[Illustration: 'Y']
Yas, sir; this is it. This here's Sonny's diplomy thet you've heerd so
much about--sheepskin they call it, though it ain't no mo' sheepskin 'n
what I am. I've skinned too many not to know. Thess to think o' little
Sonny bein' a grad'jate--an' all by his own efforts, too! It is a
plain-lookin' picture, ez you say, to be framed up in sech a fine gilt
frame; but it's worth it, an' I don't begrudge it to him. He picked out
that red plush hisself. He's got mighty fine taste for a country-raised
child, Sonny has.
Seem like the oftener I come here an' stan' before it, the prouder I
feel, an' the mo' I can't reelize thet he done it.
I'd 'a' been proud enough to've had him go through the reg'lar co'se
o' study, an' be awarded this diplomy, but to 've seen 'im thess walk
in an' demand it, the way he done, an' to prove his right in a fair
fight--why, it tickles me so thet I thess seem to git a spell o' the
giggles ev'y time I think about it.
Sir? How did he do it? Why, I thought eve'ybody in the State of Arkansas
knowed how Sonny walked over the boa'd o' school directors, an' took a
diplomy in the face of Providence, at the last anniversary.
I don't know thet I ought to say that either, for they never was a
thing done mo' friendly an' amiable on earth, on his part, than the
takin' of this dockiment. Why, no; of co'se he wasn't goin' to that
school--cert'n'y not. Ef he had b'longed to that school, they wouldn't
'a' been no question about it. He 'd 'a' thess gradj'ated with the
others. An' when he went there with his ma an' me, why, he'll tell you
hisself that he hadn't no mo' idee of gradj'atin' 'n what I have this
minute.
An' when he riz up in his seat, an' announced his intention, why, you
could 'a' knocked me down with a feather. You see, it took me so sudden,
an' I didn't see thess how he was goin' to work it, never havin' been to
that school.
Of co'se eve'ybody in the county goes to the gradj'atin', an' we was all
three settin' there watchin' the performances, not thinkin' of any
special excitement, when Sonny took this idee.
It seems thet seein' all the other boys gradj'ate put him in the notion,
an' he felt like ez ef he ought to be a-gradj'atin', too.
You see, he had went to school mo' or less with all them fellers, an'
he knowed thet they didn't, none o' 'em, know half ez much ez what he
did,--though, to tell the truth, he ain't never said sech a word, not
even to her or me,--an', seein' how easy they was bein' turned out, why,
he thess reelized his own rights--an' demanded 'em then an' there.
Of co'se we know thet they is folks in this here community thet says
thet he ain't got no right to this dipiomy; but what else could you
expect in a jealous neighborhood where eve'ybody is mo' or less kin?
The way I look at it, they never was a diplomy earned quite so upright
ez this on earth--never. Ef it wasn't, why, I wouldn't allow him to have
it, no matter how much pride I would 'a' took, an' do take, in it. But
for a boy o' Sonny's age to've had the courage to face all them people,
an' ask to be examined then an' there, an' to come out ahead, the way he
done, why, it does me proud, that it does.
You see, for a boy to set there seein' all them know-nothin' boys
gradj'ate, one after another, offhand, the way they was doin', was
mighty provokin', an' when Sonny is struck with a sense of injestice,
why, he ain't never been known to bear it in silence. He taken that from
_her_ side o' the house.
I noticed, ez he set there that day, thet he begin to look toler'ble
solemn, for a festival, but it never crossed my mind what he was
a-projeckin' to do. Ef I had 'a' suspicioned it, I'm afeered I would've
opposed it, I'd 'a' been so skeert he wouldn't come out all right; an'
ez I said, I didn't see, for the life o' me, how he was goin' to work
it.
That is the only school in the county thet he ain't never went to,
'cause it was started after he had settled down to Miss Phoebe's school.
He wouldn't hardly 'v went to it, nohow, though--less'n, of co'se, he 'd
'a' took a notion. Th' ain't no 'casion to send him to a county school
when he's the only one we've got to edjercate. They ain't been a thing
I've enjoyed ez much in my life ez my sackerfices on account o' Sonny's
edjercation--not a one. Th' ain't a patch on any ol' coat I've got but
seems to me to stand for some advantage to him.
Well, sir, it was thess like I'm a-tellin' you. He set still ez long ez
he could, an' then he riz an' spoke. Says he, "I have decided thet I'd
like to do a little gradj'atin' this evenin' myself," thess that a-way.
An' when he spoke them words, for about a minute you could 'a' heerd a
pin drop; an' then eve'ybody begin a-screechin' with laughter. A person
would think thet they'd 'a' had some consideration for a child standin'
up in the midst o' sech a getherin', tryin' to take his own part; but
they didn't. They thess laughed immod'rate. But they didn't faze him.
