Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-15
SON OF HIS COUN=
TRY.

Towski was thinking it over on his
way to school. The teacher had said
that on Thursday there would be no
school because it was somebody's birth
day. ut one grand thing is" thought
Towski. Ito have so great a birthday
that all the children have a holiday. 1t is
because he was father-a father of this
great Ame<ca-and he was a brave man,
| a soldier and he never tell lies" At this
point Towski blushed. He did tell lies:
it seemed to him that he had to to get
enough to keep his little body and his
big soul together in this so great Amer
lea of plenty"
Perhaps If I do not tell lies. and II
[ am brave and good-and a soldier and
father"-Towski looked a little puz-
zled at this point: he did not quite see
how he could ever be all of those things
1T may be that I might have so great
birthday that all the children could have
| holiday" The thought thrilled him
clear to the tips of his cold little toes,
and he felt almost warm but if I do
| not tell lies then will starve dead-but-
but-that great father of America. he was
dead, perhaps one had to be dead to have
SO great a birthday" Towski was daunt-
ed for a moment. Then a little ache
swelled his throat. my father is dead
| but they do not give the children a holt
day on his birthday. and he was brave
and a soldier. and he never told lies" It
| was all great puzzle. Anyhow" said
Towski. Il will no more lies tell, and
will watch out to be brave"
AT this moment he heard the last bell
ringing. He was already late for school
The errand had taken longer than he
| thought. but there was ten cents in his
pocket. and that was great capital to
Towskf. He scampered through the school
yard and was just about to enter the
building when. through the cellar window,
he saw bright CLEAN. Instead of as
cending the stairs to the grammar school
room he went down into the cellar. The
janitor-who worked at his trade also
| had fixed the fire for the morning and had
| gone away until noon, and there in the
corner was the pile of kindling all ablaze!
The building was an old frame one and
| contained about seven hundred children.
In the little manufacturing town the vol
| unteer fire department was composed OF
| men who were all at work in the shops
during the day and the shops were five
minutes away. Towski did great deal
| of thinking all in a minute. He pressed
his ragged coat over the worst part Of the
| blaze. rushed upstairs for a bucket Of
| water. glanced out of the door and saw
another laggard coming through the yard.
| Him he dispatched to the shops and rush
ed back with his bucket of water. By
| this time his coat was ashes and the
flames were creeping up to the old wooden
| beams that supported the worn floor of
| the primary room. Towski rushed up
stairs. knocked quietly on the door of the
baby ROOM for he knew there must be
no excitement told the teacher about 1t.
and scampered off to the other rooms on
the first floor. alarmed the teachers, then
fairly flew up the stairs to the grammar
| school room. where his own class was as
sembled He knocked and his teacher
came to the door.
There is fire, teacher. please. the
scholars must go out quick: ne WINS
pered.
The teacher knew Towski for bad boy
and a liar She took him by the shirt
collar You are only trying to brighten
me. Towsk." she said: very sternly Il
cannot believe you. Come in this mo-
ment and take your sext. You are very
late and will have to stay after school"
Towski jerked his collar away; it was
no time for argument-the other rooms
must be warned. He went TO the high
school. room and knocked His teacher
stood surveying him angrily at her own
door When the high school principal
came to the door she intercepted Towski's
earnest warning do not believe him.
Il.
| boy, and he is trying to raise an alarm
Just for excitement"
81 do not lie any MORE sobbed Tow
| ski There is fire. You must haste.
do not lie I am trying to be father OF
this America. Please. please. dismiss the
children: the cellar is all blaze up" He
was very much excited. but he kept his
voice lowered. for he knew the $50 chill
dren must not break in wild stampede
down the rickety stairs.
The principal looked dubious. HE seems
in earnest" he said. ut Is safest not
to run any risks. I shall dismiss my
school quietly
II shall do nothing of the kind said
Towskfs teacher, and. grasping ToWski
by the arm. she dragged him into the
school room.
! Towski took his seat. Soon he heard
the measured steps Of the high school
boys and girls going down the stairs. He
listened till he heard the last step on the
topmost stair, then he heard the fire en-
CINE coming up the street. He leaped to
his feet. Come on, fellows" he cried;
there's fire at the shops. Let's go to II.
Don't you care for the teacher-come on
to the fire! Come on let the girls go first.
Your own fathers are down there. you