The Holly chieftain., 1910-01-21
HeZekiah'S
Mistake
School Discipline.
BY CWENDOLiN ADAMS \
Copyright. 1909. by American Press
Association.
BY GWENDoLiN ADAMS

Gilggs. a pupil in the school Of Eben
Watson. The history class was up
for recitation, but Hezekiah. though
he had plenty of brains, had not APP
piled them to studying the lesson.
He was growing decidedly uncom
Portable. He knew well what an un-
prepared lesson meant, for in those
days no weak leniency was shown to
delinquents. To be sure. this was the
first recitation Hezekiah had missed
during the term, but was not that an
aggravation of the offense? Since he
had managed so long without failing.
why fail at all?
Hezekiah was aware that as soon as
the class was dismissed he would re
ging. He was perspiring AT every pore.
The icicles with which he had meant
to refresh the thirsty occupants OF
the back seats melted in the intense
heat, and tiny stream of ice water
trickled slowly from the extremity Of
either pocket and formed ii miniature
pool In the bottom of each cowhide
boot.
The young offender was growing
desperate. and when the uiaSter nav
ing dismissed the other members of
the history class. turned TO him with
the command, Take off your coat.
sir" the boy stepped forward and
obeyed with feeling of actual relief.
Your conduct has been most repre-
hensible, sir!' said the master. push
ing up his coat sleeve and testing the
strength of his ruler. while thirty
pairs of eyes gazed spelbound and
awful silence reigned
Most reprehensible sir" he repeat
ed, and the ruler fell with lhwuck
which sent the blood tingIing through
every vein in the culprit's body.
Hezekiah never knew exactly what
happened after that. He remembered
that an insane desire for vengeance
overcame him. He wanted to thrash
the master. to thrash the whole school
Before the weapon could descend a
second time he sprang at his assail-
ant with clinched fists aud blazing
eyes.
There was moment of breathless
silence while the angry master col
Jared his refractory pupil and shook
him as terrier shakes rat. Then
the fiat sided ruler was once more
brought into active play upon the back
Of Hezekiah Griggs.
0Nou ctr III 4b, ,,,,,to,, ,,,i,..,, !, 4
length, becoming weary of such severe
exertion, he released his hold on Hez-
ekiah's coal collar. take your seat and
learn your history"
Needless of the command the boy
seized his jacket and, snatching his
cap from its peg on the wall. made a
rush for the door. He gained it with
out opposition. and before the aston
ished master had time to recover from
his surprise he was racing along the
highway toward home.
Into the big. roomy kitchen. where
Grandfather Griggs himself sat in Il
great armchair coming the Weekly
News, with Grandmother Griggs close
by pairing apples, he dashed like a
runaway engine.
why, Hezekiah," exclaimed the
good old woman. looking somewhat
startled, "a body d think you'd been
fired from a cannon by the way you
come flying in. What's happened:"
Hezekiah sat down and began to ex-
plain.
You don't mean to say you've run
away from school," said the old man
when the boy had reached the most
interesting part OF his narrative. oh
Hezekiahr'
The exclamation was full of sorrow.
full surprise, and Hezekiah's eyes fell
I'm not going back TO school any
more" he said doggedly.
He did not dare look mp. for he knew
the old man had set his heart on his
becoming an educated Glnu. and ht
expected him to be very angry. But
grandfather took off his GLASSES. wiped
them and said:
well. Hezekiah. we won't talk about
II tonight. You'd best go to the barr
and thrash peas till supper time. ant
we'll settle this matter about schoo
:. tomorrow
IIezekiah obeyed. He went about til
d;M ,looking triumphant.
StAFGtS< away from school WAS mex
thing 10 brnting the master. He s!ep
We'll and arose firm in his determine
tiuD not 10 return 10 school. When his
s.rinlfailier called him aside aftel
breakfast and tried To convince hin
that he was wrong Hezckiah was still
rcsolute.
well HeZekiah." the old man saif