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CHAPTER XXIII. The Infant Mind Shoots. Iflss Minerva had bought a book for Hilly eatltlod "Btortsa of Oraat an* Oood atom," which sho frequently reau to bias for bis education and Improve? ment These itoiies relsted Us prin? cipal erects In the llres of the bsroos bsjt noTor mentioned any names, al? ways asking at the and, "Can you tall gad who this spaa wsaT Hot nephew beard the itoiies so aft en that he bad some expression or Hsteint by which be could Identify each, without paying much attention walle she waa reading. He and als aunt bad just settled thsasMlroe on the porch for a resdlng. Jimmy was on bis own norcb cutting mm ruaay capers, and making Tacee for {fee other child's amusement. - "Lamme go over to Jimmy's, Aunt Mtnerra. pleaded bar ??phew, "an* fN can read to me tonight I'd a fceap ruther not bear you read right Mff. It 11 make my bally ache " Miss Minerva looked at him severe? ly "William." the enjoined, "don't yon want to be a smart man when you grow up?" "Tea, "m," be rerlled, without muck enuhoalaam "Well, jee' lemme ask Jimmy to come orer here an' set on tfce other ilder yon while' you read. He ain't never bear 'boot them talee, an' I e*pac' be d like to come." "Very well." replied his fUttered an<l gratified relative, "call him over." Billy went to the fence, where he ?tgnsied Jimmy to meet aim. "Aunt Minerva say you come over em' Listen to ber read some er the pret ttea* tatoe yon ever bear,** be said, ee M conferring a great favor. "New, slrree-bob!' was the Impolite ?eapooao across the fence, ' them 'bout, fke meaelleet tales they Is. I'll come if she % read my Uncle Remua book." "Plea*e come on," hogged Billy, drop? ping tho patronising manner that he bad aaeumed, In hope of Inducing bis chum to share his martyrdom. "You know Aunt Minerva d die In ber tracks 'fore she'd read Uncle Remus. Ton 11 Ilka these-be re tales 'nother elgbr better anyway. I '11 give you way t toney If you'll come." ' New; you ain't going to get me In ao eucb box as that. If she 'd Just read seven or eight hours I would n't mind; but the '11 get you where she wants you and read 'bout a million hours t know Miss Minerva." Billy's aunt was growing Impatient I "Come. William," sbe celled. "I am waiting for you." Jimmy went back to hie own porch had the other boy joined bis kinswo? man "Why wouldn't Jimmy comuT' she JWked. "Ha?be ain't feeling very well." was the considerate rejoinder. "Once there was a little boy who was born In Virginia?" began Miss Minerva "Born In a manger," repeated the ^attentive little boy to blmielf, "1 knows who that was." So, thin Impor? tant queatloa settled in bis mind, be gave himself up to the full enjoyment of bis chum and to the giving and re? ceiving secret signals, tho pleasure of which wee decidedly enhanced by tbe fear of Imminent detection "Father. I cannot teil e He, [ did It wHb my little hatchet?" rend the thin, monotonous voice at his elbow. RUly laughed aloud?at that minute Jimmy wes standing on his bend wav? ing two cbubby feet In the air. "William." said his aunt reprovingly, peering at him over ber spectacles, "I don't see anything to laugh at,"?and ?be did not. but then she was In Ignor? ance of the little conspiracy. "He was a good and dutiful son and he stiidbd his lessons so well that when he was only seventeen years old ha was employed to survey vast tracts of land In Virginia Mise Minerve emphasized every word, hoping thus to Impress ber nephew. Hut be wns so busy keeping one eye on her and one on the little boy on the other porch, that he did not The local board of examiner* held have time to uao his ears at all and so Id not hear one word. "Leering hla camp Area burning to deceive the enemy, be stole around by a circuitous route, foil upon the Brit? ish and captured?" Billy held up bis r ands to catch a ball which Jimmy made believe to throw. ?! Miss Minerva still read on, uncon? scious