Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1916-02-23

ScrdmDllng around IN the closets ana
on the shelves Of the attic room, haul
ing out old school books and busting
them of.
Whatever are you up to, JoeY' in
quired Mrs. Weston.
'Just trying to get some books to-
gether. I'm going to start to school
again tomorrow" .....
But you studied those books last
year. .,
"Yes'm, and don't know 'em either
I'm going right back and make it up
won't that put you in classes with
a lot Of boys much younger than you
are?"
II guess it will, ma, and know the
fellows will rag me something fierce
about it, and maybe I'll have to fight
about it, but right there I'm going be-
cause l belong there"
II kind of hate for you to do it,
mused his mother. "You ought to be
able to go in higher classes than that?'
ooh, reckon l could keep up, but
I'm trying to be honest with myself.
1 don't know my arithmetic, and 1
don't know grammar, and don't know
how to spell. l didn't study like 1
ought to have done when 1 was there
before, so it's for my own good"
"What started you on such an idea,
Joe?"
'The president. When he told me
goodby he looked me right in the eyes
and said, Whatever happens, always
be honest and absolutely square with
YOURSELF So l got to thinking about
it. hadn't been honest with myself
the last year l was in school because
skinned, and it wasn't honest to the
teacher either. I'm going back and
make it good.''
1t took good deal of courage to go
to the teacher and be placed in classes
with boys three and four years young
er than himself, but Joe took his med
icine like man. OF course he was
guyed, but he took it good humoredly.
"That's all right. Go ahead, you
fellows, and have all the fun out of it
you can. I'm paying for not studying.
If you'd tell the truth about it lot
! Of you would be right in this class
with me. Go ahead. I've got it com
ing to me, and it don't make me mad
He grinned amiably at their chaff.
ing, and when the boys found he
would not lose his temper over it they
let him alone.
The second week after he started tc
school the county superintendent OF
education came over to start the Boys
Corn club again and to get ready fol
the approaching season. Somehow
there seemed to be an utter lack of en-
thusiasm among the boys. They die
not applaud his utterances, and only
a few of them went forward and sign
ed the roll.
"What on earth is the matter witt
themT' whispered the superintendent
to the teacher CONSERVATION writer
all over his cOuntenance.
Goodness knows, but it is some
thing: that is certain" she replied il
an undertone
Joe Weston instinctively felt that he
was in some way concerned in the re
fusal Of the boys to join. He caugh
several Of them looking at him out O!
the corners of their eyes and shifting
their glances when he looked in theil
direction.
Then at recess he overheard a grou]
of the boys talking. They did no
know he was near. Reddy Haywood
was holding forth, and the rest o
them nodded approvingly.
"Ain't no use our goin' in that Corr
club-Joe Weston's goin' in He's al
ready won the state championship AM
knows how. What chance we got
No more'n a rabbit in a burning sedg
field. I just amt goin' in, that!
what!'
i "Me, too! Me, toov echoed severa
others.
The whole situation was clear now
Joe Weston went to the principal ant
the county superintendent f
"1've found out what's the matte
with EN-" he said. ''When we tax,
in, if you'll let me. think. maybe,
can fix things"
Accordingly, after the bell rang an(
the school was seated, Joe rose in hi.
seat
''Mr. Superintendent, 1 want to sa,
a few words, if you please" he said
in a self possessed manner. The super
intendent nodded at1irmatively an(
looked at the principal
'The school will pay attention to Jo<
Weston" said the teacher, rapping fo1
ORDER.
"Mr. Principal, find the boys of the
school, don't want to go in this Corr
club because they think am going in
and because have made state rec
ord they think they will have ne
chance with me in it. @~. ...
Il just want to say this, that 1 an
going in the club, but I won't compete
for the county prizes. And I won't
compete for any Of the state prizes ii
any of the boys from this county come
near enough to my record this coming
year to make it a competition between
me and them. Is that fair enough?"
In answer a storm Of applause greet
ed the words. Joe smiled with pleas.