Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1909-04-16
A MIDNIGHT
SURPRISE
By EDGAR WHITE
copyright, by Daily Story Pub. Co.

Esaa
copyright, by Daily Story Pub. Coz
Teddy O'Hare was the worst boy II
the Beaver Run school, The Other
boys dreaded him, the girls turned VI
their noses at him, and the town con
stable was almost daily at war with
him. 1t was impossible to keep win
dow lights in certain houses because
Of Teddy's habit of shying rocks
through them. He made life miser
able for the negroes by playing spook
along dark lanes, and incurred the i'll
will Of the Methodists by stampedins
brace Of fighting dogs into theiI
church one night during prayer meet
ing.
| The only thing living or dead that
Teddy feared was his teacher. Prof "
Davy Jobson didn't in many respects
resemble man Of war. He was tall
but so thin that 1t made one nervous
to look at him when the wind blew
| hard. His hands and face were leath-
cry, and he had a square jaw. The
closed lips formed slit like an orna
ment made with razor. He was
about So
At II Teddy was quite chunk Of a
boy, and on one side of a pair OF
balances would have sent his teacher
up in the air. Teddy thought when
the lean western pedagogue took
| charge of the village school that Prov
idence was still favoring him He had
run the other teacher away, and he
was much bigger man than the sol
emn Davy. That he would ignore the
teachers first order was a matter of
course, but he was bit startled
when he was struck resounding rap
on the side of the head. Teddy rose
from his seat, with howl of rage,
and jumped for the thin man. But
something made him stop. 1t was the
professors fist. Teddy went to the
floor and got up madden than ever.
The professor squared off and danced
around for an opening. The lean face
looked fierce and deep, and the deep
eyes sparkled with the joy of battle.
He wanted to make sure this time
Before Teddy knew he was within
reach, the professor undercut him
on the jaw, and then landed on his
ear. They sounded like an ak hit
ting a log. Then all was over but
the shouting.
From that time on Teddy's school
department was 100, but outside the
professors Jurisdiction it was worse
than ever. One day the constable
caught him stealing from a merchants
money drawer. Teddy was sent to
jail for six months, and came out
with heart burning for revenge. He
would brood for hours, trying to think
up what was the best to be done. If
he only were general of a mighty
army the matter could be settled
easily. He would thunder at the
city's gates with his cannon and ter
rify the constable and the Judge and
all those who had used him despite
fully. Then they would come outside
the walls on their crawling knees and
beg him to spare their miserable lives.
Some he might let off after a due
penance on bread and water in the
jail where he had suffered such bit
ter humiliation. But the constable
and the judge and the merchant who
had testified against him they
should hang on the public square of
Beaver Run. in the broad glare of day,
where all could take warning from
their misspent lives
And the girls who had laughed at
his big feet, and turned up their
noses at his freckled face, should be
forced to witness his triumphal entry
into the city at the head of his le-
gions, and when he and his gold braid
ed officers sat in state at the ban
quet tables in the city hall, those same
hooking girls should serve them, on
penalty Of instant death should they
refuse.
AS the future military chieftain ran
over in his mind the things he would
do on that great day he decided he
would abolish churches, Sunday
schools, and all other kinds of tor
menting restrictions of liberty by off.
cial proclamation, carrying with it
death penalty for all who refused to
obey; there should be no more Judges
Or constables, and everybody would be
happy and free.
After passing other wise and hui
name laws he would call the populace
around the gallows on which hung the
loathsome forms Of the constable and
the judge and the merchant. and,
standing with folded arms proudly
wearing his feathered hat, he would
thus address them:
Citizens of Beaver Run: Behold
the man you prosecuted and drove
from home; the man whose name Won
never mentioned without curse.
man so hated and despised that YOU.
crossed the street when you saw him
coming. He returns to you to-day at
the head OF his grand army. a com.
mander Of men, trusted officer of the
military, with enough power at his
back to lay your city in ruins. and all
you people in your graves, If he want
ed. But does he do it? Does he ex-
act Judgment for the years of bitter
modification and humiliation you have
caused him? No; your conqueror is
generous. Save for the miserable
blots on humanity now profaning the
holy calm with their dead carcasses
you all shall live. But, remember. Won
owe your lives to the poor boy you
thrust In Jail and then drove In dis.
grace from town. That is all have
to say; you can now go to vour
homes"
The dream worked on Teddy during
all his waking hours. Day by day he