The Topeka state journal., 1919-12-08
EUening Story
The Riddle.
BY OLIVE ROBERTS BARTol

D
| What goes down the chimney
down and up the chimney down, but
| won't go down the chimney up nor up
| the chimney up?"
Jimmp Sudds, third row, five. re-
cited the riddle glibly thru a missing
front TOOTH The school sat petrified
not that it was riddle, for Miss
Eaton herself had suggested the form
| of recreation that day, much to their
delight, but they were petrified by the
enormity of the propositions Jimmy
After moment Miss Eaton sug-
gested gently. Suppose you say it
again, Jimmy; it's such long one.
you know. Now go very slowly"
Again Jimmy. inflated with impor-
peated the amazing words.
That certainly is hard one.
Jimmy!'' Miss Eaton remarked smil-
ing, and then realizing that fifty pairs
row, five, had shifted their gaze to the
door behind her, she turned.
Mr.. Milford, the principal. had
opened it quietly. evidently just in
| time to hear the second rendition.
| Miss Eaton's cheeks took on a
deeper tinge OF pink. but she rose to
the occasion beautifully.
"Oh, Mr.. Milford. won't you help
US guess riddles? It's recreation time,
you know. and we thought we'd have
| our old games
Mr.. Milford was silent for a mo-
ment; then said crisply, Miss Eaton,
| I'll send down some primary history
readers. The children will like them,
| think, and they are more improv-
| Whereupon he went out and closed
| the door. But not before he had seen
the deep rose in Miss Eaton's cheeks
deepen to painful crimson as she
caught the implied rebuke.
| Outside he hesitated an instant;
| then suddenly squaring his shoulders
he strobe over to his desk in the
| office, where he savagely grabbed up
his pen and proceeded to finish the
application blanks for the following
term. Why was it that Rebecca
Eaton insisted so on inviting repri-
| mand?
! Why was it she was always doing
| something entirely without precedent,
| establishing a system of her own. so
! speak-tearing down school ethics
| daily. aboHshing that military pre-
| cision that had been the very founda-
/ ton of system.
! 'Of course" he reflected, "her dis
cipline is perfect, and Che pulled a
| record of No. 8 out of a pigeonhole)
| her years avera ge. is the highest in
/ the school. But riddles! In school!
| Ridiculousi"
| What goes down the chimney up
| and up the chimney down but won't
go down the chimney. What was it
that youngster was saying?" Then
| suddenly STRENGTHENING he ran a fin
ger down the neglected page. where
was I? Miss Eliza Smart? Oh, yesi
Age. bS, address-street, town. state.
1 hereby do wish to be considered
Again Mr. Milford's gray eyes wan
| dered out of the window to the line
/ of naples waving gay salutes at the
tufty white clouds above them And
just beyond, a full grown, regular
Santa Claus chimney lifted its capa-
Bile shoulders. What goes up the
chimney up and down the chimney
| down? where do you suppose that
| kid ever heard it?9
Mr.. Milford got up and paced his
office rafting the keys in his pocket
Now what can go up the chimney
up, do you suppose p He stopped
thoughtfu1ly In front of bookcas Sc.
TN just take those history readers
/ over to No. myself and see if they're
| still guessing
But when Mr.. Milford appeared
! again in Miss Eaton's room his north
ern latitude completely eclipsed by
| a pile of red-backed History Read
ers." No. had its nose buried deep
in multiplication tables
Miss Eaton helped him unload and
turned back to her marking. A GER
tain amused defiance had repla ced the
NASlt cSS III dieI DiuS eyes Wnlcn Nr. MIL
ford noted with uneasiness. He never
| enjoyer nor understood her sense of
humor. Once, he remembered, she
had told him it was because he had
been born without any himself. The
smile had disappeared from his own
lips. but not the curiosity from his
brain.
He sought Jimmy's desk and showed
him that 7x9 are not 81. "Oh, by the
way; did they guess your riddle. Jim
my?" he asked casually.
t'9!o, sir!'' answered jimmy
/ promptly and proudly. IT had to
| tell EN- But he volunteered no
further information.
/ \'Will you please stop in the Of
flee before you go this evening.
''The application blanks are ready for
next year waiting for your signature"
/ At 5:15 every blank had been fill
ed. from Miss Tibby Tilbury who
| taught A B c in No. 1, to Miss Mar
cia Stone who broke into Beginners
Latin in A Sth--all except one. Miss
Eaton -Sssfn No. 8 had not appeared
| to affix her signature to her applica-
ton
/ And another-Mr. Richard Mil
ford. principal. also had not put down
his name. Until an hour ago he had
! fully intended to sign for the next
/ term. Why then was he waiting? He
looked anxiously at the blank for No
5, then across the hall to the closed
| door Things were beginning slowly
to clear up in his mind. He was real
izing now very keenly why he would
OF would not apply for next year. 1t
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES