San Diego State University - Del Sudoeste Yearbook (San Diego, CA)

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win ! CHAPTERS FROM THE LIFE OF BILLY. By Alberta Filson Watson. CHAPTER I. ILLY came to sehuol two years late. It is an awful thing in llelleview School to be two minutes late; but two years late! what could Billy expect? One glance at the lirst grade teacher told him to expect nothing; his dealings with erabbetl old cow punchers and surly Pima chiefs had taught him not to expect things of people with frowns like hers. The teacher on her part looked at Billy and expected trouble. In the first place, he was two years too old for that grade; in the second place, he was as awkward and restless as a lmlg-earetl colt. llis eight years of life had been spent cracking the long blacksnakes and throwing his lariat in imitation of the cowboys at the mund-up. XYhat had he to th with schools and women? But now the ranch was gone and his father was gone, and his mother had come with him to this far-away California city to live. So here he was in the red brick school-house. He wished he were back home, on the wild eolt's back, or even in the corral with the long-lmrned steers, instead of here before this big woman with the frown; but here he was and here he had to stay. As soon as all the children were in their places, the teacher called nAtten- tion! ' Then she rapped with her pencil and looked straight at Billy. Billy. not knowing what else to do, looked straight back at the teacher. She frowned still more deeply and bore down upon him. Stooping over, she seized his hands and folded them on the edge of the desk, and planted his feet upon the floor under his desk as if she were screwing him down. That is position? she told him. Glancing around Billy saw forty pairs of hands folded on forty desk- tops, and forty pairs of feet planted under the desks in the, same screwed- down position. Forty rigid backs held forty rigid heads upright, and liilly tried to make his back stiff and his head rigid also. Thus he sat and waited. He tried very hard to listen to what the teacher was saying. but it took all of his mind to think of his hands and legs. lle hatl to think very hard about them to keep them still. All his hard little muscles were twitching and crawling under his skin. Those stout arms were used to twirling the long lasso and snapping the leaded whips; those sinewy legs were used to striding the bucking calves and running wild 0n the mesas. Never before hatl llilly been called upon to keep still, and he had to think very hard about his hands and feet. to keep them just as the teacher had put them. The very toes he thought hardest about squirmetl and cried loudest to turn up and wiggle. He fastened his mind on the most refractory leg. but the more he thuught about it the more it wanted to move. Creepy sensations began to wriggle up and down it, crawling and squirming into his very bones. lvhen he could no longer stand the itching, he seized the opportunity to stretch out his legs. while the teacher was writingr 0n the blackboard. She whirled amuml and glared at him and Billy was firmly convinced that she saw out of the back of her head. For a while he kept himself busy trying to figure out how she managed it; but after a time his eyes fell to his folded hands, and immediately thuse interlaced fiingers took a frantic notion to spread themselves. Then his arms began to burn and itch, and his elbow joint gnawed to be straightened out. The teacher was reading, and only the twp of her head was visible as i she pored over the page on her desk. Again to relieve his wretched body. Billy risked her frown. He slid away down in his seat and spread out his -legs and stretched his arms. The teachers voice stopped with a jolt, as if it had been jammed back into her mouth. The next instant she had him by 25