He had took his station on the flo', an' he helt his ground.
Thess ez soon ez he could git a heerin', why, he says, says he: "I don't
want anybody to think thet I'm a-tryin' to take any advantage. I don't
expec' to gradj'ate without passin' my examination. An', mo' 'n that,"
says he, "I am ready to pass it now." An' then he went on to explain
thet he would like to have anybody present _thet was competent to do it_
to step forward an' examine him--then an' there. An' he said thet ef he
was examined fair and square, to the satisfaction of eve'ybody--_an'
didn't pass_--why, he 'd give up the p'int. An' he wanted to be examined
oral--in eve'ybody's hearin'--free-handed an' outspoke.
[Illustration: "Any question he missed was to be passed on to them thet
had been grad'jatin' so fast."]
Well, sir, seem like folks begin to see a little fun ahead in lettin'
him try it--which I don't see thess how they could 'a' hindered him,
an' it a free school, an' me a taxpayer. But they all seemed to be in a
pretty good humor by this time, an' when Sonny put it to vote, why, they
voted unanymous to let him try it. An' all o' them unanymous votes
wasn't, to say, friendly, neither. Heap o' them thet was loudest in
their unanimosity was hopefully expectin' to see him whipped out at the
first question. Tell the truth, I mo' 'n half feared to see it myself.
I was that skeert I was fairly all of a trimble.
Well, when they had done votin', Sonny, after first thankin' 'em,--which
I think was a mighty polite thing to do, an' they full o' the giggles at
his little expense that minute,--why, he went on to say thet he requie'd
'em to make _thess one condition_, an' that was thet any question he
missed was to be passed on to them thet had been a-gradj'atin' so fast,
an' ef they missed it, it wasn't to be counted ag'inst him.
Well, when he come out with that, which, to my mind, couldn't be beat
for fairness, why, some o' the mothers they commenced to look purty
serious, an' seem like ez ef they didn't find it quite so funny ez it
had been. You see, they _say_ thet them boys had eve'y one had reg'lar
questions give' out to 'em, an' eve'y last one had studied his own word;
an' ef they was to be questioned hit an' miss, why they wouldn't 'a'
stood no chance on earth.
Of co'se they couldn't give Sonny the same questions thet had _been_
give' out, because he had heerd the answers, an' it wouldn't 'a' been
fair. So Sonny he told 'em to thess set down, an' make out a list of
questions thet they'd all agree was about of a' equal hardness to them
thet had been ast, an' was of thess the kind of learnin' thet all the
reg'lar gradj'ates's minds was sto'ed with, an' thet either he knowed
'em or he didn't--one.
It don't seem so excitin', somehow, when I tell about it now; but I tell
you for about a minute or so, whilst they was waitin' to see who would
undertake the job of examinin' him, why, it seemed thet eve'y minute
would be the next, ez my ol' daddy used to say. The only person present
thet seemed to take things anyway ca'm was Miss Phoebe Kellog, Sonny's
teacher. She has been teachin' him reg'lar for over two years now, an'
ef she had 'a' had a right to give diplomies, why, Sonny would 'a' thess
took out one from her; but she ain't got no license to gradj'ate nobody.
But she knowed what Sonny knowed, an' she knowed thet ef he had a fair
show, he'd come thoo creditable to all hands. She loves Sonny thess
about ez much ez we do, I believe, take it all round. Th' ain't never
been but one time in these two years thet she has, to say, got me out o'
temper, an' that was the day she said to me thet her sure belief was
thet Sonny was goin' to _make somethin' out'n hisself some day_--like ez
ef he hadn't already made mo' 'n could be expected of a boy of his age.
Tell the truth, I never in my life come so near sayin' somethin' I'd 'a'
been shore to regret ez I did on that occasion. But of co'se I know she
didn't mean it. All she meant was thet he would turn out even mo' 'n
what he was now, which would be on'y nachel, with his growth.
Everybody knows thet it was her that got him started with his
collections an' his libr'y. Oh, yes; he's got the best libr'y in the
county, 'cep'n', of co'se, the doctor's 'n' the preacher's--everybody
round about here knows about that. He's got about a hund'ed books an'
over. Well, sir, when he made that remark, thet any question thet he
missed was to be give to the class, why, the whole atmosp'ere took on a
change o' temp'ature. Even the teacher was for backin' out o' the whole
business square; but he didn't thess seem to dare to say so. You see,
after him a-favorin' it, it would 'a' been a dead give-away.
