The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1915-06-12

and she was surprised and displeased
to receive no answer, although to the
best Of her knowledge and belief he
was looking fixedly at her. She repeat.
ed her question crisply without visible
effect; then summoned him by name
with increasing asperity. Twice she
called him, while all his fellow pupils
turned to stare at the gazing boy. She
advanced a step from the platform.
."Penrod Schofieldw,
"Oh, my goodness!' he shouted sud.
denly. Cant you keep still a min.
ute?"
CHAPTER VI.
Uncle John. H..
HE ISIS SPENCE gasped. So did
|" tie pupils. The whole room
HI filled with swelling, con
glomerate "O-o-o-o-hv
As for. Penrod himself, the walls
reeled with the shock. He sat with
his mouth open, mere lump of stupe-
faction. For the appalling words that
he had hurled at the teacher were as
inexplicable to him as to any other
who heard them. II
Nothing is more treacherous than the
human mind; nothing else so loves to
play the 1scariot. Even when patient
~ bullied into a semblance of order
and training it may prove but base
and shifty servant. And Periods
mind was not his servant. It was
master, with the April winds whims,
and it had just played him a diabolical
trick. The very jolt with: which he
came back to the sehoolroom in the
midst Of his fancied fight Jared his
day dream utterly opt of him and he
sat:open snout''es [ + sorror at what
he had said. ||YT@ s=::
The unanimous gasp Of awe was pro-
tracted. Miss Spence; however, final
~ recovered her breath, and, returning
deliberately to the platform, faced the
school. "And then, for a little WHILE"
as pathetic stories sometimes recount,
'everything was very still.", 1t was so
still, in fact, that Periods newborn
notoriety could almost be heard grow
Ing. This grisly silence was at last
broken by the teacher.
"Penrod Schodeld, stand upv'
The miserable child obeyed.>
what did you mean by speaking
to me in that way?"
He hung his head, raked the floor
with the side of his shoe, -swayed,
swallowed, looked suddenly at his
hands with the air: Of never having
seen them before, then clasped them
behind him. The school shivered in
ecstatic horror, every fascinated eye
upon him, yet there was not a soul in
the room but was profoundly grateful
to him for the sensation including the
offended teacher herself. Unhappily,
all this gratitude was unconscious and
altogether different from the kind
which results in testimonials and low
ing cups. On the contrary!
"Penrod Scho6eld?'
He gulped
"Answer me at once! Why did you
speak to me like that?''
II was''- He choked, unable to
continue. %:%->
''Speak outv' E=9& - ... p. ..
II was just thinking" he managed
to stammer.
"That win not do she returned
sharply. II wish to know Immediate
~ why you spoke astyou did,
The stricken Penrod answered help
lessly: .s,.s,. ss:@s:sI H.. - .-
Because I was just thinking"
Upon the very rack he could have
offered nd ampler truthful explanation.
It was all he knew about II. <n
Thinking what?" .s<< ..-... =.
"Just thinking" n: ~. .....:,
Misc Spence's expression gave evil
dence that her power Of self restraint
was undergoing a i remarkable test.
However, after taking counsel with
herself. she commanded: ,z +.
"Come here! " :. y s= S. Il
He shuff1ed forward. and she placed
a chair upon the platform near her
own. "szsss-. 4 s.zssS,,. K
+. . i- =
"Sit therer' @ s u <. :..z.. ..*s5 g
Then (but not at all as If nothing
had happened she continued the les,
son in arithmetic Spiritually the
children may have learned q lesson in
very small fractions, indeed. as they
gazed at the fragment Of sin before
them on the stool of penitence. They
all stared at him attenhvely. with
hard hal and passio uatsly Interested eyes
IN which there was never one trace Of
pity. It cannet be said with precision
that he writhed His movement was
more q slow, cont innous squirm,, effect
ed with 4 ghastly assumpti lion of Ian.
guid indtnersnce, lille his gaze. ii
the effort q escaps The marble hesrted
4lar1 nf lii M To- Il " 1Ilxn6 Sa1lf