of bsr nephew's Inattention: "The suffering at Valley Forge bad been is tense during the winter?" Billy made a pretense behind his aunt's upright back of throwing a ball while the other child held up two fat little hands to receive it. Again he laughed aloud as Jimmy spat on his bands and ground the Imaginary ball Into him hip. She looked at him sternly over her glasses: "What makes you so silly?" she in? quired, and without waiting for a reply went on with her reading; she was nearing the close now and she read carefully and deliberately. "And he was chosen tbe first presi? dent of the United States?n Billy put bis bands to bis ears and wriggled bis fingers at Jimmy, who promptly returned tbe compliment. "He bad no children of bis own, so be la called tbe Father of his Coun? try." Miss Minerva closed the book, turned to tbe little toy at ber side, and asked: "Who was this grea: and good man, William?" "Jesus," was his ready answer, In an appropriately solemn little voice. "Why. William Green Hill!" she ex? claimed in disgust. "What are you thinking of? I don't believe yon heard one word that I read." Billy was puzzled; he was sure she had said "Born in a manger." "I didn't hear her say nothln' 'bout bulrushes," be thought, "so 't ain't Moses; she didn't say 'log cabin,' sc 't sln't Ab'a ham Lincoln; ahe didn t say 'Thirty centa look down upon you,' so 't ain't Nspolyon. I sho* wish I'd paid 'ten tton." "Jesus!" his aunt was saying, "born in Virginia and first president of the United States'" I "George Waabin'tou, I aimed to say," triumphantly screamed the little boy, who had received his cue. CHAPTER XXIV. A Flaw In the Title. "Come on over!" invited Jimmy. "All right; I believe I will." respond? ed Billy, running to the fence. His aunt's peremptory voice arrested his footsteps. "William, come here!" she called from the porch. He reluctantly retraced his steps. "I am going back to the kitchen to bake a cake and I want you to prom? ise me not to leave the yard." "Lemme jes' go over to Jimmy's a little while." he begged. I "No; you and Jimmy can not be trusted together; you are sure to get into mischief, and hia mother and I have decided to keep the fence be? tween you for a while. Now, promise me that you will stay right in my yard." i Billy aullenly gave her the promise and she went back to her baking. "That 's always the way now," he aaid, meeting his little neighbor at the fence, "ever since Aunt Minerva got onto this here promlain' buslneas, I don' have no freedom 't all. It 's Wll Ii.um. promlae me this,' an' it 's 'Wll Ham, dou't ferget yo' promise now,' tell I 'a Jca' plumb sick 'n tired of It. Hhe know I ain't goln' back on my Sjrswd an' ahe Jea' nachelly gita tbo 'vantage of me; she 'bout the hardest 'ornati to manage- I ever seen sence I 'a born." "I ant ncarh all time make my Baa ass do anything 'most u i jus* k? ? p on trying and keep on u begging," braced 'lie other boy; "I Just sgy V.' / I, u.air.i ." and she '11 all time nay, j > 'way from me and ItfJMBi 'Im ? ,' j.i.d 1 jn t keep on. 'May 1 ?amtl Nay I. mama? May I, mama V a cMI set vice e\arnlnuth?n f??r t?>> I and toreckly she '11 say, 'Yei., go on ' and lemcie read in peace.'" "Aunt Minerva won't give in nuch," Bald Billy. "When she say 'No, Wil i Ham,' 't ain't no use 't all to beg her; I you Jest wa8tln' yo' breath. When slio put her foot down it got to go just like she say; she oho' do like to have her own way better 'n any 'oman I ever see " "She 'bout the mar.nishest woman they is," agreed Jimmy. "She get you under Ler thumb, Billy. I don' : I see what wc T.ans 're made fo' if you j i oaa't beg 'cm into vhlngs. I would n't | let no old spunky Miss Minerva get j the best of me that 'way. Come on, i anyhow." I "Naw, I can't come," was the ; gloomy reply; "if she 'd Jest tol' me! not to, I couldn'er went, but she made j me promise, an' I ain't never goin' I back on my word. You come over to i see