From the Children’s Friend, February 1938 –

Ricky’s Decision

by Sylvia Probst

On the very first day that Ricky Dean went to the Lynden School he found that Dan Yates was going to cause trouble for him. Dan was out in the school yard making snowballs that Monday morning and when he saw Ricky coming he let out a yell, “Well, look who’s coming, fellers, the new kid that moved in Wilson’s old house. How about a winter apple?” And he sent an icy snowball toward Ricky, just missing his head. “Say, what’s all over your face?” he taunted, coming nearer. “Looks like somebody plastered you with gingersnaps. Gingersnaps, that’s a good one.” And he laughed uproariously.

Ricky felt his anger rising, and the first in his pocket longed to fly out and paste the big bully in the nose, but he didn’t let it. Maybe because he remembered that it was the wrong thing to do, or maybe because he remembered that picture above his bed. It was a picture his grandpa had once given him. The picture was of Abraham Lincoln. He had read all about Lincoln – every book he could find about him – about his honesty, his kindness, his courage, his bravery. And more than anyone else Ricky wanted to be like him. So he kept his fist in his pocket and to Dan Yates’ taunts he simply replied, “If you don’t like the way I look please leave me alone.” And he hurried toward the school house.

“Wait a minute,” someone called, and he turned to see a boy in a red sweater coming toward him. “I heard what Dan said to you, but don’t pay any attention to him. He’s the sixth grade bully. Because is dad’s the richest man in town he thinks he can run everybody. Say, what’s your name?”

Ricky smiled. He was going to like this boy. “Well, my real name is Richard Maurice Dean, but everybody calls me Ricky.”

“My name’s Thomas Bronson,” the other laughed, “but everybody calls me Tommy. I’m in sixth, are you?”

Ricky nodded.

“I live just down the street from you in the big white house. Come down tonight and we’ll go coasting on Mill Creek hill.”

Tommy went into the school house with him, and Ricky was glad he had found a friend. Dan Yates, however, seemed determined to be an enemy. At noon he was waiting at the corner of the schoolhouse.

“Gingersnaps,” he cried. “Red head, Gingersnaps.”

“Why don’t you go up and give him one in the nose,” Tommy suggested.

“Why don’t he? Because he’s afraid to. I’m bigger than he is – Gingersnaps,” Dan scoffed.

Before Ricky was hardly aware of it himself, his fist had landed right under Dan’s nose. In a moment the two boys were rolling over and over in the snow. The fight didn’t last long because someone cried that the principal was coming, but both boys went away with bloody noses, red faces, and their clothes all covered with snow.

Ricky felt very much ashamed. He wished that he hadn’t hit Dan, but he couldn’t be called “gingersnaps” and “’fraidy cat.” His mother didn’t say much when he tried to explain to her. She never scolded. She simply said, “He’ll get tired of calling you names, Ricky, if you don’t listen to him. Don’t be afraid of anything, but don’t be a bully.”

Before he went back to school Ricky went up to his room and looked at the picture of Lincoln above his bed. “I’m sorry,” he said aloud. “It was a bad start for my first day. I’ll try not to do it again.” And he thought that the face in the picture smiled back at him.

During the days that followed Ricky avoided Dan, but the bigger boy continued to call him “gingersnaps” and tried in every way possible to make things unpleasant for him. But most of the other students were friendly and Ricky hadn’t been at school very long before he learned about the biggest event in the year that was soon to take place.

Every year the fifth and sixth grades of the Lynden school had a winter party out on Madsen Lake. the skating race was one of the interesting events of the day. The winner of the race was always presented with a beautiful red and white pennant with his name and Champion Skater printed upon it. Most of the students competed for the prize, and spent a great deal of time beforehand practicing.

Ricky was very enthusiastic about it. He liked to skate very much, and back home at Willowcreek he had been the fastest skater in his class. So with Tommy and some of the other boys he practiced skating whenever he had time on a small pond below Mill Creek hill.

A few days before the ice race Miss Ellis came into class one morning with a very special announcement. “Since we didn’t put on a Christmas play, I think it would be very nice to give one next month. February brings the birthdays of two of our country’s greatest men – Washington and Lincoln. I have here a little play about Abraham Lincoln. I shall read it to you and then we’ll decide about it.”

Ricky was all attention. While Miss Ellis read he was imagining himself in the part of Abraham Lincoln – the country lad – the storekeeper – the backwoods lawyer – the president freeing the slaves. He would rather act that part of Lincoln than anything he knew.

When Miss Ellis was through reading she asked what boy the class thought would make a good Lincoln. Several names were called. Someone said Ricky Dean and a loud laugh was heard at the back of the room. It was Dan Yates. “Gingersnaps,” he sneered, “he’s too little. He won’t do.”

Ricky’s face burned and Miss Ellis asked Dan to remain after class. “We won’t choose anyone today,” she said. “Suppose we wait until next week, and maybe by that time we can decide what boy best deserves the part.”

The long-looked-for day of the ice race arrived at last. It was a perfect Saturday, clear and cold. The ice on Madsen Lake would be just right. The class had hired Mr. Wilson to take them down in the high school bus and they were to leave from the drug store at one o’clock sharp. At twelve forty Ricky stopped in front of Tommy’s house. His skates were flung over his shoulder and he was pulling his sleigh with a big box on it.

