The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1910-01-24
PAYING THE
FIDDLER


room With it and"
\ did mott" shouted George. n
wasn't me any moren anybody else
Anyhow it 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"
II was broke all the time. inter
rupted George
George. leave the room. Now, Mar
Earet, what is it2'
Margaret pointed, unable to speak.
20 the bracket which contained the
statue OF the Flying Mercury
What's the matter with IT," asked
The teacher, whose rapid glance failed
20 discover anything amiss.
Robert jumped nimbly on the steam
pipes and with 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 vigorous Rf
I frmative.
+ Well, they needn't blame 1t all on
me, If did take it down, for Ernie
and Jim did Just as much" yelled
George from the door.
The teacher waved him majestical-
~ back. As his tear-stained face was
withdrawn from sight he shook a
threatening fist at Robert, who still
held the head in his hand.
We 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
TO be paid by your fathers. ! think
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 hay-
ing anything TO do with it?" asked
Robert, intense anxiety in his coun-
tenance
Decide among yourselves at re-
cess" replied the teacher. Talk It
over as gentlemen should"
During recess another teacher said
70 Miss Heath: You'd better go and
look after your boys or first thing you
know you1l have a perfectly good boy
charged up to your account. ! couldn't
decide whether 1t was 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
wouldn't have bumped against the
desk and fallen down; and don't you
think they ought to help pay the I'D
dler?"
And. Miss Heath, don't you think
that when it 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 blame2"
They say we WERE" said George.
What do you think?' insisted Miss
Heath.
We'll. guess we were" said jim.
Il didn't care so much anyway. I've
got ten cents and it won't cost
more'n 25"
"It cost three dollars" said Miss
Heath, impressively.
Three dollarst" shrieked George.
For an old statoo with no clothes on
him and one leg broke on? WHY
didn't you make the kid that broke"
There. therel" said Miss Heath
with dignity Get new one cheap.
er il you can. but that's what / paid
for the one you broke1
Later in the day she found this note (
on her desk:
Dear Miss Heath: If we get
stature we will break of his lex lust
like the other We won't give a good
one fpFa old one; it amt fair Re-
spectfilllf yours. GEORGE
The teacher wrote IN reply:
NY Dear George There was once
a man named Shylock who wanted
pound Of flesh from near the heart Of
a man who owed him some money but
who could not pay The Judge told
him to take 1t, but II he cut the small.
est piece more than his pound he
would be severely punished.
Break the leg on if you wish to do
80. Aifectionately.
HELEN HEATH"
We were only fooling, said
George next day I'VE couldn't cut IA
lust exactly on Jim said he bet he
could, but me and Ernie said We
wouldn't be in IT. We're going to earn
The money, ] bet I won't have anv
~ rrn Hd1for- - ~av t1 49,