The Ordway new era., 1911-02-03

Frederick dug stubborn toe into
the floor. His fat. limp hand held his
pencil loathlngly. His brow was bead.
ed with perspiration. born. not OF la.
Dor. but of obstinacy.
Nov. Frederick" began Miss
Burke. with conscientious enthusiasm.
sitting down at the desk across the
aisle. lets draw picture OF a beau.
ti-ful big dog"
A few more beads OF persrIration
appeared upon Frederick's flushed
forehead and the hand that held the
pencil became n shade more nerveless.
1t was at three o'clock that Miss
Burke had suggested gayly that every.
body should draw the picture OF an
animal and let everybody else guess
what 1t was. 1t was now n quarter
past four. Each OF the other children
had executed the likeness OF some
chosen animal and then their short
legs had trudged. trotted or skipped
home with these treasures OF art, but
Frederick still sat before his small
desk. mulishness enthroned upon his
brow and no slightest hint OF the coun.
terfcit presentment OF any beast mp.
pearing upon the virgin surface Of his
paper.
Miss Burke spoke again. persuasive
ly. I'm going up to the platform now,
Frederick. to arrange my desk all
neatly for tomorrow. and when I come
back | just know | shall find a lovely
picture OF dog. Now. shan't II"
Frederick spoke not. nor did he
move during the ten minutes Miss
Burke passed in inventing small du
ties in connection with the tidying
up of her desk.
When she came down from the plat.
form and stood before Frederick again.
there was that In her voice which
made him take his reluctant gaze from
his paper and raise 1t to her face.
Frederick Merriam" said the hith.
crto persuasive tones. I'm going to
wash my hands and put on my wraps.
and when come back expect TO find
a picture of a dog on that piece of
paper"
She pointed firm finger at the
sheet before him and then turned
away.
When his teacher returned ten min.
utes later Frederick sat with his toe
dug into the floor and his pencil limp
ly grasped in his hand. but on the
paper had appeared an outline In
which an indulgent critic might have
found faint suggestion OF a dog.
We'll try to do better next time.
Frederick" said Miss Burke. You
may get your hat and so now"
Miss Burke. passing down the hall a
few minutes later. overlook her small
pupils. Good night. Freddie"
said with the magnanimous courtesy
of the one who has had the best of 1t.
Frederick stared f'xediy at the wall
until she had passed. Then he looked
vindictively at her retreating back.
''rll go and muss up her OIL desk"
he thought. MAXIM me draw a pitch.
er of a OIL ANIMAL"
He turned back into the schoolroom
and tiptoed up to Miss Burke's desk.
Everything was put away inside the
drawers eXcept n few pencils and a
ruler Fredrick threw the pencils on
the floor. and then. taking the ruler
between two chubby hands. he broke
It across his fat knee. Then he tip
tod to the door and sped down the
hall.
There was no rest for Frederick that
night. His uneasy dreams were
haunted by visions of angry Miss
Burke threatening him with broken
rulers and great paper dogs onening
horrible mouths at him. Early in the
morning he crept from his bed and
went to the drawer where he kept his |
bank. He took the bank to the bed
and shook 1t violently until he could |
hear nothing more rattling inside it.
Three bright Lincoln pennies re-
warded his efforts.
Eight O'Clock found Frederick. a hur.
ricd breakfast lying heavy upon his |
youthful stomach. standing before the
showcase of the school store" ma. |
king q careful survey of its contents. |
After due consideration he selected |
one stick Of chewing gum. done up in
a piece of sky-blue paper fringed at
the ends, one fy-on-a-broomstick |
and one all-day sucker. With these |
deposited in paper bag striped with |
purple he fastened to school.
Here he tore a sheet from his tab.
let and inscribed these words upon it: |
Dear Miss Burke. Yours truly. Fred.
erick" Attaching this with decrepit |
pin to the paper bag, he laid it on
Miss Burke's desk and, returning to
his seat, buried his nose In his Ian
guage book and awaited developments.
"Well!" exclaimed Miss Burke
'Somebody has been giving me pres
ent. Frederick" reading the name on
the sheet Of paper. why, how nice
of you Frederick"
Did she. as she took up the bag,