The Yale expositor., 1912-12-12
THAT ZERO LUNCHEON
BY CORNELIUS voIGHT.

work! Something awful has hap
pened!" This came from Ruth, as.
wildly excited, her brown eyes as
round as saucers, she bounded into the
room.
what, child! Where? When?" ex-
claimed her mother. while her little
brother stood by, breathless.
'In school! Dorothy told on me!
And it's not true! I didn't do it,"
do what. dear? What did Dorothy
tell?"
"She said I whispered. And I didn't!
Honestly, truly, mother, didn't"
mo, she didn't" chimed in little
brother, who knew nothing whatever
about 1t.
How did she happen to say you
did," asked her mother.
II wouldn't let her play in the doll
house yesterday. She wanted to be
the teacher and I did, too. And then ]
told her 1t was my yard and my doll.
house and she'd better go home. She
said she'd get even, and when Miss
Marion came back into the room this
morning and asked who whispered
while she was out Dorothy said l did.
And didn't, either. And all the girls1l
prove it, too-Emily and Elsie and all
of EN-"
"Well, ! wouldn't get so excited,
Ruth, dear You can tell Miss Marion
that you didn't whisper, can't your"
"But maybe she won't believe me-
And I'll have to stay after school. And,
oh, m-m-mother, mother!" Great sobs
shook her frame. "Ill get a zero in
department, and If you get three zeros
you can't ever, ever go into another
grade" Here she broke down COM
pletely. Little brother began to cry
with her.
"Come, come, children, let's have
our lunch," urged the mother in sooth-
ing tones, putting her arms about
Ruth and wiping away the tears.
Maybe while we're eating we can
think Of something to do about it."
II don't want any lunch," Ruth man.
aged to say in a choking voice.
me neither" accompanied little
brother, who then scampered to the
luncheon table as fast as his legs
would carry him, followed reluctantly
by Ruth.
The big sister and the father came
in and took their places at the table.
Between sobs Ruth again related her
troubles.
"Ill go and sec Miss Marion" an
nounced the big sister
cor I'll write her note," added the
mother.
well, let's eat," suggested the
father.
well, let's eat" echoed the little
brother.
For a few moments the mother was
kept busy serving Ruth was begin
ming to forget her troubles in the sol.
ace Of introducing steak and potatoes
into her hungry, growing little body,
when the brother, with his mouth
stuffed full, innocently remarked:
Daddy, don't you think these round
potatoes that Eva makes look like
zeroes?"
Instantly Ruth stopped eating. Tears
began coursing down her cheeks. The
little brother continued: Tears look
like zeroes, too"
1--WE cont talk about zeroes," COM
manded the mother. Come, Ruth,
dear, finish your lunch"
Wiping the tears on her bib, Ruth
| began again to eat. AS she was about
to put some of her favorite vegetable
into her mouth she walled: Mother.
dear, don't you think peas look like
Zeroes and spoons do little bit, too?
Oh, everything's just full Of zeroes!"
The father burst out laughing.
"Well, Ruth" he said, "if we could
have 'em all in row with ones in
front Of them and dollar signs wouldn't
we have lots of fun? Come on, now.
Let's forget all disagreeable things,
because they're bad for our digestion.
Mothers going to help you"
"Say, dad" exclaimed the little
brother, "do you see those round
things on the tablecloth-"
flush, brother" commanded his
mother.
But he wouldn't be hushed. "These
round things on the tablecloth-"
Ruth's eyes began to fill.
"They-they-look just like little
pumpkins!"
BY the time the meal was over the
mother had decided what to do. She
would go to the school and give that
teacher a piece of her mind for ex-
citing a little child over such trifle.
If necessary, she would go to see the
school principal also. The father
blandly suggested that she might call
in the police force or take the case to
the supreme court.
She found the teacher a pleasant,
bright looking young woman, who was
much surprised to see her.
"You came about Ruth?" she asked.
I'm glad to see you. She's the best
behaved child have in the room.
"But she came home crying at noon
today. She said she was going to be
punished because Dorothy said she
whispered"
"Why, didn't pay any attention to
that, for I knew IL wasn't true" an
swered Miss Marion.-Chicago Daily
| News.