Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-04-30

Then, In one instant, he changed all
this with blow Bang The most pitt
less of the boys near him received q
punch, fairly and skillfully, which made
him below out like walrus, and then
Jimmie laid desperately into the whole
world, striking out frenziedly in all
directions. Boys who could handily
whip him and knew 1t backed away
from this onslaught. Here was inten-
tion-serious intention. They them
selves were not in frenzy, and their
cooler Judgment respected Jimmle's eff
forts when he ran amuck. They saw
that II really was none Of their affair
In the meantime the wretched little
girl who had caused the bloody riot
was away. by the fence, weeping be
cause boys were fighting.
Jimmie several times hit the wron;
boy-that Is to say, he several times Lit
wrong boy hard enough to arouse
also in him n spirit Of strife. Jimmie
wore little shirt waist. 1t was pass
ing now rapidly into oblivion. He Was
sobbing and there was one blood stan
upon his cheek The school ground
sounded like pine tree when a hun
dreI crows roost in il at night.
Then upon the situation there pealed
n braZen bell. Ii was Il bell that these
children Obeyed even as older nations
obey the formal law which Is printed
in calfskin. II smote them into some
sort of inaction. Even Jimmie was in
tiuenced by its potency, although as
finale he kicked out Justify into the
legs Of an intimate friend who had
been one Of the foremost In the tor
ture.
When they came to form into line
for the march into the schOolroom, 1t
was curious that Jimmie had many ad-
mirers. 1t was not his prOwess; 1t was
the soul he had infused into his gym
nastics. and he. still painting, looked
about him with stern and challeng-
Ing glare.
And yet when the long tramping line
had entered the schoolroom his status
had again changed. The other children
then began to regard him as boy in
disrepair. and boys in disrepair were
always accosted ominously from the
throne. Jimmies march toward his
seat was feat. 1t was composed
partly Of a most Sinking attempt to
dodge the perception of the teacher
and partly of pure braggadocio erected
| for the benefit Of his observant fellow
men.
The teacher looked carefully down
at him. Jimmie Trescott," she said.
"Yes'm," he answered, with busi-
nesslike briskness, which really spelled
out falsity in all It's letters.
| "Come up to the desk"
He rose, amid the awe Of the entire
schoolroom. When he arrived, she
said:
Jimmie, you've been fighting"
| "Yes'm," he answered. This was not
| so much an admission "a the fact as 1t
| was n confessional answer to anything
she might say.
"Who have you been fghting!" she
asked.
II dunno, m"
Whereupon the empress blazed out
in wrath, "You don't know who you've
been fghtiug?
Jimmie looked at her gloomily
| NOM
She seemed about to disintegrate to
mere flaming fagots Of anger "You
don't know who you've been fightingT
she demanded. blazing. 'Well. you
stay In after school until you find out"
AS he returned to his place all the
children knew by his vanquished air
that sorrow had fallen upon the house
of Trescott. When he took his seat,
he saw gloating upon him the satanic
black eyes Of the little Goldege girl.