The High Point Scout
VOL, 1
HIGH POINT, NORTH CAROUNA, FEBRUARY, 1920
NO. 11
A ONE-DAY|HOOKEY
(liy XADV OATES.)
"Say, Tom, I’m in a pretty pickle.”
was Shimiey’s brief salutation, as he
crossed the yard of the little. \\'liite
school and met his clmm at the steps.
‘T ain’t got my 'rithmetic agin. D.’d-
lim-it, that old hatchet-face of a
teacher, Boggs, ’signed us ten pages
to ban’ in.”
"I ain’t got mine nuther.” replied
Tom, displaying his opened arith
metic book, containing a single sheet
of rough tablet paper whereon
could be seen a few pencil marks.
"I worked on the first example about
two hours last niglit and then 1
threw up the job.”
"I feel more like lightin' than
workin’ these old examples.” Shin-
noy snorted. As a rule Shinney work
ed his arithmetic for he was a pret
ty good “scholar;” but these w'arm.
Spring days and the Spring Fever
■ were causing him to be a bit delin
quent in his studies; games and acro
batic stunts appealed to him more.
,Tust then there appeared upon the
school ground a short, fat but rath
er bully-looking fellow, who stood
about three inches higher than
Shinney. He had rather rough
looking hands and muddy shoes.
"Yonder comes Tom Hunter.”
tv'hispered Tom to his companion, as
he nudged Shinney in the side.
Shinney looked up and frowned.
Then he threw his worm-eaten books
upon the step.s and started off at a
brisk pace to meet Tam.
“Say here. I got a score to settle
■ With you, Tam Hunter!” Shinney
.stopped the boy by blocking his
path.
■•-■Vw. 1 ain't got no time to fool
with you. Shainey Dale; I’ve got to
study my lessons. Crawl out o’ the
way!” The bully shoved Shinney
aside with a growl.
But Shinney caught him by his
coat collar. "You'll take time. You
pull off thrt slimy, old sweater o'
yourn and roll up your sleeves, com
manded the attacker. “They's gonna
be a fight right here. I want to
know what you been tryin' to sport
Mary Payne for? Don’t you know
she's my cheese? And what did you
give her that big valentine for?”
"'Cause I wanted to—you get
tliat?” retorted Tam. At the same
instant he hurled his big fist at the
left ear of Shinney and the slim, lit
tle fellow fell to the ground.
But Shinney soon arose to his feet
again. The blow on the ear had en
raged him somewhat, bringing into
existance a bulldog’s strength. He
lowered his head like a charging
bull and made a leap at Tam. He
hit the fat one squarely in the stom
ach and he also fell to the ground;
but he didn’t arioe as quickly as
Shinney. He layed there panting
tor breath.
When Tam arose to his feet again.
Shinney had one of his big. fat hands
between his bony fingers squeezing
very tenaciously. Tam squeeled like
a dying pig.
“Say your prayers,” ordered Shin
ney. Tam mumbled out a short
prayer, while a crowd of boys, which
had by now formed around the fight,
laughed and jeered mockingly.
“Now. say Uncle.’" ‘ Shinney look
ed very severe.
Tam hesitated. He would say
anything but tliat.” ''' ' ‘
“Say Uncle; you hea:r?”
^,.;i:“Ding, dong, ding, dong, ,‘^iog,
dong.” These were the summons
that came from the little school tow
er. The fight immediately stopped
and all the boys .entered the schpol-
house. . , /
As Shinney was entering the big,
double door, he felt a soft hand
touch him on his back and a sweet
voice whisper, “Shinney, isn’t that
arithmetic hard?”
He turned and faced Mary Payne.
“You bet.” he smiled. “I ain’t got
mine.”
“Nor me either. What shall we
do?”
Shinney scratched his head doubt
fully. He suddenly exclaimed.
“G'osh!” If you ain’t got yours, we
won’t have no lesson. I ain’t gonna
have no teacher quarreling with
you.”
“But Shinney, how are you going
to prevent it?”
“That’s alright. Just you watch.
You kno'w 1 sit by the fireplace.”
“But I don’t want you to ])lay any
trick and get a whipping on my ac
count, Shinney!”
“That’s alright; he can’t lick mo
;—not that tobacco stick.”
Before going to his seat, which
was directly opposite the fireplace,
Shinney glided to the roar of the
one-room schoolhouse and drew half
a dozen long straws from a broom.
Then he took his seat, as usual, and
began to study or rather pretend to.
Now it was the habit of the tall,
longlegged schoolmaster to stand be
fore the fireplace with his long legs
stretched wide apart and his hands
under his long “.Tim-swinger’’ coat
tail in the early morning w;hile the
students Were studying.
This morning, when old Boggs was
standing before the fireplace in his
usual fashion tapping hig long, split
tail nervously, Shinney took advan
tage Qt the opportunity to rid him
self and his playmates—Mary Payne
mostly-—of a day of schooling. He
bundled the six straws together and
Continued on Page Three