The states-graphic. (Brownsville, Tenn.) 1???-1984, 1916-09-22
GOING TO SCHOOL
Marion Hollowell in The
Youths Companion.

Il don'ta want to go TO school this
fall" said Lawrence as he came into
the house one day early in September.
why not" asked his mother.
well, I've had such a good summer
that | don't want to go back to the old
books and maps and things" answer
ed Lawrence.
Il see" said his mother as she came
to the doorway of the pantry and met
his serious gaze with one of equal Sc
riously. Then she smiled as she
turned to her work and added: 1--WE
will talk it over when father comes
home tonight"
Lawrence went back again into the
yard, where he was making a wagon
out of an old box, and there his moth
.er found him busily hammering and
saving when she went to the back
porch a little later. Lawrence" she
called, Il must have some more sugar
for my preserves. Will you please
run down to the store and get half
dozen pounds? And get yeast cake,
too, and half dozen oranges and half
pound of raisins. Can you remem-
Der all that?
Lawrence carefully repeated the hist
of things wanted, took the dollar bin
which his mother gave him, and went
off down the shady village street. He
kept saying over the list to himself,
:and so he made no mistake when the
grocer came forward to greet him.
"You did well to remember all OF
them," said the grocer, who was fat
and jolly. Then, when everything was
ready for Lawrence to take, the gro
Ger said: "Now let's see how you are
on figures. The sugar is six cents a
pound, the yeast cake is one cent, the
oranges are forty cents dozen, and
the raisins are twenty-five cents
pound. Now, what does it all amount
to-"
This was so unexpected that Law
renee did not catch what was said. He
looked up with wide open eyes. The
grocer laughed and then slowly repeat
ed all that he had said. Looking stead
lily at Lawrence, he asked again: "Now
just how much does that all amount
to-"
Lawrence said it over slowly after
him and then stared hard at the floor.
I'm afraid | can't do it all in my
head" he said at last.
The grocer laughed. Business was
dull in the store just then, and so he
came around the counter to where
Lawrence was standing. "Well try it
on paper then" he said, giving Law
renee q pencil and q piece Of wrapping
paper. '''
So Lawrence wrote down the items
as the grocer called them off, but he
was in trouble from the first. Only
after he had carefully said over the
multiplication table of skies, assisted
by the grocer, did he master the prob
lem of six pounds Of sugar at six
cents pound. Then an example in
short division made it plain that half
a dozen oranges at forty cents dozen
would be twenty cents.
SNOW add them," said the grocer,
when thirty-six and one and twenty
five were placed in column.
at is seventy-two," announced
Lawrence when considerable time
had passed.
Wrong" said the grocer.
Lawrence studied the figures care
fully. "O!" he exclaimed, II did not
carry the one from the first column.
1t is eighty-two."
'That is better" said the grocer. |
Then he looked at the paper upon
which Lawrence had been working and
continued with smile: "You seem to |
find them rather hard words to spell
sugar, east cake, oranges and raisins.
they are pretty common words, too"
By this time Lawrence was feeling
very uncomfortable, and his face was |
red through his coat of summer tan.
But the grocer only patted him on the
shoulder, passed over the purchases
and gave him the change due him
from his dollar bill without putting
him to the test of subtracting eighty
two cents from a dollar.
"Come again." called the grocer as
Lawrence hurried out.
'Thank you," said Lawrence. "And
next time | will know how to spell all
those words"
"All right" said the jolly grocer,
laughing.
A little later, when Lawrence deliv-
cred the packages to his mother, his
face was very serious. II guess, after
all, / will go to school when it opens
next week." he said.
every WELL" said his mother. 81
don't believe that you will ever be
sorry for it ..
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