Eve'ybody there had saw him step over an' whisper to Brother Binney when
it was decided to give Sonny a chance, an' they knowed thet he had asked
_him_ to examine him. But now, instid o' callin' on Brother Binney, why,
he thess said, says he: "I suppose I ought not to shirk this duty. Ef
it's to be did," says he, "I reckon I ought to do it--an' do it I will."
You see, he daresn't allow Brother Binney to put questions, for fear
he'd call out some thet his smarty grad'jates couldn't answer.
So he thess claired his th'oat, an' set down a minute to consider. An'
then he riz from his seat, an' remarked, with a heap o' _hems_ and
_haws_, thet of co'se everybody knowed thet Sonny Jones had had unusual
advantages in some respec's, but thet it was one thing for a boy to
spend his time a-picnickin' in the woods, getherin' all sorts of natural
curiosities, but it was quite another to be a scholar accordin' to
books, so's to be able to pass sech a' examination ez would be a credit
to a State institution o' learnin', sech ez the one over which he was
proud to preside. That word struck me partic'lar, "proud to preside,"
which, in all this, of co'se, I see he was castin' a slur on Sonny's
collections of birds' eggs, an' his wild flowers, an' wood specimens,
an' min'rals. He even went so far ez to say thet ol' Proph', the
half-crazy nigger thet tells fortunes, an' gethers herbs out 'n the
woods, an' talks to hisself, likely knew more about a good many things
than anybody present, but thet, bein' ez he didn't know _b_ from a
bull's foot, why, it wouldn't hardly do to grad'jate him--not castin' no
slurs on Master Sonny Jones, nor makin' no invijus comparisons, of
co'se.
Well, sir, there was some folks there thet seemed to think this sort o'
talk was mighty funny an' smart. Some o' the mothers acchilly giggled
over it out loud, they was so mightily tickled. But Sonny he thess stood
his ground an' waited. Most any boy o' his age would 'a' got flustered,
but he didn't. He thess glanced around unconcerned at all the people
a-settin' around him, thess like ez ef they might 'a' been askin' him to
a picnic instid o' him provokin' a whole school committee to wrath.
Well, sir, it took that school-teacher about a half-hour to pick out the
first question, an' he didn't pick it out _then_. He 'd stop, an' he'd
look at the book, an' then he'd look at Sonny, an' then he'd look at the
class,--an' then he'd turn a page, like ez ef he couldn't make up his
mind, an' was afeerd to resk it, less'n it might be missed, an' be
referred back to the class. I never did see a man so overwrought
over a little thing in my life--never. They do say, though, that
school-teachers feels mighty bad when their scholars misses any p'int
in public.
Well, sir, he took so long that d'reckly everybody begin to git wo'e
out, an' at last Sonny, why, he got tired, too, an' he up an' says, says
he, "Ef you can't make up your mind what to ask me, teacher, why 'n't
you let me ask myself questions? An' ef my questions seem too easy, why,
I'll put 'em to the class."
An', sir, with that he thess turns round, an' he says, says he, "Sonny
Jones," says he, addressin' hisself, "what's the cause of total eclipses
of the sun?" Thess that a-way he said it; an' then he turned around, an'
he says, says he:
"Is that a hard enough question?"
"Very good," says teacher.
An', with that, Sonny he up an' picks up a' orange an' a' apple off the
teacher's desk, an' says he, "This orange is the earth, an' this here
apple is the sun." An', with that, he explained all they is to total
eclipses. I can't begin to tell you thess how he expressed it, because I
ain't highly edjercated myself, an' I don't know the specifactions. But
when he had got thoo, he turned to the teacher, an' says he, "Is they
anything else thet you'd like to know about total eclipses?" An' teacher
says, says he, "Oh, no; not at all."
They do say thet them graduates hadn't never went so far _ez_ total
eclipses, an' teacher wouldn't 'a' had the subject mentioned to 'em for
nothin'; but I don't say that's so.
Well, then, Sonny he turned around, an' looked at the company, an' he
says, "Is everybody satisfied?" An' all the mothers an' fathers nodded
their heads "yes."
An' then he waited thess a minute, an' he says, says he, "Well, now I'll
put the next question:
"Sonny Jones," says he, "what is the difference between dew an' rain an'
fog an' hail an' sleet an' snow!
"Is that a hard enough question?"
[Illustration: "'This orange is the earth, an' this here apple is the
sun.'"]
