The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-12-19
Coryr4eft. lOa9, by the Bobbs-r1erriu CO.
E0RGE RANDOLPH CF1ES TER :

LA4S GpOA(@3@AS4eSA144 444 A4@e / Major Skillen would have written me to that effect and instructed me to send money for your return ticket g
 Major Skillen ain't there any more, explained Toad, singuIarIy at ease and apparently conscience free. sHThe rheumatism got him away last year, and he sold out to Old PoIecat-"
 ''MaJor Poole" severely corrected Waningford. q remember now.'
 sPolecat, 7 firmly insisted Toad sHs was a barber, and he wears smelly stuff all the time. He hcks the boys for nothing at an-if you tear your clothes or break 3 window or play hooky or fight or anything. He feeds us on nothing but beans and not enough of them. He's cut out baseball and football and hockey and shinny and marbles because it spoIls our clothes We got to have our hair cue every Saturday and be manicured twice a week. We got to shine our shoes three times a day and put on a fresh collar for dinner"
 sgThis,'' declared Blackie, aghast at the indignity, e1is an outrage I sup pose you even have dancing lessons
 "Every Monday, Wednesday and Fri day. complained Toad; then his faca reddened and tears sprang to his eyes, Half of us have to play girIg''
 Wallingford nearly chokeds Did you play girl2' he asked with g superhn man accomplishment Of gravity E Once" guIped Tcad. s1 licked the boy that was danc1n' with me before we got outside. I been in bad ever since Old Polecat licked me. I told him was goana run away from school He licked me again and asked me if I was still goana run away. told him yes and that when I goi home I was goana have you go up there and put him out of business Then Old Polecat threw me in my room and bumped my head on tha washstand and nailed my windows shut, but before he had the door lock ed busted the window with my wa ter pitcher and jumped ont and hit CT mp through the woods to the railroad and hid till night and hoped a fast freight and come home. Are you goin' back with me2'
 Waningford looked at him in deep perplexity and dnally turned to Black ie 4.TH be Jiggered if know what we ought to do.,' he puzzled.
 Make goodYs blurted Blackie. who was fully as indignant as Toad. HIts my opinion that Old Poleeat is too good barber to waste in military schooI..'
 The postman came in with a letter for Wallingford- He opened it and read Major Poole's account of Toad Jessop's crimes.
 ''We'H go right over to the house and wash up, he announced, passing the letter to Blackie with gesture of an ger. wen take the next train and investigate Major Poole. I think he needs it
 s.We'n bring you back his scalp, Toad,'' promised Blackie batting his adopted half son affectionately on the shoulder.
 r 'I'm gofn' along" insisted Toad in dignantly. .I want to see 1t done
 Major Poole. sitting in a somber dark ofice and in a stiff oak chair and at a heavy oak desk, all sizes and sizes too big for him, proved to be skinny little man with seanty snow white hair parted in the middle and plas- tered to his skull, with his snow white mustache and goatee brilliantned to needle points. and with a carefully cold creamed professional smile, which weakened when he saw Toad's stern packers.
 tsWeH, said Wa1lingford when the fornalities of Introduction had been disposed of, now that have you both together I want to get at. the bottom of things, and I may as well tell you to begin with that the boy doesn't lie. !"
 .'No, granted lle major ina squeaky little voice. young Jessop is very truthful; must admit that. But he Is not amenabIe to diseipline.''
 ssNot to an overdose of it. agreed Wallingford. T wouldn't want him to be. TO my nlilid there's too much discipline in your school anyhow.
 sI was a soldier in the civil war. sfr.'' explafned Major Poole proudly, squaring his shoulders, ssand I got my practice in discipline in the finest army in the world =
 s'Pve looked you up. and you were a sutIer, dryly corrected Wallingford, s'You got your. practice disciplining mules.3
 There's not much difference de tended the major with a laugh
 aNot when you beat them.s retorted Blackie, brisfIing. aT can lick any man who finds it necessary to give frequent licklnes to boys. If we had known you had that habit we would have taken this boy, home long. ago.
 'I think that has been happening, surmfsed Wallfngford. sI notice that you do not seem to. have so large an at tendance as Major Skillen had when ! was here a year ago.
 "No'' admitted the major sadly, tfThe business is falling off. and if the city builds it's school I'm q goner. wish had never got into it. g
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