The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-03-20
THE STRIKE AT
 SHELTON SCHOOL
BY JULIA F DIANE.

RW JULIA F DIANE.
 tccpyrtgft, 1906. by Joseph E. Ho%ies.1
 Ever since Maggie Mcclure nan - tered as a trembling. bashful primary, tha skeiton school had been ruled by ladv principal. While she held in heF tara . seepter she so skillfully con -eaiess if with feminine arts and charms lkaf not one of her little sHnJects areamed he was anything but frss and Independent repuoiloAn. ..,...
 If had happened that NAe powers thal IA had decreed that this dearly pAieN- na wieIder of the scepteF should pe as nFanad by n common man. who had yet ia learn that the art of eoncealing ms sAepter was of more value with tnese small subejcts than many hisn-souna- ing titles.
 Now Miss Mullins was round ana raax Of face, with tendriily curis that knew not the curling iron- Miss Mni- ftus ale0 had an extremely popular war of making one so happy that one forgot one's skill m making splt nalls.
 Consequently when the news was spread abroad that Mss Mullins naa been eisulaced by a common man ererw citizen and cstizenass within reach of the beams of ner merry eyes fnlf if a nArsonal grievance, and there was drafted an imposing document 10 be submitted to the principal, threat ening dire but somewhat indefinite
 
 The responsibility Of leadership was weighing upon MagSts's youthful shoulaers, for 1t was Maggie who had faboriously drafted the document ok protest, with frequent trips to diction- ary, and it was Maggie who had tnsis- ted on an organization of the grievcd ones and had made them soiemnly promise to do great deeds out of loyal. fy to Miss Mullins. Consequently, as d matter of course, it was Maggie who had been unanimously elected as the leader of the new union.
 One morning when Principal Hefter mounted the steps to the school build ing, a crowd of dsfiant-faced young sters met him. They stood at the en- trance of yard and doors, self-consti- tuted pickets, labeled In gaudy letters: School Boys and Girls Unlon." We demand the return of the most popular Miss Mullins in the SkeIton school"
 As the principal put his foot on the top step and adjusted his glasses to his somewhat near-sighted eyes, staIwart. red-checked maiden. with a dininutiye Scotch Iaddie elinEing to her skirts, called:
 All ready. kids" giving the signal with a dramatic wave of her arm. As with one voice the crowd responded: to Hefter. We demand our rights, Give us Miranda Mullins or give us death"
 -What's the matter with Miranda NfuIlinsg' ameried the leaders voice. She's all right." came the answer in hfgh-keyed chorus.
 And whats the matter with Mister Ferdinand Hefter7" again inquired their leader In ilysterical accents He's all wrongi' was the answer thrown back from the childish throats in growl of disapprova1.
 When the bell rang. ten minutes later. the crowd outside dissovled into each weak-rinded pupil that evil denced a desire 10 enter the class rooms. Arguments both verbal and physical were resorted to, and so thor oughly was the work done that when the bell ceased ringing less than twen- while outside victorious, jubilant mob of one hundred were singing songs of triumph.
 In serried ranks they formed, Mag gie Mcclure at their head. Over her shoulder floated the fiery symbol of anarchy, made from piece of her fa- ther's flannel shirt. adorned with let tering wonderful to behold, cut from Maggie's own white apron, and spell ing the magic word Liberty" Mag gie was accompanied by a body-guard in the person of her small brother, hoderick Dhu, whose short, fat legs, unfitted for the military stride. con tinpally doubled under nim as he vain " endeavored to keep step to the 'Right-left-right-
 Suddenly and without warning the life died out of their song, and, turn ing her head to discover the cause. Maggie saw q squad of policemen, summoned by the princf- pal, advancing toward them as if on business bent. Loosening her hold up- on little Rodericks hand and wheeling around that she might face her follow CTS, she called:
 Towards! Will ye desert your cause because of few blue-eoats? Re- member the brave deeds of your fore