Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-09-21

visit at Uncle Phil's, five miles away
and he was to 60 all alone, for thu
first time, on the electric car and pay
Ibis own fare to the conductor, ant
carry his nightie and play clothe:
lpacked in fathers bag. But this was
mot to happen unless he should pass.
No wonder he walked home will
This head down and couldn't talk
Mother was upstairs when he reached
lhome. She called to him:
Come upstairs, Harry. I'm getting
Your clothes ready" 10
Harry went upstairs to his room
Fathers bag was open on the bed, ant
mother was folding things and laying
them into it.. ,..a. ~
II think you had better go on the
"A O'Clock car, Harry she said. "anc
if you do, We shall have to hurry; sc
run into the bathroom and wash your
ihands very clean. and then begin Il
ichange your suit"
Harry went into the bathroom. and
while he washed, he kept thinking
Mother hadn't asked him if he hac
passed, and she was packing the bas
land had told him to be getting ready
Perhaps she wouldn't think to ask him
lat all, and, If she didn't, why couldn''
The CO. and just say nothing? ..
i He had begun to unite his shoes
shoes when mother said:
"Of course you passed, didn't yor
dear. You've been having such good
marks all along" !.
But before Harry could answer, the
yellow kitten jumped on the bed.
There! Here kitty-get right off,
cried mother. "Your paws are all dirty
Scat! Scat"
When she came back, after sending
the kitten down stairs, she seemed to
forget that Harry hadn't answered her
question. He went on changing his
Fshoes, and mother tucked another
tclean handkerchief into the bag and
snapped it together. w.
"You must be good she was say
| ing, land mind Uncle Phil and Aunt
Clara-oh' there's Mrs. Mason coming
lacross-mfnd them the first time thoy
Ispeak. Come right upstairs, Mrs.
Mason I'm getting Harry ready to go
to Uncle Phil's. promised him he
should go If he passed this term
"And he passed, did hep asked Mrs.
Mason. isn't that Splendid
Eyes" replied mother, "and he's
going all alone on the trolley
AS soon as mother had spoken, an
uneasy, horrid little feeling came all
over Harry. Mother had told a lie,
and 1t was all his fault-mother, who
hated lies worse than anything. How
she would feel If she knew.
WELL" said Mrs. Mason. IF you're
going to put him on the O'Clock car
I'll run along home. for you'll have to
start soon."
Harry began to feel more and more
miserable and to care less and less
about going. He made up his mind
that he would tell mother the truth.
Mother was brushing her hat.
'rl wait TIL she gets through" he
thought. Probably it needs little
brushing, anyway"
But she finished and began to put
on her hat, and still Harry waited.
ITS quarter Of ~ said mother.
Come, Harry, get on your hat
It'll wait till we're just going out the
door. It'll be easier when I'm walk
ing along" he thought.
They went out, mother locking the
door behind them, and Harry said
nothing.
"ru wait till we get just to the cor
ner of Pleasant street." he said to him.
self. He was very wretched, and 1t
was getting harder every minute to
speak. How he wished that he had
told mother the truth in the very be-
ginning!
They went hurrying past Pleasant
street corner, and still he couldn't
speak.
when we get to Main street. he
thought, "at the very first store we
come TO-" .,..
They reached Main street. and pass
ed the first store, the second and the
third.
Hurry a. little faster, Harry. It's
three minutes of 4 now" said mother.
Now he must speak! He opened
his mouth, but his throat seemed to
squeeze right up SO tightly that not
sound could escape.
Now, we'll wait here" said mother.
-Four o'clock-it's time for the car"
Harry braced himself and looked
up the street. The car wasn't IN
sight.
perhaps It's going to be a little
bit late tonight" said mother.
Another minute, and the car turned
the corner and came humping down
the street.
Now-now-there wasn't a minute
to lose-not one. He swallowed hard
harder.
"Mother!" he spluttered. But she
didn't hear him; there. was too much
noise in the street. She stepped out
toward the car and signalled 1t. Harry
ran up to her. and caught her hand,
Juggling hard at 1t.
"Mother!" he jerked out. q
don't put me on-I-I didn't pass
The car stopped, and some girls
came laughing and rushing up to 1t.
Mother looked down at Harry. The
tears were rolling down his cheeks.
"Why, Harry-why, Harry" she
said, and she was so surprised that
she didn't say another word just then.
When they reached home, they met
a young lady coming away from the
door. It was the substitute teacher,