The enterprise-recorder. (Madison, Fla.) 1908-1933, 1909-04-15
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Power Of a Belief.
By Alta Brunt Sembower.
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Jack was unusually snail-like about
| going to school that morning. II was
not, however, as the poets have II, MS
feet that were reluctant. Indeed,
long habit had not kept them STEADY
in the direction Of the schoolhouse
Jacks spirit would have run away WIN
them a dozen times into the wilderness
II was not that the wilderness-to WI
| Pixies Woods-was specially green anu
inviting, with the tips Of its branches
waving over the hill at the edge Oh Ihe
village. It was not that the list Oh
problems on his slate was Ions ana uh'
solved, nor that today marked on only
half of the week which he was con-
demned to spend in exile on the front
seat" It was none Of these ineYitaple
and everlasting trials that so to make
up the cynicism Of boyhood jhal "SS
troubling Jack II was matter more
personal and more. lively in interest
Jack was down for an AFFAIR OF houo'
at the morning recess and lhere
were attendant circumstances when re-
duired pondering about. Jack, ike the
true soldier was going to battle WIN
fear in his heart. He passed the niue
boys in the school yard without MS
usual signs Of condescension, and only.
remembered his position as head OF the
second floor In time to perform le"
gymnastics on the stairs for the Dehe-
fit of one small admirer who had iol-
lowed him inside. He hung up MS
cap in the cloak.room with a precision
vainly sought for by home training
and produced mainly by the induce
ment of some other boys hat on the
highest nail, inviting disturbance. FL
nally, after some little shutting at the
door and a loud hem or two to Billy
Boyd on the back row, Jack walked
in with a careful swagger designed 10
show his extreme indifference TO MS
seat near the throne. Before reaching
it he had time for a quick survey Of the
room. Among the apparently unnoted
things there was a swift picture OF
Mirabel Gray's black braids dangling
in the aisle, and the head attached TO
them very near another head, sleek,
we'll combed, and boyish-both bent
together intentiy over a book. For the
first time since his challenge Of the
day before Jack longed for the hour to
draw nigh.
Jacks appointment was the out
growth of a sentiment and as such was
of interest to the whole community. II
was not that the antagoniet.to.be was
a new boy. That was matter that
couldn't be helped, and after a few
encounters with individual boys could
be set right. But when the new boy
came in with such heavy odds on his
side, with a shield as it were, which
protected him from even wordy blows
much less a contest to see whose fists
were best-then ID all Clovelly Village
put on its thinking cap. The new boy
was an orphan. Now, in Cloverly vii.
lage-perhaps in all the boy-world
there is something of the feeling-the
boys had superstition ABOUT orphans
They always thought Of the word with
a big o, and they spread the news the
night of the arrival with the same |
preparations for defence that would |
have hailed the coming Of a genuine !
Fiji.Islander with all his tribal tricks |
of war. The savage, indeed, would |
have been more acceptable for at least
one might hit him back, But the law |
of the boy world said that a fellow |
must endure all things nearly--from |
an orphan. Perhaps the feeling was
due to private Biblical lectures given |
the inheritance Of thesinfuences of man
by big sisters or maiden aWnts, or TO !
the inheritance Of the influence OF
many thousand such lectures given by |
big sisters or maiden aunts to gener. !
atoms of boys long gone-lectures /
pooh.poohed at the time OF their giving, I
but pondered upon. secretly afterwards, /
and handed down to the next genera
ton Of boys IN the form of a little "a
stronger instructive tendency 10 avcsd |
laying hands on an orphan Al any /
rate, the feeling was there, and the /
boys stood aloof, sparing the rod, but /
taking out the wickedness of their ma. I
lures by hating the Orphan heartily for
misdemeanors and misfortunes alike. |
Such a hatred Is uncomfortable for the /
victim OF 1t, Of course, but II doesn't
actively interfere with business II
doesn't take the new hoy long 10 Hud