The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-05-11
THE PERFECT MARK.

Grandmother told the children a
story. about the time when she was a
little girl, and had just started tot
school.
The teacher promised a prize that
year to any child who would come all
term without a tardy mark. Little
grandmother wanted that prize very
much, for it was big, red book full
of fine stories. Most of the children
had been tardy at least once, but she
had not. Then came Thanksgiving,
and then Christmas, and still she was
not tardy Then .one morning she|
could not find her red mittens, and
she was few minutes late starting.
She thought she could run, but it had
rained in the night, and the rain was
frozen, SO that the ground was covered
with ice. but she went as fast as she.
could 1acgess the meadow, sliding, and
sometimes falling a.se as. l -s.5g, IL
She was going to be on time for the
bell had not rung when she reached
the steep little shillock before the
school. She. started up, but when she
had gone little way she came slid
ing back, quite to the bottom. She
tried again, in another place, but when
she got third of the way up, she
came sliding down. again to the bot
tom. Again she tried, but the hill
was like a sheet of glass. Even though
she crept on her hands and knees she
could not get all the way to the top.
Then she stood at the bottom OF the
hill and wept. It was dreadful to miss
the prize when she had tried so hard,
and really. this was not her fault at.
all. She was in plenty of time if only
she, could get up the hill
'Hullo, there; what's the trouble?"
Through her tears little grand
mother looked up. AT the top of the
hill stood one of the big boys. She
was rather afraid of him, and called
him horrid boy in her mind.
81 can't get up the HILL she cried,
"and / shall be late"
i. And then you'd miss the prize. And
that would. be too bad when you've
tried so hard. Let me See We've
only about two minutes to do any
thing. /, can't come and get you.
/ couldn't get up that smooth ice my
self. | came around the other way.
but it's too late for you to do that.
oh, L know, just wait aminute. You'll
get up in time, and don't cry any
more.
He ran away, and she stood, trem-
bling and hoping, but also fearing the
bell would ring any minute. He was
back very soon, and he held a coil
of rope in his hand
".Now, then, I'm going to throw you
| the two ends" he said, "and, I've put
loops in them. You put your hands
through the loops, and hold on tight,
and I'll pull you VI"
Down came the rope. She found
| the loops, and held on tight, and then
she was being drawn up the hill. 1t
would have been fun if she had not
been in such. anxiety. All she needed
to do was to- stand firm, and the big
boy helped her to skate up the hill.
| She was at the top.at length. There
came cheer from the schoo1room
window, where teacher and school
mates had been watching. They were
all glad that the Youngest scholar,
who had tried SO hard, was ION time.
@Oh, thank yout Thank YOU. she
Ecried to the big boy. If i should get
the prize. it will be half yours. You're
1.-THE incest boy Il know N
Then she ran in and just as she
got to her seat the be1l rang.
At the end OF. the term she was
the only one who had not been late;
SO she got the prize.
--zili0 M. Wolteys