The Washington herald., 1913-03-30

DlQ gct-Wnat. He lStuinSu
with puzzled frown.
oh, don't know what it is saic
Fran with humility; the name of it:
Religion
TIf were you," Clinton returned
flushing. I'D be ashamed to refer tc
the night you disgraced yourself BY
laughing in the tent"
Fran" Abbott interposcd severely
attend to your work"
Fran bent her head over the desk
but was not long silent. Il don't like a
BIC and def" she observed with more
energy than she had hitherto displayed
They're equal to each other, but
don't know why, and | don't care. be-
cause it doesn't seem to matter. Moth
ing interests me unless it has some
thing to do with living. don't care
how far Mars is from the earth-if i
leave home These angles and line:
are nothing to me; what care fol
is this time I'm wasting. sitting in a
stuffy old room. while the good big
world is enjoying itself just outside
the window" She stared up impet.
uously.
Sit down." exclaimed Robert Clin-
ton. stamping his foot. sit down"
Fran sank back upon the bench.
Il suspect" said Abbott mildly
that they have put you in classes toe
far advanced We must try you ir
another room
But | don't want to he tried in
rooms" Fran explained, q want tc
be tried in actS-deeds. Until ] came
here. Id never been to school day
in my life she went on in a con.
fidential tone. Il agreed TO attend
because ! imagined school ought to
have some connection with life-some-
thing in it mixed up with love and
friendship and justice and mercy
Wasn't | silly! | even believed-just
fancy that you might really teach
me something about religion. But. no
it's all books, nothing but books"
Fran" Abbott reasoned. III we put
YOU in room where you can under
stand the things we try to teach, if VIC
make you thorough"
Il don't want to be thorough" she
explained, Il want to be happy.
guess all that schools were meant to do
is to teach folks what's in books and
how to stand in a straight line. The
children in Class A. or Class have
their minds sheared and pruned to
look alike; but | don't want my brain
after anybody's pattern"
You'll regret this, Miss declared
Clinton. in a threatening tone You
sit down. Do YOU want the name Of
being expelled s.-
Il don't care very muck about the
names of things" said Fran cody :
there are lots of respectable names
that hide wickedness." Her tone
changed: But yonder's another wild
animal for you to train; did you come
to see him besten:" She darted to the
corner, and seated herself beside
Jakey.
Say. now" Bob demonstrated. pull
ing his muStache deprecatingly. every
body knows | wouldn't sec dog hurt,
if it could be helped. I'm Jakey's
friend and I'd be yours, Frap-hon-
estly-if | could But how's school
to be run without authority? You amt
reasonable All we, want of you is
to be biddable'
And you cried Fran TO Abbott.
beginning to give way to high pres
sure, Il thought you were a school
teacher, not just, but also-a some
thing very nice, also teacher. But
NOT you. Teachers all YOU are, just
rules and regulations and authority
and chalk and abe and def"
Abbott crimsoned. Was she right?
Was he not something very nice plus
hi> VOCATION He found himself des-
pcrately wishing that she might think
so.
Fran. after one long glowing look
at him, turned to the lad in disgrace,
and placed Der hand upon his stubborn
arm Have you mother" she ask
cd wistfully
"Yeh." mumbIed the lad. astonishcd
at finding himself addressed. not as an
ink-stained husk OF humanity, but as
an understanding soul.
Il haven't" said Fran softly. talk
ing to him as if unconscious Of the
presence of two listening men, but
! had one. a few years ago-and. oh,
it seems. 50 long since she died. Jakcy
three years is a pretty long time to
be without a mother And you can't
think what a fault-blindest, spoilingest,
candiest mother she was. I'm glad
yours is living, for you still have the
chance to make her proud and happy.
:" No matter how fine | may turn
out-do you reckon I'll ever be ad
mired by anybody. Jakey? Huh. |
guess not. But # ] were, mother
wouldn't be here to enjoy it. Won't
You tell Prof. Ashton that you are
sorry"
"Fran-' Abbott began.
Fran made mouth at him. Il don't
belong to your school any more she
informed him. MIR. School Director
can tell you the name of what he can
do to me; he'll find it classified under
the E's."
After this explosion. she turned
again to the lad: Il saw you punch
that boy. Jakey. and l heard you say
you didn't. and vet ii was good
punch. What made you deny it:
Punches aren't bad ideas. If | could
strike out like you did, Id wait till |
saw man bullying a weaker one, and
I'd stand up to him Fran leaped
to her feet, and doubled
her ARMAND I'd let her land Punch
ings good thing, and. oh. how its
needed Except at school-you
do anything human here, you
must be an oyster at school
"Aw-right,' said Jakey. with glim-
mering OF comprehension. He seemed
coming TO life, as II sap were trickling
from winter congealmcnt
Bob Clinton, too, felt the fresh
breeze of early spring in his face. He
his >pectacles.
The first thing | knew Fran said.
reSuming her private conversation with