Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-01-29
How Fat Susie Held
On

in big crooked letters so that there
should be no doubt in Susie's mind,
This is you!' r:. '.. :
Susie gulped, blinked rapidly, and
turned a orgeou poppy red. Then
she rushed to work on her tomorrow's
spelling lesson so that Mud should
not know how keenly she felt about
his picture. In spite of her best ef-
forts to study, however, the words
danced up and down on the printed
page. Suddenly a silver tear from
somewhere dropped down on the
hard twenty-second lesson. Susie
rubbed her eyes with her little linen
handkerchief and was sure she was
the unhappiest girl in the world.
"I'd exchange places with any girl
in this school, she thought bitterly,
Except perhaps Hattie Tibbets. as Ia
rather be fat than dirty" You see.
Susie's plumpness was the great sor-
row of her life. But strange to say,
there we're no less than three girls in
her class gazing enviously at her
clear. rosy complexion, her heavy
golden curls and Immaculate white
MILDLY blouse and trim blue serge
skirt. and wishing that they were
Susie Ward.
The morning dragged away slowly.
Susie and Dusty Gray took the whole
sixty minutes of the arithmetic period
to finish the eight problems which
slim, gypsy-like Adelaide Spinney ana
Mud Murdoch easily completed IN
fifteen minutes. Susie felt a little bet.
ter when Miss Ridley announced that
she and Dusty had the only w per
feet papers, but her round little face
clouded over again when Miss Ridley
said absently, "Susie, will you please
run down to Mr.. Alexanders Office
and get some gray paper?' and she
had started up eagerly, to have Miss
Ridley add Perhaps, as | am in such
a hurry, Adelaide had better go"
Susie crouched down over the map
of Asia to hide her red face from the
eyes of her schoolmates. Suddenly
the fire gong clanged-not the slow
zone. two. one. two" which meant
to 20 slowly to the dressing rooms
and get your coats and hats, but the
Quick zone, two, three, one, two,
three" which was the summons to
pass out in haste.
Susie took the hand Of the child
next to her, who happened to be Dusty
Gray. and joined the row Of children
who were fling decorously u IN
pairs.
Miss Ridley glanced with wrinkled
brows at 6B. from whose doors not
a single child had yet come, and said
crisply: sTo the front stairway. Wait
for the first grade children to get out
first" Susie and Dusty were first by
this time and they quickly led the way
down the narrow stairway while Miss
Ridley dashed into 6B, where a be-
wildered substitute teacher was COM
manding the frightened children to
sit still in their seats. While she was
marshalling the pupils out things
were going very badly on the first
floor.
The regular leaders of the first
grade line we're absent and then some
body fell and broke the whole line.
Consequently, in spite of the calm
little first grade teachers best ehorts
to get the little people out quickly
there was a delay of several minutes
which seemed endless to the children
of GA and 6B, who were waiting on
the stairway. Miss Ridley glanced
through the upper dressing rooms to
make sure that there were no loiter-
ers, as she did not realize how badly
she was needed on the narrow stair
way where Susie and Dusty stood like
statues on the lowest step.
Susie threw back her head a little.
She was sure she smelled something
burning. She looked over at Dusty,
who also wore a queer expression. A
little gray puff Of smoke came up from
the basement stairs. Adelaide SPIN
ney's eyes grew big with fright, and
she gave Susie a push.
Hurry up, Susie Ward" she shrek
ed. "The schoolhouse is burning up!'
The other children behind her
screamed too, and the whole line
pushed against Susie and Dusty.
stay back, stay back" called Dusty
who was the kind of fellow who never
loses his head. you'll trample the
first graders" Then he turned to
Susie: Hold on to the banisters with
ali your might
Susie was cool, too. She exerted
every bit of strength to keep the line
from sweeping her along. Her hands
were bruised and swollen, but sne
chung desperately to the big newell
post. She shut her eyes and closed
her mouth tightly and held on,
although it seemed as if she must give
way.
Then she heard Miss Ridley's silver
voice. Pass, Susie and Sterling
Out they passed and all the res OF
GA and 6B, for the frightened wee
folks had gone at last.
Somewhat to the secret disappoint-
ment of a few of the boys, 1t wasn't a
real fire after all. The tiny blaze
among some waste papers was ex-
tinguished without the aid of the fire.
e and the little gray curls of smoke
vanished as quickly as they had ap-
peared. The children stood quietly
about the playground, waiting for fur
Their instructions, while the white fac
ed first grade teacher, Miss Ridley and
the principal, Mr.. Corwin, talked to-
gether. Then the bell changed again, a
series of short, quick strokes and the
boys and girls formed in line ready to
pass again into the school house.
When the children were perfectly
~,,;a+ Nv roryir hold IN a 1itf1o silver