Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1909-11-11
Ezry' 5
Interference

The windows and door Of the little
schoolhouse were wide open. A group
of girls made dandelion chains in the
shade of the building, and the few
small boys who could be spared from
the farm work padded in a tiny brook
under some overhanging willows near
at hand.
Teacher come to our house to
board last night" said Jimmy Weed,
the smallest boy in the group. "Hope
I'll stand in with him like you did,
Ezry, while he was to your house."
cav, twasn't cause teacher board
ed there" spoke up larger boy;
twas cause he liked Ezrys sister
Marth'. Wasn't it, Ezry?"
81 dunno, but that's all the good it
done him if twas" Ezry answered. 81
heard my sister tell him last night,
fore he went over to your house, that
she didn't like him, nohow. Say, may
be he wasn't mad That's why he
went somewheres else to live"
AT that moment the tall, lank young
man under discussion came to the
door and rang the bell.
There was an unusual sternness
about the teachers face as the child
rem followed him in. After giving
Ezry one searching glance he took
him roughly by the shoulder.
What have you got in your pocket,
sir?" he asked in tart voice.
Now Ezry well knew that it always
had been the teachers hobby to keep
an eye on the boys pockets, but some
how his had not been noticed in this
way before. But Ezry's time had
come at last and now he saw the
things dear to his boyish heart find
| their way, one by one, through the
open window to the yard below. Then
followed licking.
The boys looked at each other know.
ingly; the girls wondered.
The bell rang at nine sharp as
| usual the next morning, and Ezry did
| not appear until the last arrivals were
| in their places. There was the most
| innocent expression in the world on
his face. and-could they believe
their eyes-a bigger bulge than ever
was in his pocket this morning.
There was moment of breathless
suspense; then the teacher broke the
silence:
"Ezry Grove, come here"
"Y-y-yes, sir"
] What have you got in your
| pocket?"
4 Lifts my dinner, sir"
| "a likely story; take it out of there
and give it to me-"
/ I'll can't, sir; its"
you can't; well, can. And I'll tar
| your jacket when I've finished"
1 The next instant Ezry was dropped
| and the exploring hand of the teacher
was withdrawn, and something was
| sticking to it with the tenacity Of
glue. A yell broke from the teachers
! lips. The stuff chung fast. Then, with
hand beating and waving, its owner
4 flew over the space between himself
and the entry. His exit was followed
\ by a splash, and then silence.
The interest now turned to Ezry
who had his face studiously buried il
4 ms reader.
'TWhat was it, Ezry?" Whispered
Jimmy Wood, his nearest neighbor
Two dozen ears were strained tt
catch the reply
'AIushl Hot! with a single be
3 hind It! Martll' put it UP for me. Nov
shut up"
"oh, gee."
The teacher came in. Every one
was busy, but the suspense was awful
The noon hour came without incident
When they were dismissed he put 81
his hat and took his way to the near
+ est house, which was Ezry's.
Now mebbe you amt in fer it
Ezry!" said little Jimmy Wood.
Huh, Marth did it. She won't SCI
me run over by nobody"
He went home and the boys waited