The San Francisco call., 1910-08-14
g


exercises they have at school
'Be sure and get them right. Bessie;
don't put down 763 instead OF 673 as
you usually do--try and be careful
about that. Bessie, dear; everything Will
go wrong. you know, IL you don't get
them down correctly II know It's lots
Of bother, but II you'll help me and be
a good fellow. as you've always been,
I'll win that prize with flying colors!
Well, we went to work. 1t was pretty
hard. for all the boys and girls were
so sorry for Ralph and kept saying that
1t was too bad he couldn't try for the
energy prize" and things like that--of
course he didn't want them to know
q word about his working for 1t at
home. They all laughed and teased
me when they saw me putting down
the examples; said 1t was no use for
them to try--Bessie Brown was sure to
get it-and so on.
But 1 kept on and tried not to mind;
/ thought more Of Ralph than I did Of
any of them and If he was pleased l
didn't care what they said
"A few days before the examination
Ralph asked me to do the hardest thing
of all-appear before the teachers
meeting and ask If Mr.. Wilson might
come down to Ralph's house and give
him the examination there.
The teachers all agreed that 1t was
only right and fair to give Ralph
chance to take the examination. when
he had been brave enough to study so
hard. lying on sick bed The princi-
pal said I was a brave little girl, too,
and faithful friend to Ralph. My!
Wasn't that nice? And they all agreed
to say nothing about it at school.
The day of the examination came.
Mother was not very well and / could
not go to school, but Twas almost glad,
for knew did not stand the least
hoI ore
deal.
About 2 o'clock, little boy from
another room came to our house and
brought me a sealed letter from Mr..
Williams. He was going down to
Ralphs house to give him the ex-
animation. He said Ralph wanted me
to be there, to hand him his pencils
and so on.
SO I went Just when they were
ready to begin Ralph called me to him.
Bessie" he whispered. you take
pencil and paper and do the examples
you know"
80 Ralph, can't can't! You know
how stupid 1 am about arithmetic.
Please don't ask me!'
You're not stupid Bessie; I know
you're not and you have improved ever
so much. Come on, dear, just to please
me. Mr.. Williams says it is all right"
minutes l got along pretty well and
did not feel as much ashamed to hand
Mr.. Williams my paper as I usually
did.
The last day Of school Ralph was able
to come, though he had to be brought
in a hack and carried to his seat
The professor was there, with the
same pleasant manner and the same
merry twinkle in his eye. He made q
little speech, In which he said all the
boys and girls had worked hard and
had made great Improvement; for that
reason he intended to OFFER the same
prize each year. SO as to give them all
a chance to win 1t.
But the one he said, who had made
the greatest progress of all was Ralph
Winters; he not only had worked hard
and faithfully under the most adverse
circumstances, but he showed by his
work unusual ability and natural anti
tude for the study OF mathematics. The
professor advised him, by all means, to
take 1t up as life work; he was conf
dent he would be great success.
Besides all this" the professor con-
tinued. II have been hearing a great
deal about certain little girl who ia
something OF chatterbox' and not at
all fond OF arithmetic"
Everybody looked at me- and some Of
them laughed. 1t was awful!
This little girl" 'he said, has been
unfailing In her devotion to her friend;
has brought him the examples day
after day and has worked faithfully
with him at a study she disliked She.
has been such a faithful friend and
has worked so hard at many things
besides arithmetic that 1 have brought
with me two books which / wish to
offer her in remembrance OF this day.
One Is volume OF poems by various
authors, a collection seldom equaled in
beauty. The other book Is standard
= work on rhetoric and composition.
, which hope will start her on the road
she loves, May 1t lead to happiness
and prosperity"
And that is how Ralph Winters, who
Is scarcely lame at all now became
Professor Winters. the celebrated
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