. The Hoosier school-master : a novel . ete Joness. For in view of the fact that Mr. PeteJones sent seven children to the school, the Master in FktCreek district was bound to spend two weeks in that comfortable place, sleeping in a preoccupied bed, in the furdest corner,with insufficient cover, under an insufficient roof, and eating floating islands of salt pork fished out of oceans of hot lard. Ralphwas not slow to accept the relief oflFered by the hospitablejustice of the peace, whose principal business seemed to be theadjustment of the pieces of which he was composed. And asSliocky traveled
. The Hoosier school-master : a novel . ete Joness. For in view of the fact that Mr. PeteJones sent seven children to the school, the Master in FktCreek district was bound to spend two weeks in that comfortable place, sleeping in a preoccupied bed, in the furdest corner,with insufficient cover, under an insufficient roof, and eating floating islands of salt pork fished out of oceans of hot lard. Ralphwas not slow to accept the relief oflFered by the hospitablejustice of the peace, whose principal business seemed to be theadjustment of the pieces of which he was composed. And asSliocky traveled the same road, Ralph took advantage of theopportunity to talk with him. The Master could not dismissHannah wholly from his mind. He would at least read themystery of her life, if Shocky could be prevailed on to fur-nish the clue. THE IIOOSIEU SCHOOL-MASTER. Poor old tree! said Shocky, pointing to a crooked andgnarled elm standing by itself in the middle of a field. For whenthe elm, naturally the most graceful of trees, once gets a bad. SHOCKT. set, as ladies say, it can grow to be the most deformed. Thissolitary tree had not a single straight linib. Why do you say poor old tree ? asked Ralph. Cause its lonesome. All its old friends is dead and choppeddown, and theres their stumps a-standiu jes like grave-stones. Itmust be lonesome. Some folks says it dont feel, but I think itdoes. Everything seems to think and feel. See it nodding its HAS GOD FORGOTTEN SIIOCKY ? 83 head to them other trees in the woods, and a-wantin to shakehands! But it cant move. I think that tree must a-growed inthe night. Why, Shocky? Cause its so crooked, and Shocky laughed at his own con-ceit ; must a-growed when they was no light so as it could » see how to grow. And then they walked on in silence a minute. Presently Shockybegan looking up into Ralphs eyes to get a smile. I guess thattree feels just like me. Dont you? Why, how do you feel ? Kind o bad and lonesome, and like as if I wanted to die,you kn
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