Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1910-02-12
PAYING THE
FIDDLER

b. lal,ss little girl
"Cco.g7 did ~" she cried. "He Just
Crc1Jtl !. and chased around the
room With II and"
= cd nct!" shouted George. "Tt
wa-nt RE any moren anybody else.
Anyhow, II was broke. And If jim.
ME hadn't chased me-"
BE quiet. George" said the be-
wildered teacher What's broken,
Margaret"
Why the--the-you know. the"
1T was broke all the time" inter
ruptcd George
George, leave the room. Now. Mar.
garet. what Is it?"
Margaret pointed. unable to speak.
to the bracket which contained the
statue OF the Flying Mercury
What's the matter with it?" asked
the teacher whose rapid glance failed
to discover anything amiss
Robert Jumped nimbly on the steam
pipes and with a swift movement de
capitated the statue. holding the head
dramatically toward the teacher.
That's what's the matter" said he.
Them kids needn't say they didn't do
It because everybody In the room saw
them"
Many heads nodded a vigorous al.
firmative.
We'll, they needn't blame II all on
me, II did take 1t down for Ernie
and Jim did just as much" yelled
George from the door
The teacher waved him majestlcal.
ly back. AS his tear.stained face was
withdrawn from sight he shook
threatening fist at Robert, who still
held the head in his hand.
I'VE won't take up any more time
now" said the teacher but OF course
the fiddler must be paid suppose
In this case that the fiddler will have
70 be paid by your fathers think
a boy is pretty mean that has all the
fun and leaves the bill for the fiddler
TO be paid by somebody else. The
Mercury must be replaced by Mon
day Any boy who had anything
whatever to do with breaking this one
must be honorable enough to pay his
share toward getting another"
Would you call laughing at them
when they were chasing around hav.
ing anything TO do with it," asked
Robert, intense anxiety in his coun.
tenance
Decide among yourselves at re.
cess" replied the teacher. Talk Il
over as gentlemen should"
During recess another teacher said
TO Miss Heath: You'd better go and
look after your boys or first thing you
know you'll have a perfectly good boy
charged up to your account I couldn't
decide whether II was a riot or
carnival, but George. as usual was
it"
Miss Heath, however, found that the
trouble had blown over for the time
being. An noon an indignant trio
stopped to talk to her.
They say me and Ernie and Jim
are the most to blame because we ran
around the room" complained George.
'but we wouldn't have run around so
long IL they hadn't jollied US and then
l wouldn't have bumped against the
desk and fallen down; and don't you
think they ought to help pay the fid
dler2"
And, Miss Heath, don't you think
that when 1t was George that took
Merkery down he ought to pay the
most?" asked Ernie.
Il have nothing to say" replied
Miss Heath. Il told you to decide
like gentlemen. Were you three
boys most to blame?"
They say we were" said George.
What do you think?" insisted Miss
Heath.
"Well, I guess we were," said Jim.
Il didn't care so much anyway I've
got ten cents and II won't cost
more'n %"
1T cost three dollars" said Miss
Heath, impressively.
Three dollars!" shrieked George.
"For an old statoo with no clothes on
him and one leg broke OF? Why
didn't you make the kid that broke"
'"There, there!" said Miss Heath
with dignity. Get new one cheap
or If you can, but that's what paid
for the one you broke"
Later in the day she found this note
on her desk:
Dear Miss Heath: II we get a
stature we will break off his leg just
like the other. We won't give a good
one for old one; 1t amt fair. Re-
spectfully yours, GEORGE"
The teacher wrote in reply:
MY Dear George: There was once
a man named Shylock who wanted
pound of flesh from near the heart of
man who owed him some money but
who could not pay. The Judge told
him to take 1t, but IL he cut the small
est piece more than mis- pound he
would be severely punished.
Break the leg off If you wish to do
so. Affectionately,
0IIJCT I'M I'm rrrYD