Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1906-12-08
THE RED HEAD
BY F. H. LANCASTER

and lonely little figure in the middle
of the long white road. Marguerite
going to school? Ha! And Marguerite
crying.
Big Theopile dropped his ak and
came uncertainty to Marguerite's side.
Bon Jour-" he said awkwardly.
Marguerite Strengthened up sharp
ly. She pulled her bonnet over her
face. She frowned. Did she not hate
this red-headed boy? Ha! Hate him
more than she hated the multiplied
ton tables And that he should have
caught her crying-because she could
not learn the nine table. He, Theo-
phile.
Il have headache, me-" she said,
primly.
Theophile plodded at her side help-
less as a dumb beast on false scent.
A headache? Then why was she going
20 school? Ha! but he must say
something, and say it quick.
"Das mex you feel bad? Das NAL
dc tete?" He dared not be too solicit
Gus. He had been snubbed too often.
Marguerite fibbed virtuously.
1T is not the pain. 1t is that can
not so well study" And in the vir-
tuous remark was conveyed cold re-
buke. He, Theophile, never studied
the great lazy creature, the sorriest
scholar in his class. Had not the
teacher put him in corner behind
her desk so that his idlenesS might
not disturb the rest of the school
Why, the littlest girl on the play
ground was ashamed to be seen talk
ing to him. And here was she, Mar
guerite, the head of the class, walk
ing to school with him. She tossed
her head and turned Indignantly.
"Theophee," she began, sharply.
"Das all right" he interrupted in q
deep, comforting tone. "Das all right
/ been t'ink me, bout what you say
vas. How das headache mex 1t hard
| for YOU to study. But das multeeplee
cation table, das nine. He amt hard
| no!'
Amt hard!" Marguerite blazed
This did indeed justify umbrage. &c
be told by Ounce that the thing she
had been crying over was not hard.
"Mebbe you amt fought bout das
How one half come big, other half &C
! little?"
Go little" she reiterated, scornful
w. hut Theophile had seen his
chance to help her. AS well might
she try TO turn a thirsty OK from wa
ter as to stop him now. He explained
eagerly:
Like dis, vas. Nine times one
Das mex nine. Noting on inside, nine
on outside. Nine time two? Da:
mex eighteen. One on inside, eigh
on outside. Zine time tree? Da!
mex twenty-seven. One come two
eight go seven. Next time. two come
tree, seven go six. CONNIE ca?
And next time" Marguerite ut
tered, She was amazed. But, yes
TO learn wisdom from the mouths o
babes and sucklings-Iia. but to b.
taught an easy road to the nine tabl'
by a red-head She forgot that thu
schoolhouse was in sight, forgot tina
she was late.
And next time" she repeated whel
Theophile only smiled, next tim
tree come four, six go five. Forty
five. Bein, nine times five mex forty
five!"
"Yas. And nine times six, he mex?
suggested Theophile.
"Feefty-four l'on!"
Enchanted, Marguerite stopped Il
the shadow Of the pines to work on
the whole table, forgetful of time an
place Gloriously happy TO hav
helped her, Theophile stopped also
forgetful of everything under heave
save Marguerite's bright eyes.
When they reached the schoolhous
school was in. Marguerite f1ushe
with shame. Theophile grinned 1
joyous unconcern. The teacher locke
sharply from one to the other. Sh
sew the tear marks cn Marguerite
face; the graceless grin on Thes
phile's. She spoke sterIlly:
so you have been teasing the girl
now, have you, rheophile? Ths
makes your sixth demerit for thi
week." She was very young. ths
teacher. II was her first schoo
Theophile went blithely to his Ounce
seat and got out a book. Six deme
it's or six thousand. What did he car
for the little black marks. He ha
helped Marguerite.
Marguerite Jared much worse. b,
yes. With conscience calling her
sneak and a shame that wouldn't Il
her stand up before the whole scho,
and take the red-head's part.
~ oil un bete," she accused Wild,
But what avail to cali herself q bea!
in secret IL she was going to stand b
and let bin be called a beast b
every body--for something he hadn
done. And that was what they did .
recess. The girls tainted him aud III
boys would have fought him-if h
had not been 30 big.
And the next morning regret mad
~ all the worse. II seemed so easy
DOW that the opportunity was gon
SO easy to have turned and said, IN
Mees May, IL is not that Theophe
I leased me 1t 10 that have the hea
ache" Well. why hadn't he done
, the stupid! Why hadn't he told teac