me." "I can't," came the answer across the fence; "I'm earning me a baseball mask. I done already carat me a mitt, j My mama don't never make me prom IM her nothing, she just pays me 10 I be good. That 'a huccome I 'm 'hont I to get 'ligion and go to the mournerV i bench. She 's gone up town now ana if I don't go outside the yard while she 'b gone, she going to gimme a baseball mask. You got a ball what you bringed from the plantation, and I 11 have a bat and mitt and mask and we can play ball some. Come on over Just a little while; you ain't earn? ing you nothing like what I'm do tog." "Naw; I promis' her not to an' I ain't ever goin' to break my promise." "Well, then, Mr. Promisor," said Jimmy, "go get your ball and we'll tb'ow 'cross the fence. I can't find mine." Billy kept bis few toys and play? things In a closet, which was full of old plunder. As he reached for his ball something fell at bis foot from a shelf above. He picked It up, and ran excitedly into the yard. "Look, Jimmy," he yelled, "here's a baseball mask I found in the closet." Jimmy, forgetful of the fact that he was to be paid for staying at home, Immediately rolled over the fence and ran eagerly toward his friend. They examined the article in question with great care "it looks perzactly like a mask," announced Jimmy after a thorough in? spection, "and yet it don't." He tried it on. "It don't seem to fit your face right," he said. Sarah Jane was bearing down upon them. "Come back home dls minute, Jimmy!" she shrieked, "want to ketch somo mo' contagwous 'seases, don't yuh? What dat y' all got now?" As she drew nearer a smile of recognition and appreciation overspread her big good-natured face. Thau she burst Into a loud, derisive laugh. "What y' all gwlne to do wld Miss Minerva's old hustle?" ihn inquired. "V all sho' am de contaritest chillcns in dis here cop peration." "nustle?" echoed Billy. "What 'a a bustle?" "Lat-ar 's a bustle?dat 'b what 's a bustle. Ladies useto wear 'em 'cause dey bo styllnb to make they dresses stick out in the back. Come on homo, Jimmy, 'fore yuh ketch de yalh i jandil er de epiiooUce; yo* ma tol' yuh to stay right el home." "Well. 1 *m coming, ain't I?" scowled the little boy. "Mama need n't to know nothing 'thout you tell," "Would >ou take yo* mama's pics poeltton <>f olerk*oarrler Wedneeday. ent now, Jimmy?" asked Billy; "you ain't earnt it." 'Would n't you?" asked Jimmy, doubtfully. "Naw, I would n't, 'thout I tol' her." "Well, I '11 tell her I just corned over a minute to see 'bout Miss Mi? nerva's bustle," he agreed as he again tumbled over the fence. A little negro boy, followed by a tiny, white dog, was passing by Miss Minerva's gate. Billy promptly flew to the gate and hailed him. Jimmy, looking around to 6ee that Sarah Jane had gone back to the kitchen, as promptly rolled over the tenet and joined him. "Lemiue see yo' dog," said the for? mer. "Ain't he cute?" said the latter. The little darkey picked up the dog and passed it across the gate. "1 wish he was mine," said the* I smaller child, as betook the soft, fluffy little ball in his arms; "what '11 you take for him?" I The negro boy had never seen the dog before, but he immediately accept? ed the ownership thrust upon him and answered without hesitation, "I'll take a dollar for her." I "I ain't got but a nickel. Billy, ain't i you got 'nough money to put with my nickel to make a dollar T" ~ "Naw; I ain't got a red cent." "I 11 tell you what we'll do," sug? gested Jimmy; "we'll trade you a base? ball mask for him. My mama's going to gimme a new mask 'cause I all time stay at home, so we'll trade you our old one. Go get it, Billy." Thus commanded Billy ran and picked up the bustle where it lay neg? lected on the grass, and handed it to the quasi-owner of the puppy. The deal was promptly closed and a black little negro went grinning down the street with Miss Minerva's ancient bustle tied across his face, leaving behind him a curly-haired dog. "Ain't he sweet?" said Jimmy, hug? ging the fluffy white ball close to his breast, "we got to name him, Billy." "Le's name her Peruny Pearline," was the suggestion of the other joint owner. "Ho ain't going to be name' nothing at all i1' tl at," declared Jimmy; "you r 11 Hm? i tu asms o?:r dogs the ?"