Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-08-21
PlNkEY PERKINS,. JUST A BOY.

With the approach Of "Arbor Day"
the teachers of the Enterprise public
schools began to make their plans to
observe the occasion with ceremonies
which should be both enjoyable and
appropriate. 1t was the general de-
sire to create real and lasting inter
est in trees and plants among the chill
dren, and to this end certain outdoor
programs were to be carried out.
This day was to be one to which all
school children looked forward with
a certain amount of pleasure, for the
exercises always consumed part of
the study and recitation hours. and
in honor of the day This latter pos
sibility was the chief attraction which
the day offered to "Pinkey" Perkins,
for his boyish mind never could see
the real reason why 1t would take
twenty-five or thirty children to plant
one or two little trees, and why they
always had to be planted on certain
day.
"Say, 'Buny,'" said Pinkey to Bunny
Morris one morning few days before
Arbor Day, what do you say to going
to the country Thursday afternoon?
l heard that Red Feather is going to
give us half-holiday as soon as we
get the trees planted"
"That'll be great" replied Bunny,
enthusiastically It'll be worth learn
ing verse to say at the exercises and
dressing up in your good clothes, If we
can get off for the rest O. the after
noon. But how do you know she's 60
ing to do it,"
"Joe Cooper said so, and I guess 1t
| came pretty straight His sister, who
teaches in the primary, told him, most
likely. He wouldn't say for certain
who told him. There's no use asking
Red Feather"
The proof which Pinkey had pro-
duced satisfied Bunny's doubts, and
| forthwith the pair began laying their
plans for their outing.
Going to the country meant visit
to the farm of one of Pinkey's uncles,
who lived near Enterprise, and in
Guided a whole assortment of pleasures
gathered together into one delightful
excursion. 1t meant swim in the
pond when the weather was warm
enough, potato and apple roast in an
outdoor oven dug in the hillside, and
somersaults and other daring acroba-
tic feats in the large hay-mow
When the program for Arbor Day
had been arranged, each Of Red Feath-
er's pupils was given sentiment or
few appropriate lines of poetry to
commit to memory, 1t being her plan
to have all her scholars take part in
the actual planting Of the trees, and
the verse was to be repeated as each
pupil tossed his or her shovelful of
earth around the roots of the tree.
The scholars entered into the spirit
of the celebration with more interest
than was customary on such occasions,
for the rumor of prospective half
holiday had spread through the school
and had become a certainty in the
minds of all.
Arbor Day came at last. and was
heralded with delight on all sides. A
more perfect spring day could not have
been desired the soft, balmy air pro-
voking the outdoor spirit in all to arise
and demand release from the oppres-
sion Of the school-room. The morning
session went on as usual.
Noonetime finally came, and the
children hurried homeward to prepare
themselves for the afternoons exer-
cises. 1t was to be no ordinary occa-
sion. All were to come in their best
Sunday attire. and Red Feather had
announced that she desired each of her