The San Francisco call., 1906-10-28

not TO wish that IL was All over, and
that he could take the big rod and
scamper down to the pool where the
big fish lay.
When his composition was finished
Billy thought that it sounded pretty
good He had got it all in the two
pages of foolscap. and he was sure he
had put in most of the things he had
learned. He hadn't copied any, either.
He had used his own words and had
known just what he wanted to say, He
read it over for the last time on Fri
day evening just before going to bed
and felt pretty sure of the rod, though
there's that Kid Harris down at the
Bunker school, he reflected. They say
he was born studyin'. But on the
whole, Billy handed in his work early
Saturday morning with light heart.
Monday afternoon the compositions.
were to be read. Judge Graham was
to read each one first, announcing the
winner afterward. He always read
very slowly and distinctly, and seemed
to know just what fellow was trying
to say, so Billy felt that his paper was
in good hands When the afternoon
came the four contestants were placed
in the front row, directly under Miss
Ellerslie's eye, and Judge Graham, a
portly man with kind eyes hidden be-
hind gold bowed spectacles, was ready
TO begin the reading
When the class had subsided into its
afternoon quiet the Judge opened the
first paper and. read 1t through 1t
was an excellent composition-even
Billy felt that-but suddenly something
made him squirm with joy.
Huh" though Billy listening. HE
amt got in when he was born or
nuthin. | guess the Judge kind of
noticed that"
If the Judge had he made no sign.
He merely went on with the reading of
the second one. which was even better
than the first In fact 1t was so good
that Billy felt pang. Still---he listen
ed to the third in a dazed way. 1t was
neither good nor bad. but somewhere
between the two, but someway the fact
didn't bring Billy any comfort.
Then as the Judge picked UP the last
paper Miss Ellerslie looked brightly
at Billy, who felt the confidence the
look implied. and suddenly began to
wonder If he had been quite careful
enough. What was 1t Miss Ellersie
had said? Punctuation. Billy. Re-
member your punctuation.
But the Judge was beginning to
read. In an instant. on Billy's stunned
ears fell this amazing declarations:
George Washington was born in 1882
at the early age of eleven"
The schoolroom was in a roar of
laughter. Even Miss Ellerslic was
smiling as she shook her head re-
proachfully at Billy. The Judge was
laughing. too. Billy was on his feet
in an instant, his hand waving wildly
at the Judge "You-you didn't read
it right he suffered. THAT amt the
way it goes. Tain't fair"
The Judge cleared mis- throat pomp-
ously. II read just what you had writ
ten he said. That is the way 1t looks
to me on may see it if you wish
Scarlet with modification and con-
fusion Billy stumbled forward and
clutched the paper held out to him.
There was the accusing sentence as
plain as day. In a second the truth
flashed upon Billy. He had forgotten
to put tho period where it belonged.
And oh. that gorgeous fishing rod.
"Oh. Billy, Billy said Miss Ellersiie,
coming over to him after it was all
over and the Judge had gone. What
did l tell you? If you had only thought
of little, little period
Billy cholSed. for the second compo-
sition had taken the prize, and he was
trying manfiifly not to be sorry. He
looked up at Miss Ellerslie as she stood
by his desk, and something in her re-
gretful eyes made him give the first
promise he had ever volunteered.
Look here, Miss Ellerslie," he said.
Just you wait. That old period amt
goin' to down me forever. An even
If l didn't get the flshin' rod. I'm goin'
to try just as hard next time"
That's right, Billy said Miss Eller-
slie, and I'm just as proud of you as
if you'd won the prize.
r:ie1 Judge met Billy tic next day
on the street and stopped him.
Billy" he asked, do you think
that if there should ever be another
fishing rod hanging up in Higgins
window you could write a composition
good enough to win IT,
Yes, SIR said Billy.
And he did.