The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1918-04-06
LITTLE SON OF St. GEORGE
FL0UTS AMERICAN EAGLE
Registered Alien Draws Instructors Salary for
Quarter of Century, Making School Boards
Rule "Only Scrap of Paper"

There was great commotion in
dear old England something over
a quarter Of a century ago. Lord
Kelvin, Darwin and even Glad
stone plainly saw that the Tight
Little Island was tipping up Oh
one side and tipping down on the
other. All the Wise Men of Al
bion were at loss to account for
the disturbing phenomenon.
Even rector Custance was wOr-
ried over conditions. He was act
ually at the point Of calling the
members of his parish together to
offer special prayers for the phys
ical safety Of the Hub of the EN-
pire when his beloved son, Arthur
F. M. Custance,; tapped at the
study door.
''Father," said the young man
who had but recently returned
from the university with his sheep.
skin, II fain would spea..-- to you. -
"Enter, my dear son. answer
ed the good rector. "What is it?''
Father, I must confess all. l
and my diploma are responsible
for this edge of England tipping
down and the opposite edge tip
ping up
"Arthur!'' exclaimed rector
Custance, you both distress and
crafty me. What can we do?
What can we do?"
Father, I will save England. I
will take my luggage and depart
for some far country, thereby
permitting our Tight Little Island
to resume an even keel"
"You cause me deep sorrow but
I see no other way. Will you go
to the colonies?" inquired pater
familias.
"No, I will go to the United
States, where money grows on the
trees and he with the quickest VIE
and fingers gets a lions share Of
it. | propose to get a British
Lions share.'
cit distresses me, my son, to
think of you sojourning among
crude people who eat pie, pork
and pickles for breakfast; shovel
food into their maws with knives
and pick their teeth at the table
with their forks. Then they have
no musty ale, sparkling Burgundy
or our dear old B. & S. The Sue
rifice seems too great, my son.
: But young Arthur was obdur-
ate. The parish rectory was rather
dull after four years at the uni
versity and he was really glad of
an excuse to 60 adventriring.
81 will consent, my son, prov:,l
ed you swear not to abjure your
British citizenship while I am liv-
ing. the fond father announced.
Going to the parish altar, young
Arthur laid his left hand on the
British Lions name and, raising
his right hand on high, swore to
remain true to both the good
Queen and her Lion.
In due course, Arthur F. NJ.
Custance landed in Duluth. He
was given the pleasant task of
teaching Latin and music in the
Central high school. He also be-
came organist for St. Paul:
church. Still later, he was given
charge Of the music at the Ma
sonic Temple. He also composed
rare music which he sold to pub
fishers with financial profit to him.
self. In brief, Uncle Sam, Cousin
Jonathan and even Cousin Betty
have been exceedingly good to
Prof. A. F. NJ. Custance for the
last 25 years.
But, although living under the
eye of the American Eagle, Prof.
Custance has chung to his British
citizenship like a pup to a hunk
OF dough. Today, he is a regis
tered alien in this community.
Some of the Native Sons, whose
eyes are about as sharp as those
OF an American Eagle, are COM
planning loudly because an in
structor in the Central high school
is not citizen of the United
Statese and never has signified
his intention of becoming such.
Those eagle-eyed Native Sons
point to page 7S of the Hand Book
OF the Board of Education of tho
City Of Duluth where rule No. 81,
under Section II. plainly says, viz :
no person shall be employed by