The Sauk Centre herald., 1908-07-09

ed with, would only thrash him or |
treat him in such wise as to show that |
he at least thought it an extraordinary
crime, instead of an Unborn desire to
write about sugar Jumps, he wouldn't |
loathe his lot SO.
He'll do nothing of the kind" in
terpcsed Brown Senior, firmly This
is some of your nonsense, Jane" The
boy looked up. startled at the unusual
diversion, and met glance of some
thing very like disgust
Well not discuss it before Alger-
non, William" she gently retorted.
"I'll not have a milksoppy, girly
boy" he continued
Go to your room now, darling"
gently interposed the little woman,
and Mr.. William Brown, with a NUT
tered "somethin bad" stamped from
the house, leaving them alone.
That night the foodgates burst,
and Algernon cried as though his heart
would break. Mother came in and
tried to comfort him, but he would
have none of her. He wanted to fight
it out alone. And, anyhow, whose
fault was it that he could be capable
of writing such note? Whose fault
was it that he had to wear shoes all
summer, and had to dress up every
night? His mother! She 1t was who
made him forego the delights of the
| swimming-hole and called him "dar-
ling" and stroked his hair before the
gang; she boasted of his love for soap
| and water and his aversion for torn
clothes, and football and fighting, to
the other boys mothers, and made
his name thing of scorn in the ward
wherein he dwelt and his presence
merely tolerated. -
l-.-~--4 ,aAx, b. .ece1ved permission to
stay away from school provided he
would keep in his room and study.
Father talked loudly about taking
his medicine" but 1t only showed how
little he knew, and widened the gulf
between them. Last night he had
thought for a minute his father un-
derstood. but to want him to face that
gang the very next day showed now
all alone he really was now.
Day followed day in rapid flight;
week piled upon week, and the Incl
dent was well-nigh forgotten save by
Buck Jones.
Buck was the best fighter, runner,
swimmer of them all; his fertile brain
conceived their many deeds of daring,
|, stealth, and cunning. Buck it was
whose supremacy as leader OF the
gang had been established one snort
week after his family moved to town
from Idaho-and had never since Deen
even questioned. He never had 10
come in at eight o'clock; he 1t was
who kept the other gangs from utterly
wiping put the south side "buncn oy
his own personal prowess.
1t was only few days later, wnlie
Buck Jones had to stay after scnooi'
that the north siders came and faihns
upon the leaderless bunch put 1heni
to sorry fiight-nay, more, chased
them through the very yards into tneiI
houses and daringly stood outside ana
made jeering comments. Buck nearo
the tale and decided at meeting neio
next day at recess that action was
necessary.
}. Their did a feeling of great JOY
enter the breast of Algernon Pinckne1
SCHUYLER Brown. At last-at last
u his opportunity had come and
found him ready.
u Can go too, Buck?"
There was an incredulous pause
Could this be the pretty Algernon OF
: fering to go into combat, where 1t wa
direst disgrace to come out with clotp
ing whole or features unmarried! II
d cold tones the leader spoke:
10 1--WE don't want babies, Suga
Lump.
II was too much-too cruel tina
>. even in the moment of self-immolatfor
- of struggle and triumph, he should
- denied the palm. He pitied his misel
=. able lot as he sadly walked back int
~ the schoolroom, sunk in the deepes
-. depths of despair. Don't want o'
bies: don't want babies!" echoed an
q reechoed the words in his ears II
CT a mighty defiance gripped him and
desperate determination. He'd go an
how.
m That was the longest school-da
). ever recorded, but the teacher hnall
I'M nut down the last Of lot OF very ba
nt grades, and the school trooped gay
n ont on the sidewalk, with Mary Fost'
= this once walking alone. For Il
j ahead, punched closely together
ragged array. helter-skelter down Il
\ middle of the street like SO maj
z sheep, trooped the south side gang
% Buck Jones at their head, brandisnil
e I. stick and whizzing rocks at tre
r. oiono the roadside And behind the