Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1907-03-28
The Red Head.


browning up Deautllulls. All 'hVso
and lonely little figure in the middle
OF the long white road. Marguerite
going to SCHOOL, Tia, And Marguerite
crying.
Big Theopile dropped his AK and
came uncertainty TO Marguerite's side,
Bon jour" he said awkwardly,
Marguerite stTaightened up sharp
~. She pulled her bonnet over her
face She frowned, Did she not hate
this red.headed boyg 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. lie, Theo-
phile,
Il have a headache. me-" she said.
primly.
Theophile plodded at her side help
less as a dumb beast on a false scent,
A headacheg Then why was she going
60 school? Ha! but he must say
something. and say Il quick.
"Das mex you feel badg Das NAL
de tete?" lie dared not be too solicit
Gus. He had been snubbed too often,
Marguerite fibbed yirtuously.
1T is not the pain. II 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 a corner behind
her desk so that his ldleness 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 a
deep. comforting tone. "Das all right.
| been t'ink me, bout what you say
vas. How das headache mex II 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 To
be told by a 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 go
little?"
Go little" she reiterated, scornful.
ly But 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? Das
mex eighteen. One on inside, eight
on outside. Nine time tree? Das
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 of
babes and sucklings-Ha, but to be
taught an easy road to the nine table
schoolhouse was in sight, forgot that
she was late.
And next time" she repeated when
Theophile only smiled, next time
tree come four, six go five. Forty.
five. Bein, nine times FIVE mex forty.
five,"
"Yas. And nine times six, he mek?"
suggested Theophile.
"Feefty-four. Bon,"
Enchanted, Marguerite stopped in
the shadow of the pines to work out
the whole table, forgetful of time and
place. Gloriously happy to have
helped her, Theophile stopped also,
forgetful of everything under heaven
save Marguerite's bright eyes.
When they reached the schoolhouse
school was in. Marguerite flushed
with shame. Theophile grinned in
joyous unconcern. The teacher looked
sharply from one to the other. She
saw the tear marks on Marguerite's
face; the graceless grin on Thee
phile's. She spoke sternly:
80 you have been teasing the girls
now have you, Theophile? That
makes your sixth demerit for this
week" She was very young, that
teacher. 1t was her first school.
Theophile went blithely to his ounces
seat and got out a book. Six demer-
its or six thousand. What did he care
for the little black marks. He had
helped Marguerite
Marguerite Jared much worse But
yes. With conscience calling her
sneak and shame that wouldn't let
her stand up before the whole school
and take the red-head's part
y al un bete," she accused wildly.
But what avail to call herself beast
in secret If she was going to stand bv
and let him be called a beast by
everybody-for something he hadn't
done. And that was what they did AT
recess. The girls tainted him and the
boys would have fought him-if he
had not been so big.
And the next morning regret made
1t all the worse IL seemed Gu aasy