Villanova Digital Library - The Wellspring for young people, v. LXX, no. 39, September 27, 1913. :: Digital Library@Villanova University

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Full Title	The Wellspring for young people, v. LXX, no. 39, September 27, 1913.
Contributor	White, Charles T.
Date Added	12 February 2016
Format	Journal
Language	English
Publish Date	1913-09-27
Publisher	Boston, New York and Chicago : The Pilgrim Press
Source	Dime Novel and Popular Literature
Alternate Title	Three thirty-eight seventeen / by Charles T. White.
Topic	Youth > Religious life > Periodicals. Young adult literature > Periodicals. Christian education of young people > Periodicals.
About	More Details Permanent Link
Disclaimers	Disclaimer of Liability Disclaimer of Endorsement

OCR 9 Vot..' Lxx. No. 39 teacher was in the rear of the room, busy with tapeline and pencil. “Good morn- i":,'. boys," she said brightly. “I don‘t see how you can ever sit quietly on these low uooden benches-your outdoor life has made you grow too fast for such close quarters. I've been wondering if our school board would allow nsfa little fund for lumber. You could make things your- selves. I have drawn a little design here of a bench and table arrangement that would give you plenty of room. See how you like it.” She sat down and spread her diagram out for their inspection. Every tumbled head was bent over it in thirty seconds and six voices in various stages from falsetto to bass were discussing her plan and pronouncing it good. Do it themselves? To be sure they could, and if the school board wouldn't allow it: “But they will. My father's on it. used to come here himself and he was talking last night about how his knees used to ache all folded up like jackknives." Sam Pelton had forgotten his shyness as he added. "They'll let us have the lumber all right." “I'm sure of, it.” P?‘ Lilian’s voice was Ilrawluas by Itfrrry R. Iluenmr. HILE a slecty rain beat soggily against the windowpanes of his room Hal Poynter snuggled deeper into a comfortable chair and read ' ' d from Jim Hibbert's “Jim's last writing assured me that he .was working steadily. I am glad of that; but I would appreciate, from somebody other than himself, a few comments on the manner in which he conducts himself and his affairs. My motherless boy is much in my thoughts during this enforced absence from him. I am eager to hear everything about him and would greatly rejoice in any bit of news concerning his prosperity.” V As Poynter, with a dubious expression, slowly laid the letter down there was a knock at the door. Jim Hibbert hiniself dropped in from the room across the hall, a stockily built, happy-go-lucky fellow, a year or two younger than Poynter. “Could you lend me another two dol- lars for a few days, Hal?” he asked easily. ‘No?" he regretfully echoed as Poynter frowned and involuntarily shook his hea . “Pshaw! I thought I had a sure friend in you. “fell, I guess I must pawn this gold watch father gave until I get another job. Silver will tell time just as well. anyway." Poynter looked curiously at the young fellow whose father, traveling on busi- ness, had left him behind in the home town, hoping and trusting that a good situation there would be the making of the seemingly irresponsible lad. Jim, how- ever. had already lost that situation and another besides. His undoing had been brought about by lack of punctuality, ton many afternoons off for baseball and other sports. together with ,latc hottrs, ‘which, though innocently enough spent perhaps, were destructive of business in- terest and energy. Finally, he was un- fortunately so likable that his friends could not resist helping him out with loans, over which the handsome, blue- eyed young fellow ncversecmed to worry. Poynter, recalling the several instances in which he had weakly advanced money, shook his head again. It was plain folly ' cordial. ‘father about it tonight and we will get ,... , ; THE VVELLSPRING “Sam, you can speak to your it started as soon as possible. lVc must come to order now." Lilian tapped her bell and waited a mo- ment, aiding the settling of the restless pupils by pleasant word or cheery sugges- tion, noting their evident appreciation o the friendliness in her tone. That was the beginning, and a very small one, but it led to other things. Car- pentry. once introduced into the school curriculum, there scented no end to its possibilities, and the making of new con- veniences kept many recesses prohtahly occupied, added comforts to the ugly old room and left littlertime for mischievous pranks. Nor were hammers and saws the only implements used that term. Needles and thimbles, fiower roots and seeds, weaving and basketry, all shared attention ‘with book and blackboard, with beneficial re- sults all round. Not only that, but teacher and pupils grew into a cordial fricnrlship which none of them will forget, and the year "Miss Lilian” taught them became a date to reckon from. to back up the boy in the cheap business of loafing around town. "I really don't see where you are com- ing out on this Poynter gloomily declared. ing steadily in one place for three years without any material advance. I a de- cent faithfulness tells so little how can you expect to progress when you don keep your sleeves rolled up long enough to get your arms sunburned. Hibbert shrugged his shoulders and made a comical face. “Now, now!" he deprecated; “I come to call on a friend and Find a preacher instead." “Your father thinks you are hustling, too," Poynter persisted; “he congratulates himself that you are at least moving in the direction of success, while if the truth were told": s . Jim made a gesture of restlessness. “Oh, say!" be objected, obviously con- cerned as to his father's displeasure; “if you are going to tell father how things stand with me you sure are no friend. I‘ll have to keep you in the dark here- after regardin my movements, for father's very likely to ask you about me. But I nmst be going. Sorry you can't help me out. Maybe I'll strike more sym- pathy in another quarter, Good-by!" Poynter flushed as he quietly returned the adieu. There was no sneer in the bright tones of the careless young Hib- bert; but it cut Poynter to be even lightly twitted with the charge of unfriendliness when in reality he was most anxiously considering the welfare of his ol school- mate. II: turned wearily to his writing table and the letter from Mr. Ilihbert. How should he tell the truth to Jim's father with the minimum shock? It was surely rather