Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-07-22
Jimmy and His Hero

|
! Gilbert Murray was a big boy. jimmy
was positive that Gilbert was the finest
| big boy in the United States of Amer
lea, which was the same as IN lne
| whole world. since the atlas could snow
no other country that could touch his
| own.
When the teacher had announced
that a senior prize would be given for
| general excellence in study, Gilbert, as
soon as recess came, had walked up 10
! Jack Sumner. thrust his fist almost IN
his face, and, froWning terribly. hau
said, The prize is for me. do you near
! that?'
| Jack had grinned and squintcd at the
| fist, without lodging. and said Get 1t
first, honey"
Then they had both gone to work
like beavers and kept at 1t ever since.
Jimmy felt pretty worried sometimes.
Their general excellence is too much
alike" he sighed one afternoon When
| Gilbert had missed once, and the teacn-
| er Rad praised Jacks Latin compost
! ton.
| our teacher isn't very praisy," sigh
ed Jimmy again. when he tells you
vo,,'ye done very well indeed it's--it's
| dangerous"
The next morning Jack was not at
school. BY and by the Sumner maid
! came for his books. Jack had the grip
and the doctor had told him he must
stay in for few days. so he wanted
his books to study at home.
Jimmy was little ashamed or MN
| self for his feelings
| "Rut." he made excuse II didn't give
Jack the grip. He just took it himself
| by Providence. If he cant study as well
! for a headache or something, | can't
! help it.
Jimmy waited after school to work
two examples, so that he could leave
| his arithmetic in his desk. He had nm
| ished and was pulling the key out OF the
| lock to lock the schOolhouSe with 1t ana
carry it across the road to the care TAX
| er. when he Just glanced at Jack sum-
| ner's desk and saw the Latin grammar
! lying there.
| Thefclock on the wall of the big.
empty room licked noisily many times
while Jimmy stood stock still, his face
getting darker with every tick.
What business was 1t Of his? Latin
| was the hardest study. If Jack got be-
hind on that some-well it would help
lot. And he Jimmy, didn't have to lug
great heavy book all the way round
kby Summers. Who would expect IT.,
colbert is perfectly fire. If he didn't
get the prize and helped him any not
to, I'd always have it against myself
forever"
AnQ-anO might not IilUcIt.
| Jmmy's gloomy gaze turned away
from Jacks desk Straying about the
room, it fell full on the little rack OF
books above the teachers chair. The
black book in the middle of the rack
had gilt letters on it that Jimmy could
see even from the door, or else he knew
! so we'll what they were that he thought
| he could see them.
Holy Bible" read Jimmy, and his
| eoll or fn 4
| the floor
"The grip was Providence. but this
isn't Providence! It's me- said Jimmy,
without regard to grammar
Jimmy was moving at last. It's rlght
to do. When you know what's right.
you'd better do it and stop thinking or
all there is against it."
With a spiteful twitch he thrust
Jacks book into his book-bag between
the speller and the reader and slammed
the door of the school house behind
him. with the biggest, most comforting
slam he could give it.
| When he had gone a good mile on his
| long trip he saw very familiar figure
in the distance. 1t was Gilbert.
Jimmy hurried Perhaps he could get
past the turn in the road before Gilbert
got there. But Gilbert was too quick for
him.
Hello. kid" said he, as he came
swinging up. Did you O. K. those two
examples all right"
| One Of Gilbert's best way was that
he could always remember what you
| had on your mind.
| Eyes, | did, answered Jimmy, brief
| ly, trying to push on to the cross roads.
| Possibly he looked out Of the tail Of his
| eye at the stout grammar. thrustinS
| itself above the edge Of the book bag,
and so Gilbert looked, too.
! With a whoop like a delighted Indian
! Gilbert grabbed it.
Jimmy, you are gold" he shouted.
II was tramping back for that. / found
it and laid it out to bring for Jack, and
l walked right by it with the eyes Of a
bat. Maybe. if fly, | can catch up to
the hockey crowd vet. But, here. you
needn't go any farther: it's for me to
take it the rest Of the way
NO. no." said Jimmy. You go on
and fly. 1t isn't far now. I'd just as lief
! finish
What was the exact truth, for a light
heart had shortened the way to moth
ing at all"
I'm glad" said Jimmy to himself,
with a somewhat breathleSS giggle.
that he doesn't know I was so slow at
it. He is perfectly fine! Gilbert is the
perfectl-' finest boy I ever saw, wheth-
err he gets the, prize or not. | guess. any
way, some things they don't give prizes
for are better than those they do"