Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-03-19
"scairt2 Na-a-w," said Joe scorn.

"Scairt? Na-a-w," said Joe scorn.
fully.
"What was We, then?"
! "Parr'lyzed-seem So"
There was an outbreak Of laughter.
"You was goin' t. help" said Joe
addressing Tom Linley.
A moment of silence followed.
"You was goin' t. help" the fallen
bully repeated, with large emphasis on
the pronoun.
"Help?" Tom inquired, sparring for
wind, as it were.
| eyes, help"
"You was licked fore had time"
"Didn't dast-that's what's the mat.
ter-didn't dast," said big Joe, with
a tone of irreparable injury.
wouldn't "a been nigh We fer mil.
lynn dollars" said Tom soberly.
"Why not?"
"Twan't safe; that's why"
"'Fraid O. him, We cowardv'
! "No; 'fraid O. you"
"Why?"
"'Cos if one o. yer feet had hit a
Teller when We come up ag'in that
WALL" Tom answered slowly, ''there
wouldn't "a been nuthin' left Nv him.
All laughed loudly.
Then there was another silence. Joe
broke it after a moment of deep
thought.
Like t. know how he seen me-" said
he.
"'Tis GURUS" said another.
Guess he's one O. them performers
like they have at the circus" was the
opinion of Sam Beach. "See one take
a pig out O his hat las summer"
"'Tain't fair an square," said Tom
Linley; mot jest eggzac'ly."
Gosh! Blieve I'll run away" said
Joe after a pause. "Ain't no fun here
for me-"
"Better not" said Archer Town; mot
| If ye know when yer well Off"
"Why not?"
"Waal, he'd see We wherever We was
an do suthin' to ye,'' said Archer.
"Prob'ly he's heard all we been sayin'
here"
"Waal, l amt said nuthin' I'm
'shamed Of" said Sam Beach thought
fully.
A bell rang, and all hurried to the
schoolhouse. The afternoon was I'M
eyentful. Those rough edged, brawny
fellows had become serious. Hope had
| died i'll their breasts, and now they
looked as if they had come to it's fu-
neral. They began to examine their
books as one looks at bitter draft be-
fore drinking it. In every subject the
| teacher took a new way not likely to
be hard upon tender feet. For each
| lesson he had q method of his own.
He angled for the interest of the class
and caught it. With some a term of
school had been as long sickness,
heightened by the medicine of books
and the surgery of the beech rod. They
| had resented it with ingenious deyiltry.
The confusion of the teacher and some
Incidental fun We're its only compensa-
lions. The young man gave his best
thought to the correction of this men
| tai attitude. -Four o'clock came at last.
The work of the day was over. Weary
with its tension, all sat waiting the
teachers word. For little he stood
| facing them.
tom Linley and Joe Beach," said
he in low voice, will you wait a
| moment after the others have gone?
Schools dismissed"
There was a rush of feet and rattle
| of dinner pals. All we've eager to get
home with the story of that day save
the two it had brought to shame. They
sat quietly as the others went away
! A deep silence fell in that little room
OF sudden it had become q lonely
place.
The teacher dalnped the fire and put
on his overshoes.
Boys" said Ae, drawing big silver
watch, hear that watch ticking II
tells the flight of seconds. You are
eighteen, did yorl say? They turn
boys into oxen here in this country
just thing of bone and muscle, liv-
ing to sweat and lift and groan. May.
be l can save you, but there's not Il
minute to lose With you it all de-
ponds OF. this term of school, When
it's doTe you'll either be OK or driver
Play checkers?'
Tom nodded.
'I'll come over some evening, ant
we'll have a game. Good night"
/ ('ro BIZ Gontinued)
United States Vast Wealth.
| 1t is safe to assume that the wealth
of the United States differs but little
| from that of Great Britain and Russia
combined, and is Slightly in excess
In like manner the property of the
I United States at the present time is
doubtless Slightly in excess of the com
| bined wealth of the richest nations Of
continental Eurppe-France, with al
estimated valuation in 1896 of SAT, 156,
3S5,000, aid Germany, with $39, 1S5,
| 5S,000--a total Of 6,341 $4,000
Census B, reau.
| "a er0RlA