Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-20
Dusty Gray-Boy

DuoIy VI dy-OOy
Dusty Gray had a habit of losing
himself In whatever he was doing.
When he was playing football that
was the only thing he thought Of. He
did his arithmetic in the same way.
He lost himself IN the lesson. Half the
boys In Miss Anderson's room were
brighter than Dusty, but his trick Of
thinking OF nothing but the lesson in
lesson-time often gave him a decided
advantage.
All the boys liked Miss Anderson ex-
cept the four in the northeast corner.
THESE four were giving to mixing play
with work, consequently they were
often obliged to study during playtime.
One morning the arithmetic problems
We're unusually difficult. The class had
tried them several times and failed.
Even the girls were looking restlessly
around the room. Dusty alone still
pored over his problems.
LOOK at Dusty giggled Ned Park
er, who was one Of the four exceptions
In the northeast corner. Mud Murdoch,
tug Call and Reddy Ross glanced over
at Dusty and grinned.
Miss Anderson looked severely at
Ned Edward Parker and Sterling Gray
may change seats at once" she said in
crisp. decisive tone that made Ned
eoIAci up Ills UOOhs anu papers III
hurry and start sheepishly down the
aisle.
But Dusty had not heard a word
that was said. His face was flushed and
ne was jotting down figures with q
little stub Of pencil. Problem number
was conquered. Ned came and stood
by his side for moment, but Dusty
still kept on jotting down small, neat
figures.
Sterling" said Miss Anderson, in a
louder tone. will you please change
seats with Edward?"
Yes, Miss Anderson" said Dusty.
and he gathered up his belonging and
moment later was toiling away at
problem 9 in his new seat.
Mud, Tug and Reddy looked at each
other with broad grins. Then when
Miss Anderson began to write words on
the blackboard. Tug coolly took the
paper with problem on it from Dusty's
desk copied it, and passed it around to
his friends He didlethe same thing with
problems 9 and 10. The four boys in
the northeast corner We're the only ones
who were dismissed on time. Miss An
de,son looked as if she were disap-
pcin' "ho' sNmeth 'ng, and she did
not emile in g Rings eyes as she
usually d.d wren he tcat the arithme-
tic. .r|. t.- ,E
There v'er" fOrt---T''e pupils in Miss
Andcrson's room. and CT course forty
five spelling r"no-s -'--re too many for
her to ft~"n~+ u rftoen minutes, so
each one rass"t' his TAPER TO the neigh
Dor ct his right. who acted as critic.
Dusty was weak in spe ling and the
words in the afternoon lesson were
many and difficult. But Tug PASSED his
paper back to him with big red 100
printed at the top. Dusty glinned hap
PLY. Then the pupils who I'D missed
began to spell orally to Miss Ander.F
son. A queer expression CLEANED in
Dusty's bright black eyes and he
thoughtfulfy took out his spelling book.
Il had two wrong" he reported when
Miss Anderson asked for his average.
Tugs blue eyes grew round with sur
prise. Dusty was busily writing the
mispelled words twenty times on his
pad and did not glance at him.
At the end Of a week the northeast
corner said that Dusty was a queer
chap, bit that he was quite square.
Then Miss Anderson adopted the honor
system. At $3.50 she asked the pupils
who had not whispered or broken an~
school laws to stand and be dismissed.
Mud, Tr'g and Reddy liked the plan.
TIE first day they jrm1ed up before
Mss Andersen had finished her uues-
ton As 7'''s reached the dressing room
he locked back. Dusty was sitting
quietly IN lis seat. 1'''e crew. we'd. He
reno M c"ed thai he bad teased Danny
into conversation durin~ the geog-S
raDry st~6,- hour He stood still for
moment. then he sh"fted to his seat
an waited 20 +" diem' ssed with Dusty.
All tic rc~'-nast cHrner staved the
second dov Mis- Andersen kept them
full, f-r~"r, too tut IN some queer
way thew felt a coed deal happier than
thew had con" when they went out
promptly "
The ncrtheas+ corner made a record
the next day. It YVES q very difficult
thine to do. too. Rcddv began to whis-
per five tines :''a r." n:n"hed himself
rher he started to laugh out. When
Dusty careless',. left rs Problems
where they tempnd NIud's eyes. Mud
leaned forward ard laid his geo ,raphy
over tho paper. Oh. ves It wa~ about
the hardest dav that T'Te and Re ddv
and Mr.' had spent in schCol. But Miss
Anderson wos ve"'' n1eassNt and to
the northeast corners GREAT astonish-
ment, thev reallv ''rdnrstcCd he prob
lens When they listened with 10th
ears and MINIS alrrt - -. b
At 3:15 Miss hnNa~sO', smiled at
the northeast ccrrcr "S"er'in~ Thomas
George md Norris NAV Re dismissed"
she said. "You have set the rest Of the
school hi"h strnflard Of honor
Tue Md Bed and Dusty looked at
Ter with SURPRISED ewes for a moment,
the, they tra mped to the door.
Mods merry eyes lighted up his
round brown facet TT pays to be
square like Dusty here, doesn't it," he
drawled. 1s#
The northeast corner said Sure
that's right and slapped Dusty joy
ously on the back