Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1918-07-05
.. ALL SEEK It.
Young GridIey's Letter the Real
"United States"
Expert in English Composition MAJ
Have Had Some Criticism 70 Make
But She Could Not Misunder.
stand the Meaning.

The members of the English class
had filed u Of the recitation room.
with the exception Of Gridley, who,
by special request, was now standing
at the teachers desk.
To the casual observer, Gridley was
Q boy Of about fifteen, with a wiry
frame, a w~ell-shaped head matched
with straw colored hair, a large mouth
and gray-blue eyes.
II am surprised that you should Of
fer this as an exercise In English COM
position" Miss Stanhope said with q
note of sarcasm In her voice, point
ing to several sheets OF paper that
lay on her desk.
"You told me to take any subject
that I was interested in, II 1t was
worth while, and then put plenty OF
time into 1t, and ! did. 1t took me
more than two hours" protested Grid
ley.
II should hardly call the subject
worth WHILE" began Miss Stanhope.
ut wal the best game there's been
this season." said Gridley.
"We will let that pass" the teacher
continued. what I object to Is the
language that you have used. What
am I to make Of such expressions as
these: THE south paw artist a free
ticket to the initial bag Duffy was
nailed at the plate two Of the WIS.,
itors crossed the pan? Really. Grid
ley, do you call that EnglishT"
Gridley's mouth widened In a grin.
~ don't know about English, Miss
stanhope, but / guess it's United
States" he said.
Miss Stanhope smiled herself, al
though she would have preferred not
to. She took her speciality, which was
English, very seriously, and 1t pained
her when her pupils did not.
ut might be Choctaw, as far as l
am concerned" she said. 1T conveys
absolutely no meaning" :
"Why, didn't you ever see a base
ball gamer" exclaimed Gridley.
"No, I believe not" she admitted
and she perceived at once that her
confession of ignorance was far more
interesting to Gridley than any dis
play of her knowledge had ever been.
The happy thought occurred to her to
take advantage of the fact NO." she
repeated, II know nothing about base
ball, but I should like to learn. Sup
pose you try being the teacher and see
II YOU can make this all clear to me.
You will have to begin at the begin
ming and be very patient with me"
"De you mean.itr said Gridley. with
the Joy Of the enthusiast In his eyes
Then for more than an hour he ex'
pounded baseball, while the English
teacher faithfully CROPPED her way to
an understanding.
"You must think me very stupid
she said more than once, and Gridley
although he did not dispute her. re
doubled his efforts to express his mean
:. ing in words fitted to his pupils capac
. ity. AT the end Of the hour MIS-
: stanhope was pretty well versed II
. the rudiments Of the game, and. Incl
dentally, Gridley had gained a little II
: English and a good deal In his nkinI
: for the teacher.
. "Tll hand in a better composition
u next time" he assured her as he inall
- went his way.
q The promised composition was dul
" received, although after the lapse
some four years, and 1t came froi
=, somewhere In France"
!, perhaps you have forgotten me
- Gridley wrote, "but I haven't forgo
b ten YOU, or the hour that we spel
one Friday afternoon, going over n
= baseball piece I little thought tn
u 7 should not see you again, but v
moved from the city quite uneXpec
to edly the next week. Now | am ia
Their away than ever from the o
school. But here is the composite
that I promised to pass In, not apo
n baseball this time, but about the Q
'e- war over here. Tn in a harder scho
rs, than Bayport High and there's
as- chance to play hooky. But I'm glad
M be here and it's up to me to ma
to good"
en- Miss Stanhope accepted the sta
de- ment, not for Its elegance but as e
of dence of the serious purpose OF Gr
nd ley-little Grldley Of the straw-color
tu- hair and the contagious grin.
ng. "There will be something doing WI
we fellows get into the game WIZ
=. Gridley, "and, take it from me,
% will hand the kaiser his all right"
The thought was badly express
zee but Miss Stanhope thrilled at the sp'
behind the words.
at won't be long now before II
all over and I am back in little
his America again." the letter went Oh
ven The tears came to Miss StanhoI
and eyes. "Ah, soldier boy" she thout
al cit is we'll that you over there n
yer. faith. while so many Of US back n
Inc. have only hope. Perhaps your II
vic. will help to make your prophecy G
truew
II, az guess" said Gridley, at the
a a "that this won't take a very hign ~
win. as English, but" and the teacher
!. though her W eyes were a little
lrlvl IN