The Bienville Democrat. [volume] (Arcadia, Bienville Parish, La.) 1912-1980, 1922-03-09

Win happy anticipation, TOT the mlS-
cradle Ramsey seldom failed their
hopes. particularly in Defamation
He faced them, his complexion wan,
his expression both baleful and h0rri-
fed; and he began in a loud, hurried
voice, from which every hint Of intel
ligence was excluded:
"Most potent, grave and rev."
The teacher tapped sharply on her
desk, and stopped him. "You've for
gotten to bow she said. "And don't
say potent The word is potent
Ramsey topped his head at the rear
wall Of the room, and began again:
"MOst potent potent grave and rev.
enerd signers my very nobe and ap-
proved good masters that l have tan
away this sole mans Outer it is NOSE
true true l have marry dur the very
headan frun tuv my Tending hath this
extent no more rude am l in speech
in speech-rude am | in speech-in
speech-in speech-ln speech
He had stalled. Perhaps the fatal
truth Of that phrase, and some sense
of its applicability to the occasion had
interfered with the mechanism which
he had set in operation to get rid Of
the "recitation" for him. At all events,
the machine had to run off its job all
at once, or it wouldn't run at all. He
gulped audibly. "Rude rude rude am
I-rude am l in speech-in speech-in
speech. Rude am I in speech"
"Yes," the irrltated teacher said, as
Ramsey's failing voice continued husk-
lily to insist upon this point. II think
you are!" And her nerves were lit
tie soothed by the shout Of laughter
from the school-it was never difficult
for teachers to be witty. go sit down,
Ramsey, and do it after school,"
His ears roaring, the unfortunate
went to his seat and, among all the hi
larious faces, one stood Out-Dora 70
GUMS. Her laughter was precocious
it was that of a confirmed superior, In
sufferably adult-she was laughing al
him as a grown person laughs at g
child. Conspicuously and unmistaka
bly,, there was something indulgent ir
her amusement. He choked. HI
didn't care for George Washington, Of
Paul Revere, or the teacher, or thu
President of the United States, o.
Shakespeare, or any Of 'em. The!
could all 60 to the dickens with Dor'
Yocum. They were all a lot of smart
les anyway and he hated the who'll
) stew Of EN-!
There was one, however, whom h
somehow couldn't manage to hate
even though this one officially seeme'
: to be as intimately associated wit
Dora Yocum and superiority as tn
! others were. Ramsey couldn't hat
: Abraham Lincoln, even when Dor
was chosen to deliver the "Gettysbur
, Address," on the twelfth Of Fehruar!
Lincoln had said Government Of tn
people, by the people, for the people,
and that didn't mean government b
the teacher and the Teachers Pet an
Paul Revere and Shakespeare an
suchlike; 1t meant government b
everybody, and therefore Ramsey ha
as much to do with 1t as anybody els
had. Beyond doubt, Dora and II
teacher thought Lincoln belonged
them and their crowd Of exclusives
they seemed to think they owned tt
whole United States; but Ramsey WI
I sure they were mistaken about Abr
ham Lincoln.
He felt that-it was just like this Il
! tie Yocum snippet to assume such
thing, and it made him sicker thu
| ever to look at her.
] Then, one day, he noticed that h
4 eye-winkers were stickin' out Earth
4 and farther.
& His discovery irritated him Il
8 more. Next thing, this ole Teacher
8 Pet would do she'd get to thinkin' g
! was pretty! If that happened, we
& nobody could stand her! The lo'
| lashes made her eyes shadowy, and
! was a fact that her shoulder blad
| ceased to insist upon notoriety; y
/. couldn't tell where they were at q
} any more.
A contemplate thing happent
Wesley Bender was well known to
the most untitdy boy In the class, a
: had never shown any remorse for
!. reputation or made the slightest eht
either to improve or to dispute It.
was content: 1t failed to lower
:. standing with his fellows or to !
=, =, press them unfavorably. In fact,
! was treated as one who has attain
= slight distinction. It helped him
become better known, and boys Tx
:. to be seen with him.. But one q
- there was a Encouragement OF
Z seating In the schoolroom: Wesl
= = Bender was given a desk next IN frt
!. :. Of Dora YOcum's; and within a We
J, the whole room knew that Wesley \
:. begun voluntarily to wash his necl
!. ]. the back Of 1t, anyhow.
- This was at the bottom Of the fl
:. between Ramsey Mllholland and "
- lev Bender, and the diplomatic
~ changes Immediately preceding host
- ties were charmlngly frank and
~ - hypocritical, although quite as mix
no and of-the-issue AZ II they !
- been prepared by professional fore
~ Office men. Ramsey. and Fred Mitcf
hs and four other boys waylaid 70,
~ Bender on the street after school,
- tending jocosities rather than violeI
"a but the victim proved sensitive. =
. take your ole hands on o mel