO poor that
I he shpped away TO eat it. That day he
s,a ,,tb;,.,