Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-05-01


waIllnrfOrc. 4 remember now.
-Polecat." firmly insisted Toad. He
was a barber. and be wears smelly
stuff all the time He Hicks the boys
for nothing at au-tf you tear your
clothes or break a window or play
hOoky or tight or anything He feeds
rs on nothing but beans and not
enough OF them. He's cut out baseball
aud football and hockey and shiny
and marbles because Il spells our
clothes We got 70 have oUr hair cut
every Saturday and be rnanicured
twice q week We got 20 shine our
shoes three times a day and PIT on a
fresh collar for dinner"
This declared Blackie. aghest at
the indisnity. Is an outrage. I sup
pose you even have dancing lessons
Every Monday. Wednesday and Fri
day complained Toad: then his face
redeemed and tears sprang 10 his eyes
Half Of "a have 70 play girir'
waIlingford nearly cboked- did you
plsy giri7- he asked with a superhu-
man accomplishment OF gravity
Once guiped Toad I licked the
boy that was dancin' with me before
we got outside. ] been In bad ever
since. Old Polecat licked me. I told
him was goana run away from
school. He licked ne again and asked
me ~ WIS still goana run away.
told him YES and that when I got
home was goana have you 20 up
there and put him ont OF business
Then Old Polecat threw me IN my
room and bumped nv head on the
xashstaud and rallied my Windows
shut. but before ne had the door lock
I'd I busted the window with nv wa
ter pitcher and jumped out and hit FER
up through the woods 20 the railroad
and hid TIL night and hoped fast
freight ard come home Are you soin'
back with met
waulngfOrd looked at him In deep
perplexity and finally turned 10 Black
ie -T1i b. jieEcred " know what
we ought % do be puzzled.
Make good biurted Biacisle. who
was fully a. indignant as Toad. ITS
my opinion that Old Poiecat Sc too
good a barber 90 waste 10 military
school
The postman came in with letter
for waninEford. he opened % and
read Major Pooie's account OF Toad
Iessop's crimes
Wen 20 right over 20 the house and
wash up be announced. passing the
letter % Biaciic with a gesture OF an
ger. Wen take the next train and
investigate Major Poole. I think be
needs IT.
Wen bring you hack his scalp.
Toad promised Biackie. pattins his
adopted haif son aHectionately on the
shoulder.
I'm soin' along Insisted Toad in
dignantiy. 7 want to see II done"
Major Poole. sitting IN a somber
dark once and In = stif oak chair and
at a heavy oak desk. nii sizes and sizes
too big for him. proved TO be n skinny
little man with scanty snow white
hair parted n the middle and plas-
tered 20 his skull with bis snow white
mustache and goaoee brilliantined TO
needle points and with n carefully
cold ereamed professional smile. which
weakened when he saw Toad's stern
hackers
We'll" said waI1mcford when the
fornalities Of Introduction had been
disposed Of. now that have you both
together I want 10 get At the bottom
Of things. and i may rs wen tell you
70 begin with that the boy doesn't liz"
NO" granted the major in a squenky
little voice. young Jes>Op - very
truthful: must admit that But be Is
not ameDable to discipline"
Not to an overdose Of f." agreed
waIlingford. II wouldn't want him
TO be. To my mind. there's too much
discipline In your school anyhow"
II was q soldier In the civil war.
sir explained Major Poole proudly.
squnring his shoulders. 'and / got my
practice IN discipline in the finest army
in the world"
I've looked you up. and you were
a suffer" dryiy corrected Wallingford.
You got your practice disciplining
mules"
There's not 1,nch difference" de-
Tended the major. with a laugh.
Not when you beat them" retorted
B,nckic. bristiing. II can lick any
man who finds IL necessary TO give
frequent Iickings 70 boys. II we had
known you had that habit we would
have taken this boy home long ago"
II think that has been happening"
srrrrf-ed wsIiirgford. II notice that
ron do not seem 20 have so large an at
tendance as Major Sisfilen had when /
was here q year ago
mo" admitted the rnsjor sadly
The business Is falling OF. and II the
city tuilds its school I'm 4 gOner.
wish I had never got into e."
You don't belong IN IT," charged
Toad. who had been glaring defiance
all this while You only took this
school 80 you could lex boys. and
lot OF them squeaIed At home and was
toos out Now You lick nfty boys as
much as you used to hundred. and II
ma kes too much for each boy. You're
scera be put out OF business"
i wish ] could gsntlenen.- half
groaned the major. appealing 20 bis
two older accuserA My old comrade.
skIlicn. seemed TO make n living out OF
this school but can't do e. don't