Show I A LITTLE PEACEMAKER Now has anyone a story to tell me this morning The speaker was a tall fair smiling upon a group of eager little faces still alight with the excitation of that old fairy story Cinderella Oh teacher Miss Mary l I knows one All right Frances ome VUle around by my side and Johnny dont don't pinch Dick it might hurt him and of course you would not j like to do that N Now ow Frances all of us are ready When you are married and your husband is cross Come over to our house and eat apple sauce Well Frances where did you hear that V i VOh Oh my ma she's got it in the grandest bo book k and she keeps it itin itin itin in her trunk but maybe shell she'll let me take it it- again so I can learn Dicky some That would be fine Frances but hut you should say teach Dicky not learn Dicky But hasn't any anyone one another story to tell us Oh Miss l Mary lary I learnt one and Frank proudly re recited recited recited re- re cited A big black bug bit a big black bear ft That is nice too Frank but hut isn't it hard to say Oh no I kin kin say say any think like that and my pa why my pa he he- he But Miss Mary interrupted with You can tell tellus us about your father tomorrow Frank but now it is time to begin our work Children I am going to close my eyes and listen oh so so intently intently intently- intently Miss l Mary That means to listen hard John I am going to listen so hard just to find out who went the quietest to their table f With much scuffling and tripping tripping tripping trip trip- ping but such earnest efforts for quietness the Mission Kindergarten Kindergarten Kindergarten Kinder Kinder- garten children tiptoed back to their respective tables Busy at work on their sleds sled Mabel label whispered to Nita Oh I seen teacher wid a swell guy after ting I coming back for me apple that I left and there teacher g a-g givin a vin back her sparkler sparkler sparkler spar spar- kler to de swell guy and he looked as cross as de old cop what loafs on our corner and teacher she was kinder bawlin and yet looked as cross as de guy but bitt a little sadder and and and- Children children I 1 dont don't believe believe believe be be- lieve you heard what I just said Now listen while I tell you how to finish your sleds and assistant assistant assistant assist assist- ant kindergarten began her directions directions directions again Poor crippled little Nita stole sly glances at Miss Mary during the second circle period and saw that she though still smiled sweetly her mouth had a pathetic ic little d drop op and her eyes were sad Intense lover of bright jewels jewels jewels jew jew- els as she was Nita missed the brilliant stone that Miss l Mary wore on her left hand After Kindergarten was dismissed Nita Tita feeling in some some inexplicable way Miss l Marys Mary's sadness the theme theone one me person whom she adored the theone theone one one person who had brought a abright abright abright bright spot in her narrow sordid life lingered behind But Miss Mary said kindly Run along Nita as Miss l Mary is very very busy prepa preparing ing some work for you to do tomorrow Nita limped wearily homewards homewards homewards home home- wards wishing in her poor little heart that she might help Miss Mary l When but a block from Kindergarten she noticed a tall tallman tallman tallman man nervously pacing the square and with a rush of intense feeling recognized Miss Marys Mary's beau Naturally timid as are many deformed deformed deformed de de- formed people Nita was afraid to approach him but on recalling Miss Mis Marys Mary's sad face and tearful eyes she mastered this timidity Creeping towards him Nita stole a soiled little hand into his large W muscular one and began fearfully fear- fear fearfully fearfully fully Say Mister say Mister I say What the deuce do you want he began roughly when he recognized Nita as one one of Marys Mary's pupils and because of his great love for her added gently What That can I X do for you little one Well sir as knowin as that well that well mister I youse was Miss Marys Mary's beau and this mornin Mabel says she says as what she seen Miss Mary give youse back her sparkler and Miss l Mary she looked so sad this mornin and I seen her bawlin and and and- Why God bless bless you kid And away he rushed leaving the amazed Nita with a bright shining shining shining shin shin- ing dollar in her hand She gazed after him in but he was still walking rapidly toward the Kindergarten For Forthe Forthe Forthe the time being Nita forgot Miss Mary in the glory of gazing 1 upon pon the first silver piece she had ever possessed Visions of candy dolls picture books rose before this starved half-starved child r. r 0 |