The Washington times., 1905-10-29

ters pertaining 10 dress, behaving in an
overbeariag, and arrogant way toward
boys less fortunate than himself AS
he viewed this picture he felt like one In
a trance. and spoke out involuntarily:
Il guess / got the big head over my
nne average at school this month and
because my papa owns the finest store
IN town and We live I'm an elegant big
mousse and Keep two servants. while lots
OF other boys don't have half SO much
as do. l dress better'n most of the
other kids of my size, and / never have
70 work. always made fun of the poor
boys who had TO earn a few nickels
doing odd jobs after school. But l am
awfully smart-I am am often at the
head of my classes. / shall be great
rich man someN day and make hundreds
of people work for me- And Arthur's s
head expanded another inch as he said
"Ah, ha, you dunce-you saphead. So
you think" cried another Bighead-
THAT was the wav i felt when L first
came here. But this place takes the
starch out of you. 1t is work or starve-
like a miserable laborer. here | am so
nearly starved that I'm as thin as a
lace curtain and as hungry as a Siber1l
ian wolf. Look at my clothes-in shreds Z
months. But | won't blacken them if
they are never blackened otherwise
Well, my parents are rich and go in
the swellest society. they do NV stand
ing in school was fine-my father paid
enough to insure that, and / had private
tutors who got my lessons for me-
30, my own mother got my lessons for
me-. Dragged Arthur. his great head
tossing in an egotistical way. THAT is.
she always went over them to me till
couldn't possibly miss And what
world OF work and trouble she saved
mel"
shut your mouths. snobsr" cried the
girl who had first spoken. What are
either of you compared to me? l came
of nobility, she said. with a heavy
stress on the last word. 81 never so
much as unlaced shoe or combed nv
own hair till / came to this place. I
had nurses, maids. and governesses to
wait upon me night and day. When /
went down the avenue in our splendid
carriage / turned my nose up at the
poor. miserably dressed children who
stopped to admire and envy me-"
What are you doing here?" asked Ar
thur.
Just what you are doing" she retort-
ed, tossing her huge head. that seemed
In danger of coming off her thin, ill-fed
body "Can you tell what you are do
inm here?"
Arthur was perplexed for a moment
and shook his heavy head that ached
so. owing to its awful swelling. NO
he answered; but L did not come here
of my own will. do not know why l
am here or what i am to do"
We'll. let me tell you why you are
here" sneered a boy about Arthur's
SiLt- lou mere 10 Dt f11Ue humble
TO bite the dust. You will work or
starve. II you eat you must go into the
fields and plow and SOW and reap. The
girls-if they eat-must cook, sew and
keep house. You see how nicely this
place is kept, don't your he asked sar-
castically. well. If you are like the
rest of these smart alecs you'll refuse
TO do anything but grumble and starve."
'Oi you needn't brag," retorted an
other girl. making threatening gesture
as II to strike the speaker. "You are
nothing but a smarty. boasting always
And. like the others that you condemn
you are pack Of lazy bones The quick
er you starve the better Tor this com
munity. Well be rid of mass OF van
ity and eRotism."
And who are you. Miss Spouter. that
you should air your opinions?" loudly
shrieked another girl who till now had
kept proudly aloof from the rest, look
ing on them scornfully.
Thus the quarrel grew. all taking
voice and evident delight in ii with the
exception Of Arthur who grew uneasy.
fearing blows would come TO pass Why
all this disagreement and hostility? he
questioned himself. II all these Big
heads were to dwell together, why not
do so peaceably?
But when the time came for Arthur TO
go to work he refused. What he Ar
thur Grey. dig in the dirt? Starve fi-sti
Then came the time for him to show
friendly disposition toward his assocf-
ates or an unfriendly one. At first he
felt inclined toward the former, and,