“It’s old Mrs. Claipon’s washing,” he explained to Tommy. “Mother’s been doing it for her while she’s sick. She wanted me to deliver it. I thought we could coast down Mill Creek hill coming back and make it in plenty of time.”

The boys delivered the washing. At the top of the hill Ricky lay down on the sleigh and Tommy after giving it a little push jumped on behind. the sleigh shot forward and down the steep road with the swiftness of an arrow. The cold air cut like a whip. The ride was almost ended when across the frosty air came a cry. The boys turned toward the small ice pond south of the hill. Someone was sitting on the ice and shouting and waving to them. They hurried toward him and as they got near they could see it was Dan Yates.

“What’s the matter?” they both asked in one breath.

The bigger boy hung his head when he saw who it was. “I was warming up a little before the race and somehow I fell. Guess I’ve sprained my ankle – anyway, it’s all swollen and I can’t walk. I didn’t know who you were, but I don’t suppose you want to help me home very much.”

“No, we don’t,” Tommy said quickly, “not after the way you’ve treated Rick. Besides, we haven’t time. We’re not going to miss the race. Come on, Ricky.”

“Wait,” cried Ricky, “we can’t leave him here. It’s awful cold. He’ll freeze.”

“Let’s leave him the sleigh then and let him push in the best he can.” Tommy pulled a watch out of his pocket. “We’ve got to get going. It’s only seven minutes until one o’clock.”

Seven minutes and the bus would leave for the lake. it was over a mile to Dan’s home. Ricky knew he couldn’t pull Dan home and get to the drug store in time to catch the bus. Well, he’d leave the sleigh. Dan Yates ought to be glad for that much help from him after the way he had acted.

“Let’s go,” Tommy urged.

Ricky started off with his friend. He walked a few steps and stopped. He was remembering a picture above his bed. He thought he could see the face in the picture looking at him a little sadly. He turned and saw Dan Yates trying to get on the sleigh. Lincoln wouldn’t have left Dan alone like that. Once he had even ruined his clothes to help a poor pig out of the mud. Ricky knew Lincoln would have stayed. But what about the race? If he stayed to help Dan, he’d lose his chance for the pennant. Something inside of him seemed to say, “He’s your enemy, don’t be a fool, go on.” And something else seemed to say, “if you stay, you’ll be showing your enemy that you can do good for evil. You’ll be doing what Lincoln would have done.” It was as if a fight were going on inside of him, but suddenly he squared his shoulders and said resolutely, “Go on Tommy. I’m going back and help Dan.”

Tommy told him he was crazy. He argued and pleaded and finally went off alone. Dan saw Ricky standing there. “Go on,” he said sullenly, “I don’t deserve your help.”

But Ricky stayed. He watched Tommy out of sight, then turned and helped Dan up on the sleigh. Neither of the boys said much. Ricky was thinking about the race. He might have won. It seemed like a small voice inside of him was saying, “You fool,” and he felt like crying, but he didn’t. Only babies cry and he was no baby. If there was only some way to get to the lake.

He pulled the sleigh on in silence. Suddenly Dan called his name. He stopped and turned around. Dan was not looking at him. “I’ve treated you plenty mean,” Dan said in a small voice. “I don’t know why you were good enough to miss the races to help me. Could you forget how I’ve acted and be friends?”

He held out his hand and Ricky grasped it. He felt a lot better now. Although he had missed the party at Madsen Lake, Dan Yates had become his friend.

That night Tommy came over and told him all about the events of the day. Howard Wade had won the pennant and Ricky knew he could skate as well or better than Howard. He guessed after all he had been very silly to stay and help Dan. But on Monday some very unexpected things happened at school.

Right after the opening exercises Miss Ellis said she had something to tell the class. “Last Saturday we all missed two of our class members at the lake. One of the boys sprained his ankle just before the bus left. He was over on the pond with nobody to help him home. The other boy who is a very good skater missed his chance to compete in the race to help that boy home. You all know who I am talking about – Dan Yates and Ricky Dean. Last night Dan told me all about it, and asked me to tell you so you’d know why Ricky wasn’t there.”

Miss Ellis didn’t say anything else, but several of the students made comments to Ricky at recess. “Gee, Rick, that was mighty grand of you doing that for Dan after the way he’s treated you.” And another said, “I don’t think Dan’s best friend would have missed that race to help him.”

“Forget it,” said Ricky. But he couldn’t forget it himself. He has seen the pennant. Howard Wade had won it. And he had raced with Howard more than once and beat him. But anyway it was mighty nice of Dan to tell Miss Ellis as he did.

Just before school closed the second unexpected thing happened. Miss Ellis said, “It has been just a week since I read you the play we are going to put on. You remember we decided to wait that long and vote on the person we thought most worthy to act the part. Whom do you think it should be?”

Ricky heard someone say his name. He felt a thrill go through him. Two other names were mentioned, and then the class voted. He heard the teacher call his name and saw the students stand up – not just one or two, but nearly all of them.

“It looks as if Ricky is the boy for the part,” Miss Ellis said. And all the students clapped their hands.

Ricky didn’t know what to say. He felt like he wanted to laugh or cry or sing or something. He had never been so happy in his whole life. He had dreamed about taking that part and now – now the class had voted him to do it. The pennant didn’t matter now – nothing mattered except that he was going to be Lincoln in the play. He looked up at Miss Ellis and she was smiling at him.

“I’ll do my very best,” he said softly.