Pioneer history of Ingham County, compiled and arranged by Mrs. Franc L. Adams, secretary of the Ingham County pioneer and historical society.

LANSING TOWNSHIP AND CITY, WITH HISTORY

547

either of us had ever had a classmate as young as ourselves. We
became great chums and he lent me my first and last dime novel.
He also instructed me as to the method of reading it in school
hours-a method in which he had been very successful and had
never been detected. But I, alas! (being always inexpert in concealing anything) was detected in the most blood-curdling part
of the story, and the book was confiscated by a scandalized teacher,
and after being held up to the execration of the school, while I
wore an air of bravado, although I was inwardly wondering what
would be the best way to commit suicide, the dime novel was
burned.
"As I had a debt of honor to pay, I couldn't suicide until I had
collected 10 cents to pay Colonel for that book. Germany thinks
herself hard pressed, but if she knew the difficulties I encountered
in getting together the indemnity she would be heartened, I
know. I finally succeeded, thanks to Angia, who always seemed
somehow to be 'in funds' and had a penchant for buying of us
children four-leaved clovers at 2 cents a head.
"So, one happy morning, I triumphantly placed those 10
hard-earned pennies on Colonel's desk, inwardly hoping that he
would not accept them since he had read the book and really had
no further use for it. Alas! He protested-I insisted-he protested more faintly-I insisted with great vigor and at last-he
fell! There was nothing left for me but to live up to my reputation as a bad girl. I went from bad to worse and one day reached
a climax and said, 'darn it!'
"Oh, what a commotion was there. I never understood why
the heavens did not fall. There was a special session with my
teacher, to whom I was adamant. I think no one dared to tell
my father. My mother looked deeply grieved and quoted the
Bible at me. She really had her quotations quite straight and
this I knew for I was more criticial of her performance, as I had
Bible by heart, than I was submissive to her talk.
"As for my little friends, they stood by me. We lived with our
heads in the clouds, steeped in Emerson, Carlyle and Ruskin.
Not one of the little band was so tactless as to make the most distant allusion to my fall from grace. And this I will say for us all:
No word ever passed our lips that the whole world might not have
listened to.