The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-09-21
THE QUEST OF Ky
BY JANE WATTS.

essssssssssssssseesessssss
When the substitute teacher hung
up the keys of the room of which she
had been in charge that day and left
the office she wore the smile that one
wears when one has completed an irk-
some duty. She joined two of the reg
ular teachers who were also depart
ing.
Did you have any adventures to-
day." Queried sympathetically gray
haired but kindly veteran Of countless
schoolroom battles.
"Forty-eight of Them" responded
the substitute. "All first graders who
can't even write their own names.
Oh! And that reminds me. There
were really 40 adventures, counting
Ky" And the young teacher broke
into an infectious laugh.
Tell us about Ky" the others
urged.
We'll. l had just set half the room
to modelling the story of the three
bears. and had successfully settled the
rest in their little chairs before the
phonics chart. They had begun to
chant rhythmically, Bio, blow, gro,
grow, s-n-o, snow. no, know when
the door opened slowly and a shiny
bright face framed In a block shawl
peered in and demanded, I wants my
ky Erbstein!'
Naturally, the little people all
stared open mouthed at the visitor
and suspended operations on their
work, while l asked the owner of the
shawled head to come in and pick out
her offspring.
MRS. Erbstein was a large, vigo-
rous woman. She entered timidly, and
looked helplessly up and down the
rows Of children. She even walked
among them, but failed to find her ky.
BY this time had looked up the list
Of names There was an ky Wolf
and an Ky Masinswi. but Of ky Erb-
stein there was neither hide nor hair
nor record.
AT this crisis. little miss-whose
blue bow rode on top Of her head like
sail on the pillows that had weather
ed many q stretched an eager
hand aloft and volunteered the infor-
nation that there was an Ky went
to room 81
Mrs. Erbstein was thoroughly ex-
cited by thio time, 30 left her in my
chair while went to make inquiries.
1t soon appear that the only Ky in
room p bore the surname Giwasch.
At this, Mrs. Erbstein grew frantic
and began to pour forth tears and
broken English simultaneously. Her
little boy. she was sure, had been
kidnapped, murdered!
fortunately, the recess bell inter-
rupted her means Of anguish, and I
suggested that she step out into the
hall and look for her son among the
regiments Of children marching by.
She followed the suggestion. Sudden
ly she gave cry Of Joy and flung
herself at a little curly haired fellow
in the ranks Of room 81. She Rugged
him violently. much to his embarrass-
ment for every one was looking on
and wondering what 1t was all about.
Meanwhile she wept and thanked
heaven for his recovery.
Room els teacher and I looked at
each other for mutual explanations.
80 you did have Ky Erbstein,
after ALL? asked.
"'But he told me his name is CT.
wasch,' she said. Then the light Of
understanding dawned on her. oh,
begin to see.' she exclaimed. Then
she told me the story.
Two weeks ago, one Of the chill.
dren in my room brought Ky to enter
him for the new term said she. But
neither he nor any Of the others knew
the boys last name asked him,
What other name have you besides
Ky?
Jus Ky" he replied with be.
wilderment in his big eyes
"'"What else does your mother call
! you?"
"'"Just Ky"
"'"But what else does she say to
you? Iky-Iky what?"
! "Then he seemed to understand,
for he answered quickly. "She says.
I Ky G'wasch.'"
$50 I entered his name as "Iky
Giwasch" on the books
"Well?' said. For I was as mys-
titled as ever.
| Why. don't you see? His mother
says to him, daily, no doubt "Iky, 60
wash!"'
And that is as much as most Of
wee folks know OF their Names" con.
cluded the substitute teacher ITS
no wonder that children get lost"