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peacefulness in the village was but assumed. and that beneath it smouldered the desire for revenge. only awaiting an occasion to break forth. They wished to kill Padre Xipem, for it was he who made them work unwillingly. They would be content with his death alone. but if occasion arose. they would not hesitate to take more lives. And so what was to he done would have to he accomplished quietly and quickly. Nipn knew this well. Yet he must save his masterls life. Creeping 2110111; in the shadow of the eolonnade to avoid attracting the attention of the hidden Indian. the hay came to the end of the corridor. His alert eyes traced the stealthy movements of his foe. as he. tun. moved cau- tiously nearer the door. It would he a question. when the Indian saw him. as to who should reach that door tirst. And so. in the calm, still night. the friend and the foe 0f the master crept nearer. while he sat busily writing, unconscious 0f danger. XVhen Nipn reached the edge of the protecting shadow, he brushed against a bush. and the sound attracted the attention of the Indian. Turning, he spied Nipo, who at the same instant darted across the moon-lit space. But the Indian, quick as a flash. sprang after him. Nipn reached the study dour just in time to feel a cold knife hlade touch his shoulder. Bounding into the room, and gasping the word Master he fell down at the fathers feet as the Indiaifs knife struck into him. Padre Xipem sprang up and instantly pulled a heavy cord which hung beside him. Immediately a deep sound broke upon the stillness 0f the night. The Indian. having,r recovered his knife. was standingr with it poised for another blow. but the sound of the bell startled his superstitious nature: he hesitated, and was lost. For in that fraction of a second, Nipo. wnunded as he was. sprang to his feet. and snatched the knife, and then the padres came rushing into the mom. The bell was Nipem's signal of danger. and the men came in with drawn swords. more like soldiers than peaceful padres. In the confusion whieh attended the capture and disposal of the rebellious neophyte. poor Nipu was nverlooked. In a little while. all was again quiet. The night was as calm and peace- ful as if nothing had happened. Out in the eunrt. the light breeze played on the wishing fountain, just breaking it into silver light. ladre Nipem passed with a quick step down the court and entered the Chapel. 'llhrough the stained glass of the window. the rays of the moon threw their light upon the altar and upon a little figure lyingr before it. But Nipo was not prayingr now. The father. guilt;r nearer and bending over him. wiped away the mist frum his eyes. HPoor boy? he murmured. he was willing to give his own life to save mine. His was true devotion. Outside the night wind sighed in the palms. A white cloud passed over the face of the moon. A little agitation and tremm'sthen all was calm again. And oblivious of life. the moon shone down upon the earth. Place: Mrs. Cnldwell's umee temptyl. Stage properties: Long mirmr 011 west wall. Time: Any time. Dramatis Persnnae: Prexy; Student. tFnter llrexyt. uXVith cat-like tread up to the glass he steals. In silence dread, for each new hair he feels, No sound at all. he never says a wnrd. For down the hall the students step is heardfl Notes in Seventh Gtade Cookery Hunk: Protein funds build tissue and repair the waist ill the body. 24

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the shoulders. She jerked him into place and then shook him hard. Billy was fearfully frightened that time. After a while he became used to teachers, as he had got used to long-horned steers on the prairie; but the teachers never got used to Billy. with his penchant for squirming and doing things. That first year, or I might say that first day, Iilly became known as a naughty boy; the next year he was known as a bad boy; and after that he himself knew that he was had and was proud of his badness. Many things are found and lost at the red brick school. 3illy found his reputation there that first day, but he never lost it: it clung to him in the strange adhesive way of reputations. and as he passed along his reputation went along with him as his shadow did. sometimes poking far out in advance. sometimes trailing- behind, but always with him. CHAP'IIIER 11. At thirteen Hilly was promoted to the sixth grade. He was tired of pun- ishments and corrections and had made up his mind to do better. In a few days, however, he decided that it was no use-his reputation had been pro- moted before he was. Every time the class laughed or anything unusual happened the teacher pounced on him. He gave up trying. and lapsed hack into his old troublesome ways. One day Billy was kept in at recess for sticking gum in the Italian g'irlIs hair. The teacher was very cross. IISharpen these lead pencils. she said. for punishment, and see that you dmft get any litter on the Hoorf' She opened the little white box to hand him her pearl handled knife, Hlt is gone. she said. looking; sharply at liilly. u.Do you know where it is? Hilly eyed the box. IINO, I doift know, but maybe Sam does.' ttDid you see him take it? ItNope? tIDid you see him have it ? IINope. uThen how do you know that he has it? III don't know it, but you just ask him. That afternoon Miss Maine did ask Sam, and his face grew very red as he dug down into his pocket and produced the knife. After school Miss Maine did not keep Sam, but took her vengeance out on Dilly. IVilliam, she said, Ithow does it happen that you always know where everything that is lost or stolen has goneim Just figger it out, said Billy. WYell, how did you figure out that Sam had my knife? t'Easyf said Bill. IILook at that dauh of red on the lid of the knife hox. Sam cut his finger at noon and came up here to get a rag and a piece of string out of your drawer, so I knowed that he was in hereathen when I seen this red I says to myself. ISamIS the boy with the knifef I, HVViIliam, said Miss Maine, you are a regular sleuthf A what ? asked Bill. He was used to being called names. but this was a new one. tII mean a detective. ' explained Miss Maine. IT311. said Bill, and puffed out his chest. From this time on his reputa- tion for finding things increased and went along with his reputation for hadness. and was a thing to he gloated over and bragged about. One day the boy in front of him knocked IIillyIs pencil box on the Hoor. HXVilliam. what are you doing? snapped his teacher. Not a darn thing? muttered XVilliam, under his breath. Int Miss Maine's sharp ear caught it and she washed his mouth out with soap and brush. and told him he had said a very dreadful word. 26