difficult to hnd pleasing words in which to say that Jim was chron- ically out of work, perpetually borrowing money and persistently loafing. No let- ter could be honest and not tell enough of the truth to hurt. “Oh, I can't do it." Poynter (ICCltICd. dropping his pen to lean back and shove his hands with deep perplexity into his pockets. “Jim's ather wants to hear some halfway good news of his boy and n‘ It was toward the end of the term that Lilian wrote a long letter home from which a few extracts may be copie “It has all grown out of I)ziisy's song and your suggestions, mother and Jack. If you'd known how dreadfully I behaved at hrst you'd have been ashamed of me and sorry for my pupils. Then I saw for myself, or else God showed me, how wicked I was and what an opportunity I was losing. Since then I have tried to make my ‘school days,’ all of them, ‘golden-rule days,’ and it is simply mar- velous, what a transformation that means. From a bare, shabby room that seemed like a prison to the unwilling inmates, we have made a cozy place with clean walls. neat curtains, tiowers growing in the south windows and comfortable seats for every pupil. The school board had new desks put in last week and you can't think how nice they are. ' “From a crowd of almost hoodlums, my children have changed to a sort of happy-family attitude and I can hardly drive them out-of-doors at recess they have such good times over their fancy- worl< and games.. I can't give him any unless I make it to order. But I don't need to answer the letter to-night. I‘ll wait .1 day or two.” Ile felt some satisfaction in that deci- sion, partly because he actually did not feel equal to the physical labor of a let- ter to-night. It had been a hard clay in the store and out on the streets. In point of weather it had been searchiugly cold, damp and miserable. Poynter was tired, loggy and chilly. Turning to the steam radiator to coax out .1 little more heat he found that there was plenty. The trouble was with himself and his own de- around to the drug store and get some quinine to hght this off." Protected by heavy overcoat, rubbers and umbrella Poynter made the half- block trip. The drug clerk was busy for a moment and Poynter sat on a revolv- ing stool bcside an acquaintance who was warming up on a cup of hot chocolate. “Wrctched night," the acquaintance ob- served. bowing his regret when Poynter politely declined a gracious invitation to join in a cup. “Just been up street to tip off a young friend on a possible job. But he didn't need it: so I had my trouble and soaking for nothing." Poynter pricked up his ears. Subcon- sciously he had been wishing that Jim I-Iibbert had a job. It took but a minute or two to make inquiries now and ex- plain his interest. "Carlston and Brother,” the acquaint- ance explaincd, “But you would have to see him to-night. The Carlston part of the firm is going away in the morning on a. trip; and the brother end is laid up sick. You'll have the best luck if you see Mr. Carlston.” Poynter purchased his quinine and went back to the house to see Jim Ifibbert. But Jim was not 307 “Nearly every family in the neighbor- hood bclongs to my Magazine Club and we meet in the schoolhouse one evening a w ck and read aloud. "We have a lycetnn, too, with debates. and the boys are improving wonderfully and learning to express the ideas they've always had but didn't know how to use. “Sorne of my children have talent-Saul I’t'ltnn's drawing is really remarkable and Cora Chclis sings very sweetly. But all without exception are dear and loving, and try hard to win my approbation-yes, and to deserve it. " course, much of this you have heard before, but I didn't want to say a great deal till I was sure of the success f my attempt. What if I hadn't tried? “'h.1t if I'd kept on wasting this chance? Isn't it dreadful to think of? I‘ve learned a lesson more valuable than any I've been able to teach. Tell Daisy I was mistaken. There is a great deal of meaning in her little song and I only hope she'll find it." Daisy nodded as she heard the message. “I know," she said. “I've been doing it all I could. You know, mother, I said it sounded as if it meant something nice." 0 streets and cowering beneath the battering rage of the heavy rain while he drew his overcoat tightly around his chilly body, be formulated his application to Mr. Carls- ton for a job in favor of Jim. “Of course I'll have to admit lIibbert’s record,” he to] himself ruefully. “But the boy comes of good stock and has some mighty strong qualities. Living in the same house with him I can prod him a bit, keep him keyed up to business. I'll agree to go out of my way in doing that, if necessary." The enthusiasm of his purpose cheered him to effort in spite of the conditions. Already his trouser bottoms were draggy with the wet and once he plunged half- way up his shoe in a treacherous gutter. But with a shiver he pulled himself to- gether and hurried on. Mr. Carlston was not at home, his wife regretted. Ile had gone to call on :1 friend. But Mrs. Carlston gladly gave the address and thought it would be all right for Poynter to disturb him. "ll-r-r!" Poynter ejaculated, as be bent before the weather. “I only hope I don't shake to pieces before I see him.” There was some danger of that, for after another half-mile journey Poynter arrived at the friends to find that Mr. Carlston had just left for his club. That was a mile off in still another directio but fortunately Poynter was able to in- dulgc his weary self by taking a car. Cronched in a seat, ‘damp or wet from head to feet and utterly tired, he SIliVCl’CtI in unison with the vibration of the car until the lights of the clubhouse appeared. It was I"oynter's nature to accept handi- caps readily, to hght all the harder for them and to rejoice in the victory. So despite his derelict condition he was rea- sunahly cheerful when at last be secured [cox-rixvsrzu ox PAGE 311)] there; n 0 bod y knew was. N o b o d y ever did satisfac- torily know his movements, Poyn- tcr reflectcrl with afrown. The one sure thing was that Jim might not turn up until ate “I'll go "see Mr. Carlston myself.” Poynter decided suddenly. “Per- haps if I had in- terested myself a little more per- sonally in Jim's affairs all along, the result would be didercnt. ‘ Accusing him- self regretfully of cady, Poynter prepared himself for the Inile walk to Mr. Carlston's home. Tramping through the slushy 4- nu sruvalt-:n IN usrsm: wn-u run vmu-non or ‘nut cu."

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