Hattiesburg daily news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1907-1908, 1907-07-21

Henry Is on time, IN spite Of sleep
less night. He was up with the birds.
did his usual morning chores, kissed
his mother goodbye, and with KNAPP
sack that was his fathers during the
late warg strapped across his shoulders
his earthly possessions, he
started, on seven mile walk to take
the north-bound train to Carleton.
People stared at him curiously as he
neared the little station of Dorset,
where he was to take the train. Per-
haps it was the knapsack, or it may
have ben his blue-jeans trousers that
made people turn and look back at him,
or it may have been the merry tune
he whistled as he trudged along. that
attracted attention. Not a word. was
spoken to him, however, during the
Journey until he was entering the vii
lage, when a fine carriage passed. A
head was thrust out of window and
ia familiar voice called out:
sHallo, there. Got any eggs to sell?''
He knew well the meaning of that
.jeering taunt, and for the first time
since receiving his letter, feeling of
unpleasantness crept into his happy
heart. He glanced down at his coarse
brogan shoes and Rome,spun panta-
looms, then up at the carriage that
had just passed, He watched the two
boys in the carriage until it was out
of sight; then walked on very thought
fully, scarcely taking his eyes from the
ground. He felt just then that he
had more strength to encounter two
lions than those two boys. He would
have gone seven miles further to have
missed them had such a course been
possible. Since he could not do that
he walked on, reasoning to himself:
Charley Oatis and Ben Stuart are go
ing on that train to Carleton. They
are going to taunt me on account OF
my poverty and ignorance, but must
not heed them; I'll try and bear It,
for /. too. am going to be a gentleman
SOIllt Qdy, anu tnCil thOy iCol
Here he comes, boys" =
His meditations were cut short and
his good resolves almost gone as Char
ley and Ben, with several others, sur
rounded him with innumerable ques
lions about price of eggs" Mrs. Len
ton lived near the Stuart and Oats
families, and often did laundering fol
them, and Henry did chores about the
house; hence, the boys, Charley ant
Ben, regarded him as their inferior
But this was not their cause for dis
like. In all their boyish games, wher
u,,;zssferry res allowed to join them, hi
ssbeat them" At ball, swimming, rid
ing; in their every amusement he new
er failed to excel them. Hence, al
envious feeling made them treat hin
worse than they otherwise would have
done.
Mrs. Lenton was in the habit o
sending eggs to their mothers in thu
old knapsack. Regardless Of Henry
feelings, the boys proposed to hav'
.'some fun today.
.sSay, tell us the price of eggs; w
want to buy you out, said Ben.
SAY Bunkum, what'll you TAX
for the lot?h asked Charley.
Il have no eggs for sale" said Hen
~ trying to push his way into tn
depot.
DGoing to give EN- away? ! toll
you we'd get bargain, boys; GU
with 'em, Bunkum."
Charley Oats, If you don't know
my name, let me tell you it is Henr
Lenton. | have no eggs, so u 20
please, let me pass and leave m
alone"
Come now, Boss, don't be ashame
of your profession because you ar
with gentlemen"
.sGentlemen!" reflected Henry. :
don't want to be a gentleman II the
are, but I'm sure there's another kin
of gentleman, and I'll be that.
After teasing him to their satisfa'
ton about the eggs, they turned the
ridicule to the knap-sack.
"Where'd you get your rig? What
in it? Where are you going, an
how?' asked Ben.
ITO Carleton.
TO Carleton! What for?"
"ro learn
"Whew! To learn what? He
Matched ideas, amt her.
Eyes, and out of the eggs we ougl
to have. Say boys, let's see what
in that rig.
"All right
Just then the train whistled an
each fellow looked out for himsel