Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-04-05

defend against all corners her position
at the head Of the class. They had just
finished the speller," and now the
teacher was to select the hardest
words from any part Of the book fol-
this last lesson.
Amethyst" murmured Bertha
miscellaneous, conscientious, un
paralleled scissors, fasclnate
phthisic," spelling each word as she
pronounced it. II wonder II there's a
word in this whole book that I don's
know. do hope won't miss"
! Bertha called her mother, 1T is
school time; you must not wait any
| longer or you will be late"
I'm coming, mother" answered
Bertha, with one more lingering look
at the page before her-"optician, in
fallible, jeopardy. I'm sure know all
on that page" And. closing the book,
she went into the house for her hat.
Now remember, child" said her
mother, glancing at her flushed cheeks,
lit is not the most important thing IN
all the world to be at the head of the
spelling class Do not take 1t too much
to heart If you should miss! A very
dent, fail on an easy word.
"I'll remember, mother" laughed
Bertha; "but all the same l do care,
and don't mean TO miss If can help
it. Goodbye, Mamie! After this comes
vacation, and tomorrow We'll go and
pick vfolets."
Goodbye, Bertha!" called little
Mamie, as she swung on the gate and
watched her sister down the street. At
last Bertha turned corner, and was
out of sight; and Mamie, looking for
her kitten. ran round the house to the
orchard door, as the children called It,
where Bertha had sat studying.
ooh, here's Berthas book" called
Mamie. "the book with hard words in
it. Are all these words hard?"
"Not ALL" said her mother; some
of them are quite easy"
as this one hard?" asked Mamie, In
terested in the book which had seemed
SO very interesting to her big sister,
and putting her finger at random on
one of the words. 4 -.
LET me see,' said her mother.
Separate? Yes, think that is rather
hard word remember one day.
when I was little girl and went to
school. the whole class missed 1t,
though it looks easy" J..
"Tell me how to spell it," begged
Mamie: II want to learn a hard
word" ....s,
So her mother repeated the letters
to her: and the child said them over
and over again, and then ran out to
play under the cherry tree where she
began to sing them to the tune OF
yankee Doodle, The first line went
very we'll; but, when she tried to sing
the second, there was not quite music
enough, and she hardly knew what to
do with the last two letters.
Presently, Mrs. Carlton came to the
orchard door, and called OUT
I'm going to market. Is there any
little girl that would like to 60 with
me?"
Eyes, yes!" shouted Mamie: II want
to go. And let's 60 round by the
school-house, and carry Berthas
book" :
eyes, you may take 1t to her.
hardly think she will want 1t, but we
shall enjoy the walk. The longest way
is the best way on pleasant morning
like this" ...: ..
"And let's go the back way, and see
the brook" added Mamie.
eyes, we WILL" assented her mother
"the brook will be beautiful today. l
should like to see it myself, and hear
it sing"
Mamie danced along the pleasant
street by her mothers side, chatter
ing and laughing and singing, glad of
the sunshine and the dandelions and
the robins; glad of the young leaves
on the trees, and the white clouds,
and the soft breeze that made them
sail steadily across the sky; and glad
when they left the street and went up
the lane by narrow foot-path, till
thew came to the brook. A little squir-
rel was sitting on flat stone close to
the waters edge, where he had come
down to drink; but he suddenly dis
appeared as soon as he caught sight OF
them, and Mamie took his place, dip
ming her feet in the shallow water to
make her rubbers shine, and throw
ing in little sticks to sail down the
swift stream.
1--WE must not stop long to play.
Mamie" said her mother. If we 90,
we shall have no dinner and Bertha
will have no book. Come, here Is
the school house. Now knock at the
door, and tell Miss Burton your er-
randi"
Mamie knocked, and, as Miss Bur
ton came to the door, held out the
book without a word, forgetting to
make any explanation. The teacher
took it with a smile, asking no ques-
tons.
ooh. thank you!" she said. will
YOU come in and make us visit?'
ooh, yes!" said Mamie, eagerly,