The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1906-06-13
A KNIGHT OF
HERE E-AND-NOW
THE teacher had just got to the
BY ELLA S. WATSON.

more sentence as he buckled on his
paper bag in the entry.
"'There be woeful dangers in the
the wood there be four-score paths.
One is the Path of Exact Right. The
stones are sharp, and the way is steep
at the outset. The plain paths are
many: Just-asGood Road, What's
tbe-Harm Walk, Almost Right Course,
Every body Does-It, Highway, and
many more.
"'But which shall takep asked the
boy impatiently. The knight smiled
wistfully. L may not tell you. Only
this may l say: The thorns that tangle
the Path of Exact-Right bear one
white rose. If one go by that path, he
may pluck the rose and wear it be-
meath his breastplate, and its perfume
will give joy, and the joy will be the
most when the thorns tear most sore
ly.'"
"Zoo-o-o-h" sounded the sbrill trac-
ton cars whistle, and Ralph had to
dash to the 'stop" to catch the bundle
of dailies as the conductor tossed it
out.
That night Ralph's mother was rest
ing after hard day at the wash-tub,
but she was not too tired to see that
Ralph was little glum.
"Whatever's doing at school the last
half an hour l miss, and that's always
the incest part of the dayr'
Mrs. Breen laid water-creased hand
for an instant on the little walnut
stained fist Mammals brave helper
boy" she said, tenderly.
She had never read many books, but
from all language her mother-wisdom
had unconsciOusly selected the only
words that could overcome the boys
mood.
Teacher was reading another of
those Here-and- Now Knight stories,
and he told the story as far as he had
heard it.
"It's so provoking not to know how
1t came out" he added, ruefully.
'The boy took the thorn path" said
Ralph's mother.
"How- d'you know? Did you ever
read it?" -
"No, but l know! He wouldn't mind
the thOrns; he would want the white
rose" i~ns =
Ralph swung along the streets of the
little country village, delivering his
papers, and then stood on the corner
to sell his extra copies.
Papers! Papers! C'lumbus even
ing papers,"
"Here, boyr
Ralph darted across the street Big
ger people than he moved fast when
Mr.. Ferdinand Rochet spoke.
Mr.. Ferdinand Rochet was the presi-
dent of the new milk condenser con-
cern. 1t was fit and proper that every
one show great Difference to Mr.. Ferdi-
nand Rochet. More than that, the
great rush at the factory was at morn
Ing and night, when the milk came in.
If Ralph could get work there as 9TH
ers did, just for those hours, he could
earn money so mamma wouldn't have
to take in washing; he wouldn't have
to leave school, either. And mamma
must give up washing; the doctor had
told her so.
A fellow can think of a good many
things while he is crossing the road.
'Give me Scrambler," ordered the
great man. "Give me all the Scram-
blers you have; and see here, boy, you
can bring fifty copies down to the
Office every night till election"
Ralph's head whirled. Fifty copies!
Earn as much extra in two nights as
mother made by whole days wash.
ing! But
I'm sorryr' (Oh, could anyone
guess how sorryD I'm sorry, but ]
don't sell the Scrambler.'
"No?" queried Mr.. Rochet, in sur.
prise. "Well, don't forget to order il
sent tomorrow"
Ralph was usually speechless from
bashfnlness in the presence Of grown
ups, and big people were bashful when
Mr.. Ferdinand Rochet fastened his
keen eyes on them, but Ralph faced
the sharp look without quiver, and
said, simply, II don't sell the Scram
bier, and I'm never going to-"
AS it was, he scurried back to hi:
own corner, and tried to look as if he
didn't care, but he couldn't call papers
while they stood there, Mr.. Roche
and Dorothy.
They were waiting for the car. Al
usual, it was late. Mr.. Rochet took on
q memorandum book and began t.
figure. Dorothy slipped across t.
Ralph's corner.
why don't you carry the Scram
bler?' she asked.
1T prints saloon advertisements, ant
it tells folks to vote for saloon people
and, and"-he broke off miserably, re
membering that her father had desired
the paper.
Papa says he'll get paper rout,
started for Harley Griffith. Hell