The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1912-05-09
CHAPTER xxv.-continued.


Importantly.
''Naw,"' they chorused, what was
IT."
"She told the super ntendent,' was
the reply of Lima, pleased with her.
self and with that big word, that
she would have to have more money
next year, for she heard that Lima
Hamilton, Frances Black, William
Hill and Jimmy Garner were all COM
ing to school, and she said we were
the most notorious bad children in
town."
"She is the spitefullest woman they
Is" Jimmy's black eyes snapped;
"she bout the meddlesomest teacher
In town"
"Who told you bout it, Lina?"
questioned the other little girl.
The superintendent told his wife
and you know how some ladies are
they just can't keep secret. Now 1t
Is just like burying it to tell mother
anything; she never tells anybody
but father. and grandmother, and
grandfather, and Uncle Ed, and Bro
Their Johnson, and she makes them
promise never to breathe it to llv-
Ing soul But the super ntendent's
wife is different; she tells everything
she hears, and now everybody knows
what that teacher said about us"
Everybody says she is the crank
lest teacher they u.s. cried Jimmy,
"she went let you bring nothing to
school 'cepting your books; you can't
even take your slingshot, nor your
air-gun, nor"
"Nor your dolls" chimed in Fran
ces, "and she won't let you bat your
eye, nor say word, nor cross your
legs, nor blow your nose"
What do she think we 8 goin' to
her OF school fer If We can't have
fun?" asked Billy. "Tabernicle sho'
had fun when he went to school. He
put pin in the teachers chair an she
sat down on it plumb up to the head,
an he tie the strings together what
two niger gals had they hair
wropped with, an he squoze up
little boys legs in front of him with
q rooster foot tell he squalled out
loud, an he th'owed spitballs, an he
make him some watermelon teeth, an
he paint chicken light red an tuck it
to the teacher fer a dodo, an he put
cotton in his pants fore he got licked,
an he drawed the teacher on a slate.
That s what you go to school fer is
to have fun, an | sho' is goin' to
have fun when / goes, an amt goin'
TO take no bulldozin' offer her,
neither
Il bet we can squelch her." cried
Frances, vindictively.
Yes, we IL show her thing or
two"-for once Jimmy agreed with
her, "she bout the butt-in-est old wo-
man they is, and she's going to find
out we bout the squelchingest kids
ever she tackle"
Alfred Gage went to school to her
last year." said Frances, land he can
read and write"
YES" joined in Jimmy, land he
bout the proudest boy they is; all
time got to write his name all over
everything"
'You member bout last Commun-
ion Sunday" went on the little girl,
when they hand roun' the little en-
veIlups and telled all the folks what
was willing to give five dollars more
on the pastors sally just to write his
name; so Alfred he SO frisky cause
he know how to write; SO he TOKEN
one of the little envellups and worten
ALFRED Gage on it; so when his papa
find out bout it he say that kid got
to work and pay that five dollars
hiself cause he done sign his name
to it,"
"And if he amt bout the sickest
kid they is" declared Jimmy; I'll
hetcher he won't get fresh no more
soon. He telled me the other day he
amt had drink of soda water this
summer, cause every nickel he gets
got to go to Mr. Pastors sal'ry; he
says he plumb tired supporting Bro
Their Johnson and all his family; and,
he say, every time he go up town he
sees Johnny Johnson asserting on
stool in Baltzers drug store just a.
swigging milk-shakes; he says he
guns W MUM A1ll On oOAAO 0oJ
cause it's his nickels that kid s a.
spending"
There was short silence, broken
by Billy, who remarked, apropos of
nothing:
81 sho' is glad 1 don't halter be a
oman when puts on long pants;
mems is heap mo- account"
Il wouldn't be woman for moth
ing at ALL" Jimmy fully agreed with
him; they have the pokiest time
they is"
Il m glad am going to be young
lady when | grow up" Lima declared.
81 would mt be gentleman for any,
thing. I'm going to wear pretty
clothes and be beautiful and be a
belle like mother was, and have lots
of lovers kneel at my feet on one
knee and play the guitar with the
other
How they goin' to play the guitar
with the other knee?" asked the prac-
tical Billy.
"And sing Call Me Thine own I"
she continued. ignoring his interrupt
ton. Father got on his knees to
mother thirty-seven-and-a-hal- times
before she'd say, 4 will"