Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1922-01-26
CHAPTER lI.-continued.

Sometimes, too, there were moments
of relaxation in her class, when she
would stop the lesson and tell the
children about Germany: What beau
tiful, good country it was, so trim and
orderly, with such pleasant customs,
and all the people sensible. energetic
and healthy. There was Music" again
in the German class, which was an
other alienation; though it was the
same old "Star Spangled Banner" over
again. Ramsey was tired of the song
and tired of "My Country 'TiS' Of
Thee; they were bOreS, but it was
amusing to sing them in German. In
German they sounded sort o funny"
so he didn't mind this bit of the days
work.
Half an hour later there arrived his
supreme trial Of this particular morn
ing. Arithmetic then being the order
of business before the house, he was
sent alone 70 the blackboard, supposed
ly to make lucid the proper reply to
a fatal cOnundrum in decimalS, and
under the glare and focus of the
whole room he breathed heavily and
itched everywhere; his brain at once
became sheer hash. He consumed as
much time as possible in getting the
terms of the problem stated in chalk;
then affecting to be critical of his own
handiwork, erased what he had done
and carefully wrote 1t again. After
that he erased half of it, slowly re-
traced figures, and stepped back as If
to see whether perspective improved
their appearance. Again he lifted the
eraser.
Ramsey MilhOllandI"
"Ma'am?"
Put down that eraSer!'
"Yes'm. just thought"
Sharply hidden to get forward with
his task, ne explained in feeble voice
that he had first to tie ShoeString
and stopped TO do So but was not per-
mitted. Miss Ridgely tried to stimu-
late him with hints and suggestion;
found him, 50 far as decmals went,
mere protoplasm, and, wondering how
so helpless a thing could live, sum-
mOned to the board little Dora Iocum,
the star of the class, whereupon Ram
Sey moved toward his seat.
Stand still, Ramsey! You stay
right where you are and try TO learn
something from the way Dora does
it,"
The class giggled, and Ramsey stood,
but learned nothing. His conspicuous
ness was uncomfortable, because all OF
his school, 9ateS naturally found more
entertainment in watching him than
in following the performance of the
capable Dora.
Instructed to watch every figure
chalked up by the mathematical Won
der. his eyes, grown SOdden, were un-
oble 10 remove themselves from the
part in her hair at the back OF her
hT. L where two little braids began
their sep.sSate careers to end i'll cou-
8 ple of blue-ahd-red-checked bits of rib
bon. one upon each of ,hea'thssSss'H"1
der blades. His sensations clOgged his
intellect; he suffered from unSought
notoriety, and hated Dora Iocum;
most of all he hated her busy little
shoulder blades.
He had to be kept in" after school;
and when he was allowed To so home
he averted his eyes as he went by the
house where Dora lived. She was out
in the yard. eating dOughnut, and
he knew il; but he had passed the age
when it is just aS permissible to throw
rock at girl as AT boy; and
Sitting his normal inclinauons, he
walked sturdily on, though he indulSed
himself so far as to engage in MUIR
mured conversation with one of the
familiar spirits DWELLING somewhere
within him. "Pfa." said Ramsey TO
himself-or himself TO Ramsey, since
II is difficult 10 say which was which.
..Pfa, Thinks she's smart, don't she!'
Well. guess she does, but she
ain'tw 81 hate her, don't YOU!
You bet your life hate her!
.'Teacher's Pet, that's what / call her :.
well. that's what l call her,