A Son of the City

Mrs. Fletcher brought the breakfast plates out to the kitchen sink, she found him on tiptoe, with one hand fumbling

namon to chew," he explained. "Gu

clock which ticked noisily in it

nutes to nine, son.

in his desk, and entries must be made in it before the class began. He was gathering his sca

with his head

o shut a drawer when y

with a sulky bang.

ok in the f

the big chair. That's whe

the close

at the lost had been found. The front doo

attention to the tidying of the house. She made innumerable circles and criss-crosses with the carpet sweeper over the parlor rug, and was dusting the big rocker by the bay window when a chance glance up the street revealed two

vey challenged John to a game of tag. A lamppost nearer, they ceased the mad, dodging chase and engaged in earnest conversation. A hundred yards from the Fletcher house, footsteps lagged to an astonishing degree

he door anxiously. "Wha

e," her son explained. "Th

s eyes were reddened to an alarming degre

stay home today to see if they got wo

coming down wi

funny, but he didn't think that lazying around on the

ased emphasis. She turned to Silvey. "You can go home, Bill. Joh

e interminable stairs to h

hroat and was allowed to play football and fool around as he pleased, while h

sonment while they were biting that way. It was a shame, tyranny, oppression worse than the old slaves labored under in Uncle Tom's Cabin. He'd run away from home, he would. Perhaps his uncle would give him a j

some deliberation, drew a well-thumbed, red-covered book from his library shelves.

to the astute Baker Street detective. Tobey took the two eager sleuths through the episode of the trail which led to the creosote barrels. Holmes appeared and reappeared on his fruitless expeditions as the boy's

at he might resume the thread of the main and more engrossing plot. Didn't Louise live almost across the street from him? Wasn't his interest

doorway, stern disapproval in he

t you know that reading is the wors

ed regretfully. His mother

e shrugged his shoulders. "It doesn't

of amusement that had lain open to him. His mother pulled down th

unseled. "Mother wants you to

fellow's mother insisted on taking that sickness seriously. Why wasn't she as easy going as Mrs. DuPree who allowed that p

etter than staying in bed in a darkened room. Did Louise enjoy his back seat? Had she found the big wad

re. He yawned dismally. A fly lighted on his nose. He brushe

inner time. He felt hungry enough. What was his mother cooking? A fragrant hissing from the hot pan hin

self and went

he called dow

, Jo

hu-u-

up with your dinne

atoes and peas would be about right. Omelet would do, if ther

y, drew up a straight-backed chair to the bed, and

ast!" di

y n

k to

a fellow. Aren't ther

etcher explained gently. "Perhaps, though, y

to a small boy's digestive mill, anyway, and the food wasn't really distasteful. Then he lay back and, fo

wilight alternately. A fly made a complete toilette on the bed cover before his interested eyes, now brushing the gauzy wings, now twisting its head this way and that way, as

at the adjacent station. Only twenty minutes elapse

properly, his malady should be sufficient to keep him out

Mrs. Fletcher was in the parlor, glancing for a brief moment

o stay in bed. He fe

and they were now as clear as her own. His skin felt cool to the touc

itted. "It won't hurt you to stay up if you don't play too

the change from deadening inactivity. Next, there were a hundred and one little errands to do about the house, for his mother began sewing on his negligee blouses, and the button-hol

miss anything,

"But come right back. I don

rceptible limp as he walked. He had been practicing with the "Tigers," and the scrimmage had been most exciting. Silvey-who had not been put to bed-had bumped into Red Brown in a manner which the

onably safe. He tiptoed up on the porch and stretched out on the swinging

oh

ummons. That wasn't natural. So he waited

r?" With a

you come straight

rom Miss Brown after, dismissal and that had d

e state of your clothing. You've been playin

The period of in

ing morning that John Fletcher's case was but the beginnin

leless scholar, waved his hand excitedly to attract attention. His eyes hurt terribly as teacher cou

valid. But a few moments passed before towhead

e placed a pudgy hand on each side of his jaw. "A

nt to see the s

man of medicines when Perry fini

and admitted

else wrong

ness, "but I don't feel like doing much. On

At least four days. Tell your mother you've

e his exit,

exchanged a glance with the gray-haired pr

which he had described to Miss B

tent," he said to the principal, "but the sor

r. Downer. Olaf went the way

edicine case to leave when the office d

, as he sat down heavil

ugged his shoulde

to the larger of the two b

t, with a deep coat of tan on his

wrong wi

ificent salary. The young practitioner had grasped at the opening because the routine work offered golden opportunities for acquiring a clientele among the

riously the matter with the boy. He

s it hurt

nd my

is hands firmly on either s

don't!" h

htened up and regard

hing

ke the dickens every once in a while. I

e inquisitor's voice. "Hav

moved to the ci

principal turn

sure?"

He turned to the boy. "Tell your mother to notify the health department

, to which the patient listened stolidly. A disinterested observer mi

the authorities exch

ool has always been remarkabl

Four cases this morning, and two yesterday, ranging all the way from mumps to

the cases are confined to one room, Te

here on his or her clothes, and is perfectly immune to them. That's what you must have in that room. As for y

window upon the orderly lines of pupils that no sooner passed from the school

r a living. Spoke of it as a great joke. Said the girl wore a new dress every day, sometimes too long, sometimes too short,

mics and near epidemics started by these itinerant washerwomen than

e to question her a little before steps are taken to close

his shoulders. "I'll be back, this aft

school yard from the alley with cannas and elephant's ears. He was puttering among them, now seeking voracious parasites, now examin

as the speaker beyond doubt; and his cas

hu

our ni

e how,

ohn was examining the

t this af

oy as

day, 'cause you can't fake it much longer. The disease co

es

Shut the door so's none of the stuff can get out, and blow on it. Stay there until your eyes beg

upil

the doctor right away. When you come into the office, gi

n hacked

that if your throat hurt as much as

satisfied even the t

t of queer, and you were all hot when you woke up this morning. He'll say 'Measles' and order you 'home

, is th

es

't worth

o give me that nick

'n a penny. How do I k

d mine, and Bill Silvey's, Olaf's

aren't paying

and the Shepherd kids. They're going to be

-be dead-beat. "He'll tell me what you

is face in if he does. Are you

I ai

ure of defense. The principal tiptoed noiselessly around the end of the fenc

Downer!" he yelled

et the principal's firm

aid the quiet voice. "I wa

e faculty, visiting school superintendents, and parents. Up the dingy wooden stairs, worn at either end

," said M

ies, and the same dun wall that he had seen on previous visits, prompted by his various sins. There was only one change. Opposite him, a newly frame

n even, severe tones, of notes mailed to parents, of suspension notices, of school board action, and of interviews with Mr. Fletch

e measures will be neces

e the scarcely a

set eyes were a-twinkle with suppressed merriment, but he was too consci

eakneck games of tag or made tops perform miraculous tricks as they waited for the school bell to ring. Not a few jeered at him. One or two

t of place and stood to one side of the yard, a scowl on his face, glaring at the throng of merrymakers. Anyway, the procee

-a-a, Johnny will try

!" he bellowed to an astonished group near him.

g, into the cramped room. The propri

ollar tips, "I want forty-five cents' worth of six-for-a-cent lemon drops.

hool store was as sweet music to his ears, for it meant that his status among his play-fellows was restored. His bump