A SCHOOL STORY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 6 November 1926, Page 18

A SCHOOL STORY.

(By Marjorie Benton, aged 13 years 11 months.)

'*l sav, ’ ’ said Phyllis to Jean in the playground, "did vou know that a new Italian girl has arrived this term?” "No,”' said .Jean. "Well, come and have a look at her then,”’ said Phyllis. So the two chums walked avvav arm-in-arm to the hockey field, where* Doloso. the new girl, was trying her skill at hockey. They watched' the game for a few minutes with interest. when suddenly Phyllis caught hold of Joan’s arm and whispered, "There she is,” and she pointed to a prettv dark-eyed girl who was running after'the hockey ball. "By the way,” Jean said to Phyllis, t * did vou know that Mr Paddock .is giving a gold wristlet watch to the giil who can speak German best?” "Yes,” said Phvllis,” and I mean to try for it.” At last the test came: the winner’s name was read out that night in the hall. • But who should win it but Doloso. All the girls were jealous of this, and they decided to hold a private talk about this among all the juniors in the school. That night before they bad prep, all the juniors assembled in their class-room to hold their meeting regarding Doloso, the Italian girl. Then they all had a good talk and the jealous girls decided to send Doloso to Coventry: that is, no one was to speak to her. Then poor Doloso found herself snubbed at on all sides and no one would speak to her. Now this school had a lot of very valuable cups and trophies stored away iu a safe in Miss Perkins’ study. Miss Perkins was head mistress. One night poor Doloso could not go to sleep, as she was thinking how cruel all the girls were to her, when suddenly she heard someone softly push up a window. Who could it be? she thought, while cold shivers ran up and down her spine. Then she put her thoughts to action, so she softly crept out of bed, put on her bedroom' slippers and dressing-gown and then walked softly down tbe corridor on tip-toe. At last she came to the headmistress’s study, and she could. tell there was a light' in it by the light showing under the door. As it happened. there was a fairly large crack in the door, and through this she peeped What she saw made her heart quake. "Can it be?” she said to herself. and she looked again. Yes, it was’ so. A big rough-looking man had opened the safe and into the big bag he had he was putting all the cups of which the school was so proud. Doloso now swiftly thought, and the best idea she thought of was to run quickly to Miss Perkins’s room to tell her. Miss Perkins quickly put on her slippers and dressing-gown. Then she said to Doloso. ‘ ‘ Bun back to your dormitory and tell the girls that I want them.” Doloso then did what she was bid and came hurrying baek_J-o Miss Perkins with all the other girls hurrying after her. Miss Perkins sent Myra Crayton for the policeman, Constable Park. Myra then sped swiftly away. After Myra had gone. Miss Perkins said that she wanted half the girls to go outside to the window of the study and the other half to go with her to stand by the study door. They all went on tipi toe to their places. When they had arrived at their places, Miss Perkins said to her lot that she would count three then she would open the door with her key. Thdn they were to spring forward and surround the man. "One,” she whispered. "Two.” "Now, be ready,” she whispered. "Three.” The final word rang out clear and true. Quickly Miss Perkins slipped her key into the lock. The door then opened and all the girls crowded into the study. The man tried to get out of the window, but he reckoned without the girls, who barred the window, and soon pushed him back into the study. While all this was happening, Myra was running to her utmost limit to Constable Park’s residence. At. last she arrived at her destination. so she hammered at the door of the house, and a sleepy voice called out, "What do you mean hammering at a good person’s door at this time of the night?” "Come! Oh. come quickly, constable,” said Myra, “a man is taking all our valuable* cups from the school, so please hurry.” Constable Park then quickly dressed and ran to the car shed to get his car ready. He and Myra started off. When thov arrived at the school Myra show-t-d ‘Constable Park’ to Miss Perkins’s study. When the robber saw Constable Park he tried to get away, but the girls and the constable were far too much for him. Constable whipped out a pair of handcuffs and put them on his prisoner, wjjo was then locked up in the county gaol. The girls were told afterwards that the man was wanted at the time for a series of thefts. As for Doloso, she was carried back to the dormitory in triumph. Then she smilingly returned thanks. That is the story of how she made good.