The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1910-01-07

""'SV'' AhS uiStoty CiaSS WIS UP
for recitation, bur Hezekiah. though
he had plenty of brains. had not APP
piled them to studying the lesson.
He was growing decidedly uncom-
Portable. He knew we'll what an ur-
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 falling.
why fail at all?
Hezekiah was aware that ms soon as
the class was dismissed he would re-
ceive not altogether unmerited fog
ging. He was perspiring III every pore.
The icicles with which be had meant
to refresh the thirsty occupants of
the back seats melted in Tie intense
heat, and tiny stream of ice water
trickled slowly from the extremity of
either pocket and formed miniature
cool in the bottom of each coWhi1e
boot
The young offender WAS growing
desperate. and when The master. hav-
ing dismissed the other members of
the history class. turned To him with
the command. Take of your coat,
sir" the boy stepped forward and
obeyed with Il 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 spellbound and
awful silence reigned.
Most reprehensible. sir" he repeat
ed. and the ruler fell with thwack
which sent The blood tingling 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. lie wanted TO thrash
the master. 10 thrash the whole school,
Before the weapon could descend q
second time he spraug at his assail-
ant with clinched lists and blazing
eyes
silence while the Angry master col.
Jared his refractory pupil and shook
him as Il terrier shakes rat. Then
the fiat sided ruler WAS once more
brought into active play upon the back
Of Hczekiah Gri@2s.
Nov. sir. said the MASTER when at
length, becoming weary OF such severe
eXertion he released us hold on Hez-
pkiah'S coal Collar. "j#Ee your seat and
learn your history"
Needless OF he command. the boy
seized his jacket and. Snatching his
cap from its peg on the wall. made q
rush for the door. He gained it with
out opposition. and before the aston
ished master had time to recover from
highway toward home.
Into the big. roomy kitchen. where
Grandfather Griggs himself sat in
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
part of his narrative. "Oh,
Hezekiah."
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 Iii. heart OH his
becoming an educated man. and he |
expected him To he very angry. But |
took off his glasses, wiped |
hem and said:
well. HeZpkidh. we won't talk about |
It tonight. You'd best 20 to the barn |
and thrash peas ill supper time. and |
we'll settle this matter about school |
tomorrow"
Hezekiah obcycd. He went about till
dark looking triumphant.
Staying away from school was next |
thing to beating the master He slept |
well and arose firm in his determine
ton not 10 return TO school. When his
grandfather called him aside after
breakfast and tried To convince him
that he was wrong Hezekiah was still
'esolute.
well. HeZekiah." the old man said
1t last. "since your minds made up
here's no use 9f urging you further.
I'd have been glad enough IL you had
zone. and II you'd have stuck to It
have minded u year or two
1t college to finish off with. AS 1t is.
you'll have to earn your living some
'ther way. and | suppose the sooner
1ou set about ii the better"
I'm willing to work, grandfather"
Iezekiah said, in some surprise.
eyes, I know, and shouldn't won
Ter IL Silas Jones would give you q
OBJ for month or two. He was say
ing he'd like to get boy to do chores,
md, although you amt much used to
II -