The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1910-02-02
PAYING THE
FIDDLER

ulu not! shouted deOrBe. IL
wasn't me any moren anybody else
Anyhow, Il was broke. And II jim
! mie 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
Fuptcd George
George. leave the room. Now, Mar.
garet. what Is it?"
I Margaret pointed, unable to speak,
to the bracket which contained the
statue oI the Flying Mercury.
What's the matter with it?' asked
The teacher, whose rapid glance failed
70 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
II because everybody Ia the room saw
them"
Many heads nodded 4 vigorous af-
nrmatiye
Well, they needn't blame II all on
me, II did take II down, for Ernie
and Jim did Just as much." yelled
George from the door.
The teacher waved him majestical-
ly 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withdrawn from sight he shook a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 or course
the fiddler must be paid. ! suppose
IN this case that the fiddler will have
% be paid by your fathers. l think
a boy il 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-
lug anything to do with it?v asked
Robert intense anxiety in his coun-
ienance.
Decide among yourselves at re-
cess. replied the teacher. Talk il
over as gentlemen should"
During recess another teacher said
10 Miss Heath: You'd better 20 and
look after your boys or first thing you
know youth have perfectly good boy
charged up to your account l couldn't
decide whether II was q riot or
carnivai, 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 80
long II they hadn't joIIied us and then
wouldn't have bumped against the
desk and fallen down: and don't you
think they ought to help pay the fid-
dIer?"
And. Miss Heath. don't you think
that when it was George that took
Merkery down he ought to pay the
most?" asked Ernie.
II have nothing to say replied
Miss Heath II told you to decide
like gentlemen. Were you three
boys most 70 blame?"
They say we were" said George.
What do you think2' insisted Miss
Heath.
Well, 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"
1T cost three dollars" said Miss
Heath, impressiveiy.
Three dollarsl" 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 a new one cheap
er il YOU can, but that's what l paid
for the one you broke"
Later II the day she found this note
on her desk
Dear Miss Heath: II We get a
stature we will break on his leg Just
like the other We won't give good
one for a old one: it 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
a man who owed him some money but
who could not pay. The Judge told
him to take it. but if he cut the small
est piece more than his pound he
would be severely punished
Break the leg on II you wish to do
40. Affectionately,
HELEN HEATH"
We were only fooling," said
George next day. we couldn't cut It
Just exactly on Jim said he bet he
could. but NE and Ernie said we
wouldn't be in Il We're going 10 earn
the money bet | won't have any
more bidders to pay. And Miss
Heath wont you please read us some