?plewfl r*-st r.smf th*v is. He's go 'Sujo Lamb' 'cause i.c u .... i grtner '* "She's a girl dog," argued Billy, "an' I she can't be nam' no man's name. If I she could I 'd call her Major." I "I don't care what sort o' dog he is, girl or boy, ho *s e;oing to be name' 'Sana Lamb.' Pretty Sam! Pretty Sam!" and he fondly stroaed the little animal's soft bead. "Here, Peruny! Here, Peruny!" and Billy tried to snatch her away. The boys heard a whistle; the dog heard it, too. Sprineing from the little boy's arms Sam Lamb Peruny Pearline rau under the gate and flew to meet nor master, who waa looking for her. CHAPTCR XXV. Education and its Perils. It was a warm day In early August and the four children wen1 sitting con? tentedly in the swing. They met al moRt every afternoon now, but were generally kept under strict survoll lance by Miss Minerva. "'T won't be long Tore we '11 all bafto go to school," remarked Frances, and i '11 be mli hty sorry; i wish we j did n't ever hofto go to any old school." The examination was held In the ?I wisht we knowed how to read I an' write when we 's born," aaid Bil? ly. "If I waa God I 'd make all my Rabies so 'a they ia already eddlcated when they gits born. Reckon if we 'd pray ev'y night an' ask God, he'd learn them babies what he 's makln' on now how to read an' write?" "I don' care nothing at all 'bout them babies," pat in Jimmy, "f aim going to do us no good if all the new babies what Doctor Sanford finds can road and write; It 'd Jes' make 'em the sassiest things ever was. 'Sides, I got plenty things to ask God for 'thout fooling long other folka' brats, and I ain't going to meddle with God's business nohow." "Did you all hear what Miss Larri more, who teaches the little children at school, said about us?" asked Lina I importantly. I "Naw," they chorvsed, "what was 1 it?" "She told the surer'ntendent," was I the reply of Liza, pleased with her? self and with that big word, "that she would have to have more money next year, for she beard that Lina Hamilton, Frances Black, William Hill and . immy Garner were all com mg to school, and ehe sala we were the most notorious bad children In town." "She Is the spltefullest woman they is/' Jimmy's black eyes snapped; "she 'bout the meddlesomest teacher In town." "Who told you 'bout It, Lina?" questioned the other httle girl. "The super'ntendent told his wife and you know how some ladies are? they Just can't keep a secret. Now it Is Just like burying It to tell mother anything; she never tells anybody but father, and grandmother, and grandfather, and Uncle Ed, and Bro? ther Johnson, and she makes them promise never to breathe <t to a liv? ing soul. But the super'rtendent's wife is different; she tells ever'thlng she hears, and now everybody knows what that teacher said about us." "Everybody says she is the crank? iest teacher they is," cried Jimmy, "she won't let you bring nothing to school 'captlnf your books; you can't oven take your slingshot, nor your air-gun, nor?" "Nor your dolls," chimed in Fran? ces, "and she won't let you bat your eye, nor say a word, nor cross your legs, nor blow your nose." 'What do she think we 's goin' to her ol' school fer if we can't have fun?" asked Billy. 