The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1906-06-21

surprised when the boy said soberly
at the end o. the second month:
Erred Smith is ahead Of me now, but
I must catch up"
"Humphw commented the doctor,
unsy sympathetically, and drove away.
| He carried in his pocket a second ten
| dollar bill.
Then came the December cold, with
drifts and ice, making additional work
for Robert. There was shoveling to
do, path to break for the sheep from
the barn to the spring, wood to oe
chopped, and after all these duties
were done he nodded over the algebra
problems which refused to be solved.
| Once during the morning session,
after he had faced keen north wind
for four miles, he dropped asleep be-
side the stove and fell off his chair. to
the uproarious amusement Of the STU
dents and the vexaticr Of Mr.. Teller.
Robert bowed his head in shame over
the principals sharp words. and begged
his sister not to mention the matter at
home.
"I'm getting 50 stupid, Clara" he
confessed. 81 don't know what to
make of myself"
NO, you're not. Rob-" she declared,
Loyalty; but there was an anxiety IN
her voice she could not conceal.
81 stand third in the class" lie told
the doctor. briefly, at the end Of Janu-
ary.
What are you going to do about
it," was the characteristic response.
"Give up?"
Robert mounted to his seat in the
"bobs" and gathered up the lines. His
tone was obstinate rather than hope
full: "No, sir. not until have to-
THAT fellow" said the doctor, later,
to Mr.. Teller, "has paid my bill down
to the last cent. He has done their
outdoor work at home and kept the
family going financially all winter with
that wagon of his. His father and
mother depend entirely on him"
"But, all the same" said Mr.. Teller,
soberly, "he's dropping steadily behind
in his studies, and I had counted on
him at Keybrook to represent our
school we'll"
At home Robert, who had long
race with some snow-blinded sheep.
was falling asleep over his Latin in
the face of his despairing determina-
ton to keep awake.
"But, father" he said. with hope re-
newed when the April report card
showed his marks low in the eighties,
"there are the final examinations this
month. I'm reviewing for them every
minute I can find. They count one
third on the terms work. always
keep pretty cool in the exams" and he
went out to the barn whistling more
cheerfully than he had in weeks be-
fore.
"Hope to come up four places on the
finals, do you, eh?" came the doctors s
discouraging voice. The doctor had
fallen into the habit Of frequenting his
barn in the morning at quarter to
nine, although he seldom had an en-
courag ging word to offer. That morn
ing he noticed how thin and pale Rob-
ert had become.
81 shall do my level best, sir. have
been reviewing for weeks now"
"When do the examinations begin?"
Tomorrow" Robert responded.
The following morning Doctor Jar.
Wis was startled at the sight Of the
boys face. It Lad a drawn, sleepless
look. "See here, Doc, did you study
all night?"
| Robert turned away. Ills tone was
muf1ed. "No, sir, but I: was up all
night with q sick cow"
mice preparation for final exam
inationsr' the physician muttered, but
this time he mercifully waited until
Robert was out Of hearing.
It was a preparation which could
havA but one result. Roberts stand
ings for the term were lowered almost
to the passing mark. he could barely
graduate, Mr.. Teller told him, and the
teachers face expressed his regret.
In heaviness of heart Robert an.
nounced at home the principals deci'
sion.
II feel wicked, mother" cried Clara,
Ito stand higher than Rob after all he's
done this winter"
All day the boy secretly !onged fol
something to happen which would Of
fer a reasonable excuse for his absence
from the evening graduating exercises,
but he longed in vain. Eight O'Clock
found him sitting, in humiliation OF
spirit, in the fifteenth place as the class
of twenty were arranged on the plat
form in order Of their rank.
| Even the students had not known
before how low position he would oc'
cupy, and many were the surprised
stares which met his shamed face on
every side.
The hour spent on that platform was
the keenest torture the boy had ever
known, and it was with feeling OF
. relief that rose with the others to re-
: ceive his diploma. When Mr.. Teller
/ had passed fourteen rolls down the
line. he paused q moment and pulled