The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1922-06-15
A HARD SCHOOL
BY MARY LOUISE BUZZElL


g. 1922. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate
Jerry, mending his lobster pots on
the beach, scOwled as he saw Ellen
and that fellow" TempletOn hurrying
down to the inlet where the young
mans boat lay; for Templeton. while
ostensibly taking much-needed rest,
was paying assiduous court to the girl
whom Jerry had looked upon as his
future wife ever since they had played
together as children.
Jerry turned his back on the ap-
preaching couple, but when they had
passed he gave his rival q surreptitiOus
glance-noting the white silk shirt, the
immaculate white trousers and the
wrist watch. Turning suddenly, Ellen
caught his criticizing eye, laughed, and
called back:
Better forget your lobster pots to-
day, Jerry, and bring Sarah over to
the island and picnic with u.s." TO
which her escort added a languid,
Yes. dear boy, get your Sarah and
Gomez"
no 'Sarah-and I've something To do
besides picnicking misunderstanding
poetry" seeing the book TempletOn
carried.
Receiving no answer save a tolerant
shrug from his rival, he sullenly re-
sumed his work, but moment later,
after troubled look at the sky, he
strobe after the picnickers, and as
Templeton pushed off the wharf, he
gave him q brusque:
Better keep an eye on the nor'wes-
ter. TempletOn, those clouds mean
wind: and I'd come in with the tide,
it's tough rowing against it,"
Templeton raised his browS, thgn
vouchsafed superciliouS: "Ah!
Thanks awfully, my good man, hut
have no fears, I've handled boat sew
eral times before today" with an
emphasis on the several that male
Jerry long to pitch him into the wa
| ter; but instead, with a SmOthered
"Humph." he swung up the beach TO
the cottage he shared with his crippled
| STdHuIalHeT ne Olu man StSlllS
Jerry he stopped smoking to mutter
| fretfully:
| IF that chap had sense of a-a-
sculpin, he'd keep offm the water with
such clouds abroad" waving his pipe
| skyward: then added with a Senile
chuckle: Il shouldn't wonder if he
| found il true that experience is a
| hard school. but fools will learn from
no other afore he gets home"
every likely, but if anything hap
pens to Ellen through his ignorance,
| TH-Tll-"
"You amin to let that whippersnap-
per grab your girl away right from
under you nose" queried the old man,
irascibly.
"why, nor blazed Jerry, but he
fiatters her till she"
Doesn't know any mOre'n she ought
err" interrupted his grandfather. "All
the same, I'd kinder row out toward
the island-you see what's comingY'
Jerry nodded and sat down.
| lIc Elt" ,
| every minute; but he waited till the
tide turned, sending chOppy waves in
shore. Then, unable to bear the sus-
pense, he ran down to his dory, thrust
the oars into the OarlOcks and pushed
off into the foaming waters.
Something smashed into the dory,
scraped by and was gone. Twisting
around, he strained his eyes to make
out the tossing thing astern-it was
Templeton's empty boat being driven
shOreward
His breath came in Mortified gasps
as he sensed the awful significance of
the sight; then wild rebellion fired
his soul as he thought Of Ellen being
dashed and buffeted into nothingness
by the cruel waters. 1t must not
should not be. He sent stentOrian
shout toward the island; 1t came back
in a hooking echo.
Again and again he called her name,
with a wild hope that somehow, in
some miraculous manner, she had es-
capped death. suddenly the island