Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-10-07

Pamf1eld village school stands in the
angle formed by the junction of a by
road and the main London road. The
playground around it runs right into
the nose Of the angle, and here at GER
tain times during the day the school
children are supposed to play. In point
Of fact, however, they generally leave
the playground IL they get half a
chance, and swarm over the road.
This Is In order that they may play
the popular game Of seeing who will be
the last to get out of the way of pass
ing motors.
Many a time chauffeurs damned on
their brakes hurriedly, for the main
road curves just before it comes to the
school, and muttered curses on the
head OF some more adventurous boy or
girl.
Now 1t came to pass one warm morn
ing In July that Sir Richard Gray
thorpe In his car was passing through
Pamfield. He ran round the curve be-
fore the school at fair speed, to find
a.few yards ahead a horde Of school
children.
"Confound 'em!" Sir Richard NUT
tered. slowing up as quickly as pos
sible. Then he suddenly damned the
brakes on hard and pulled up with
jerk, one Of the front tires brushing
against a small girl who was determ-
ined to win glory or die in the attempt.
The tire merely touched the girl, but
1t furnished sufficient excuse for her to
collapse and compete with Sir Rich
ards siren at its worst.
.'Umph!" remarked Sir Richard,
gazing helplessly at the child, what
didsshe do that for, i wonder? Jove!"
The exclamation was forced from his
lips by the sight Of girl who had
suddenly emerged from the school.
ssLike one of those what-d'you-call-
'ems in what-dou-call-it cathedral" he
muttered.
The girl was tall and slender, and in
the sunlight her hair shone like bur-
nished copper. Her eyes were dark
blue, with soft, velvety depths Now,
however, they glittered with righteous
wrath as she bore down on the motor
list.
''Good morning!" said Sir Richard,
raising his cap. ''There's-er-a little
girl crying here. Thinks hurt her
with the car, you know"
HE knocked her over, teacher; we
saw himl' yelled the children.
Feeling that an attempt was being
made to outrival her, the small girl
screamed at the top of her voice.
Poor little Mary!" cried the school
mistress, running forward with an
easy grace and taking the child in her
arms.
Don't worry; she is not hurt. The
car did not even knock her down." pro-
tested Sir Richard; ct was only the
tire just brushed against her what
d'you-call-it." He indicated the small
girls pinafore. The schoolmistress
turned ON him frankly.
you ought not to be allowed to have
a car until you have learned to drive
1t she flashed.
"Oh, say, that's too bad!' cried Sir
Richard. "COme to that, you know,
you ought not to let these youngsters
stray; they ought to be chained up, you
know, like those what-dyou-call-m
prisoners at what-d'you-caIl-it."
"Very lucid" snapped Miss Ferron-
court, for such was the name of the
schoolmistress. Il don't believe you've
got a license for being competent
driver"
Sir Richard smiled, for he had been
placed high in the Gordon-Bennett
race. Look" he said, "the kiddy's
quite all right now" Then before the
school mistress could protest Sir Rich
ard had taken the yeungster from her
and was making lnane remarks. The
small girl seemed Immediately divert
ed, however, and when Sir Richard
showed her how to work the siren she
crowed with joy. The final conquest
consisted of a handful of cOppers.
On the following morning Miss Fer
roncourt was instructing her class I'm
the intricacies OF the multiplication
table, when suddenly they heard the
continuous hOOting Of a motor car
horn. At first 1t was faint, but slowly
it grew louder and louder, until the
mournful scream issued through the
school windows from directly outside.
Thenceforward for the rest Of the week
she heard Sir Richards car Justify
boot in prolonged agony as 1t passed
by the school at the same hour each
morning.
'T hate him." she said to herself,
and some Of her hate went into the