Well, from that he started in, an' he didn't stop tell he had expounded
about every kind of dampness that ever descended from heaven or rose
from the earth. An' after that, why, he went on a-givin' out one
question after another, an' answerin 'em, tell everybody had declared
theirselves entirely satisfied that he was fully equipped to
gradj'ate--an', tell the truth, I don't doubt thet a heap of 'em felt
their minds considerably relieved to have it safe-t over with without
puttin' their grad'jates to shame, when what does he do but say, "Well,
ef you're satisfied, why, I am--an' yet," says he, "I think I would like
to ask myself one or two hard questions more, thess to make shore." An'
befo' anybody could stop him, he had said:
"Sonny Jones, what is the reason thet a bird has feathers and a dog has
hair?" An' then he turned around deliberate, an' answered: "I don't
know. Teacher, please put that question to the class."
Teacher had kep' his temper purty well up to this time, but I see he was
mad now, an' he riz from his chair, an' says he: "This examination has
been declared finished, an' I think we have spent ez much time on it ez
we can spare." An' all the mothers they nodded their heads, an' started
a-whisperin'--most impolite.
An' at that, Sonny, why, he thess set down as modest an' peaceable ez
anything; but ez he was settin' he remarked that he was in hopes thet
some o' the reg'lars would 'a' took time to answer a few questions thet
had bothered his mind f'om time to time--an' of c'ose they must know;
which, to my mind, was the modes'est remark a boy ever did make.
Well, sir, that's the way this diplomy was earned--by a good, hard
struggle, in open daylight, by unanymous vote of all concerned--an'
unconcerned, for that matter. An' my opinion is thet if they are those
who have any private opinions about it, an' they didn't express 'em that
day, why they ain't got no right to do it underhanded, ez I am sorry to
say has been done.
But it's _his_ diplomy, an' it's handsomer fixed up than any in town,
an' I doubt ef they ever was one _anywhere_ thet was took more paternal
pride in.
Wife she ain't got so yet thet she can look at it without sort o'
cryin'--thess the look of it seems to bring back the figure o' the
little feller, ez he helt his ground, single-handed, at that gradj'atin'
that day.
Well, sir, we was so pleased to have him turned out a full gradj'ate
thet, after it was all over, why, I riz up then and there, though I
couldn't hardly speak for the lump in my th'oat, an' I said thet I
wanted to announce thet Sonny was goin' to have a gradj'atin' party out
at our farm that day week, an' thet the present company was all invited.
An' he did have it, too; an' they all come, every mother's son of
'em--from _a_ to _izzard_--even to them that has expressed secret
dissatisfactions; which they was all welcome, though it does seem to me
thet, ef I 'd been in their places, I'd 'a' hardly had the face to come
an' talk, too.
I'm this kind of a disposition myself: ef I was ever to go to any kind
of a collation thet I expressed disapproval of, why, the supper couldn't
be good enough not to choke me.
An' Sonny, why, he's constructed on the same plan. We ain't never told
him of any o' the remarks thet has been passed. They might git his
little feelin's hurted, an' 't wouldn't do no good, though some few has
been made to his face by one or two smarty, ill-raised boys.
Well, sir, we give 'em a fine party, ef I do say it myself, an' they
all had a good time. Wife she whipped up eggs an' sugar for a week
befo'hand, an' we set the table out under the mulberries. It took
eleven little niggers to wait on 'em, not countin' them thet worked
the fly-fans. An' Sonny he ast the blessin'.
Then, after they'd all et, Sonny he had a' exhibition of his little
specimens. He showed 'em his bird eggs, an' his wood samples, an' his
stamp album, an' his scroll-sawed things, an' his clay-moldin's, an' all
his little menagerie of animals an' things. I rather think everybody was
struck when they found thet Sonny knowed the botanical names of every
one of the animals he's ever tamed, an' every bird. Miss Phoebe, she
didn't come to the front much. She stayed along with wife, an' helped
'tend to the company, but I could see she looked on with pride; an' I
don't want nothin' said about it, but the boa'd of school directors was
so took with the things she had taught Sonny thet, when the evenin' was
over, they ast her to accept a situation in the academy next year, an'
she's goin' to take it.
An' she says thet ef Sonny will take a private co'se of instruction in
nachel sciences, an' go to a few lectures, why, th' ain't nobody on
earth that she 'd ruther see come into that academy ez teacher,--that
is, of co'se, in time. But I doubt ef he'd ever keer for it.
I've always thought thet school-teachin', to be a success, has to run in
families, same ez anythin' else--yet, th' ain't no tellin'.
I don't keer what he settles on when he's grown; I expect to take pride
in _the way he'll do it_--an' that's the principal thing, after all.
It's the "Well done" we're all a-hopin' to hear at the last day; an' the
po' laborer thet digs a good ditch'll have thess ez good a chance to
hear it ez the man that owns the farm.