The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1913-09-26

the night you disgraced yourself by
laughing in the tent"
Fran" Abbott interposed severely,
attend to your work"
Fran bent her head over the desk,
but was not long silent. 81 don't like
| abe and def" she observed with
more energy than she had hitherto dis.
played. They're equal to each other.
but don't know why, and don't care,
because it doesn't seem to matter.
Nothing interests me unless it has
something to do with living. These
angles and lines are nothing to me;
what care for Is this time I'm vast
ing, sitting in stuffy old room, while
the good big world is enjoying itself
just outside the window" She started
up impetuously.
'Sit down." Abbott commanded.
"Fran!" exclaimed Robert Clinton,
stamping his foot, "sit down."
Fran sank back upon the bench.
81 suspect" said Abbott mildly,
that they have put you in classes too
far advanced. We must try you in
another room
"But 1 don't want to be tried in
rooms" Fran explained. 81 want to be
tried in acts-deeds. Until l came
here, I'd never been to school day
in my life," she went on in confiden-
tial tone. 81 agreed to attend because
/ imagined school ought to have some
connection with life-something in it
mixed up with love and friendship and
justice and mercy. Wasn't 1 silly! !
even believed-just fancy!-that you
might really teach me something about
religion. But, no! It's all books, moth
ing but books"
Fran" Abbott reasoned, eff we put
you in a room where you can under
stand the things we try to teach, if
we make you thorough"
81 don't want to be thorough" she
explained, 81 want to be happy l
guess all that schools were meant to
do is to teach folks what's in books,
and how to stand in straight line
have their minds sheared and pruned
to look alike; but l don't want my
brain after anybody's pattern"
you'll regret this, Miss" declared
Clinton, in threatening tone. You
sit down. Do you want the name of
being expelled"
81 don't care very much about the
names of things" said Fran coclly;
"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 Elm beaten?" She darted to the
corner, and seated herself beside
Jakey.
"Say, now" Bob demonstrated, pull
ing his mustache deprecatingly. ''ev-
erybody knows l wouldn't see dog
hurt if it could be helped. I'm Jakey's
friend, and I'd be yours, Fran-hon-
estly-if | could But how's a 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, 81 thought you were school
teacher, not just, but also-a some
thing very nice, also a 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
his vocation? He found himself des-
perately wishing that she might think
So
Fran, after one long glowing look at
him, turned to the lad in disgrace. and
placed her hand upon his stubborn
arm. Have you a mother?" she
asked wistfully.
"Yeh," mumbled the lad, astonished
at finding himself addressed, not as
an ink-stained husk of humanity, but
as an understanding soul.
"I haven't" said Fran softly, talk.
ing to him as if unconscious of the
presence of two listening men, "but
had one, few years ago-and, oh, it
seems so long since she died, Jakey-
three years is pretty long time TO be
without a mother. And you can't think
what fault-blindest, spoilingest, can.
! diest 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 admired by
| TT I,,Lf 1~t