'Tabernicle sho' had fun when he went to school. He put a pin in the teacher's chair an' she sat down cn it plumb up to tho her>d, an* he tie the strings together what two nigger gals had they hair wropped with, an' he ?QUOze up a little boy's legs in front of him with a rooster foot tell he squalled out loud, an* he th'owed spitballs, an' he make him some watermelon teeth, an' he paint a chicken light red an' tuck it to the teacher fer a dodo, an' he put cotton in his pants 'fore he got licked, an' he drawed the teacher on a slate. That 's what you go to school fer is to have fun, au' I sho' is goin' to have fun when 1 goes, an' I ain't goin' to take no bulldozin' offer her, neither." "I bet we can squelch her," cried Frances, vindictively. ' Yes, we 11 show her a thing or two"?for once Jimmy agreed With her, "she 'bout the butt-iu-est old wo man they is, and she's going to find out we 'bout the squelchingest kids ever she tackle." "Alfred (l?ge went to school to her last year," said Frances, "and he can read and writo." "Yes," joined in Jimmy, "and he 'bout the proudest boy they is; all timo got to write his name ail over everything."_ _ court houae, There were only three "Y*ou "member 'bout last Commun? ion Sunday," went on the little girl, "when they hand roun' the little en? velope and veiled all the folks what was willing: to give five dollars more on the pastor's sil'y just to write bis name; ao Alfred he so frisky 'cause be know how to write; so he took en one of the little envellups and worten 'Alfred Gage' on it; so when his papa find out 'bout it he say that kid got to work and pay that five dollars hl'seif. 'cause he done sign his name to it" "And li he ain't 'bout the sickest kid they Js," declared Jimmy; "IH betcher he won't get fresh no more soon. He telled me the other day be ain't bad a crink of soda water this summer, 'causo every nickel he gets got to go to Mr. Pastor's sal'ry; he says be plumb tired supporting Bro? ther Johnson and all his family; and, fie say, every time he go upTownTie sees Johnny Johnson a-setting on a stool In Baltzer's drag store Just *, swigging milk-shakos; he says he going to knock him off so&ie day 'cause It's his nickels that kid 's a apendlng." There was a short alienee, broken by Billy, who remarkea, apropos of )o thing: "I sho' Is glad I don't harter bo a 'oman when I puts on long pants; mens la heap mo' account." "I wouldn't be a woman for noth? ing at all," Jimmy fully agreed with him; "they have the pokiest time they is." "I'm glad I am going to be a young lady when I grow up/' Lina declared. "I would nt be a gentleman for any? thing. I'm going to wet.r pretty clothes and be beautiful sxd be a belle like mother was, and have lota of lovers kneel at my feet on one knee and play the guitar with the other?" "How they goin' to play the guitar with the other knee?" asked the prac? tical Billy. "And sing 'Call Me Thine Own/" she continued, ignoring his Interrup? tion. Father got on his knees to mother thirty-seven-and-a-haL times before she'd say, 'I will/" "Looks like he'd 'a' wore his breeches out," said Billy. I "I don't want to be a lady," de , clared Frances; "they can't override straddle nor climb a tree, and they got to squinch up their waists and 'oes. I wish I could kiss my elbow now and turn to a boy." CHAPTER XXVI. Unconditional Surrender. "They 's going to be a big nigger 'scursion to Memphis at 'leven o'clock," said Jimmy as he met the other little boy at the dividing fence; "Sam Lamb 's going and 'most all the niggers they is. Sarah Jane 'lowed she 's going, but she ain't got nobody to 'tend to Bonnie Dick. Wouldn't you like to go, Billy?" "You can't go 'thout you 's a nig? ger," was the reply; "Sam Lamb say they ain't no white folks ' owed on this train 'ceptin' the engineer an' conductor." "Sam Lamb d take care of us if we could go," continued Jimmy. "Let 's slip off and go down to the depot and see the niggers get on. There '11 be 'bout a million." Billy's eyes sparkled with apprecia? tion. "I sho* wish 1 could," he mid; "but Aunt Minerva *d make me slay in bed a wbol i week if I went near the rail? road." "My mama 'd giznmo 'bout s mil lion licks, too, if I pre * ? kted with a nigger 'scursion; she bout the spankingest worn in they Is, My papa put some burnt cork on his face applicants t<> stand the examination