The Rodney telegraph. (Rodney, Miss.) 1838-1840, 1839-07-25
THE UNWHIPPED sCHOoL-BOY.

81 instruct,n said Strap, ION an entire
new SYSTEM"
"You do?' said old Mrs. Gosling.
81 do,'' said Strap, oracularly.
s'Now do tell" said Mrs. Gosling.
MADAM said Mr.. Strap, ssthe world is
six thousand years old.n
"Law,o said Mrs. Gosling admiringly.
"And it has been all that time wrong on
the subject Of the education ofyouth."
Mrs. Gosling opened her eyes and ears.
She knew that Mr.. Strap was one of the
wisest Of men. He saw she liked to hear
him talk, and he went on:
"Madam, children should never be whip
ped" re-
"No?" said Mrs. Gosling, interrogatively,
and with guilty look. She had fagellated
her little son, Jim, every day of his life,
once, at least, on an average. If ever she
had omitted one day, from absence, illness
or any other accident, she made up the de-
ficiency by fogging him twice the day af.
ter. Jim was ten years old. Ten times
three hundred and sixty-five makes three
thousand six hundred and fifty. This seems
pretty hard; but solemnly believe the cal
culation to be within the truth. solemnly
believe that James Costing had received the
rod at least that number of times. Mrs.
Costing generally made these infections
with her own hand; she looked therefore,
rather COMPOUNDED at this opinion of Mr..
Strap, who was her oracle, and who, some
how or other, she had imagined, had her
view OF the subject.
"Children,' said Mr.. Strap, ssshould new
er be whipped
"No?n asked Mrs. Gosling.
"Never,n said Mr.. Strap.
elbow would you govern them, theni"
| asked Mrs. Gosling with simplicity.
"Kindness, madam said Strap.
| sBut when kindness won't answer2''
"Reason, madam" rejoined Mr.. Strap,
with magisterial wave of the hand.
| "Reason may do well enough for some"
said Mrs. Gosling, shaking her head doubt
fully.
| sit will do for all, madam, if properly APP
piled. We are created with reason. We
are not brutes. We are-we are--that is. !"
"Certainly?' said Mrs. Gosling.
81 shall hereafter conductmy school on an
entire new plan," said Mr.. Strap,'I shan't
have rod in it. / shall make my boys
love me-respect my kind intentions--bow
to my reason, and obey me for their own
good"
"What do you charge yeara" asked
Mrs. Gosling.
"T'wo hundred dollars and each boy to
bring a silver spoon-two suits Of clothes,
and two pair of Sheets" said Strap.
Owe been thinking," said Mrs. Cos
ling, swhether my son Jim is not old enough
to put under your care"
"What is his age?" asked Strap.
tsTen, last June.'
| "Cer,ainly," said Mr.. Strap, III take
him with pleasure
| 81 must tell you frankly" said Mrs. Cos
Hing, ssthat we have had trouble with him.
sI'll take him, madam" said Strap.
"He's very Wild" said Mr.. Costing.
"No matter, madam" reiterated Mr.
Strap, with smile Of self confidence. Cpl
take him.
| .He's boy of good parts," said Mrs
Goling, shut he's beyond my management
81 think understand his case, madam
said MIR. Strap smiling again.
ssAnd you never nog?"
| ssNever madam. When shall he come ?
"When you please"
"Send him tomorrow
81 will" said Mrs. Costing.
| The next day Master James Costing
with two suits of clothes--a silver spoon
and two pair of sheets arrived al Mr. Strap,
boarding school in the country, not far from
the town where he had hitherto resided -
He was little red headed boy, with shor
sandy hair standing straight out like sho,
brush, and his forehead half an inch high
a little pug nose-an enormous mouth-n,
eyebrows-and a pair Of small eyes which
looked green in the morning and red a
might. -Four of his front teeth had beef
knocked out fighting. He bit his nails hal
way down, so that you could not look at then
without setting your teeth on an edge
His hands were covered with warts, and b.
had shrill, cracking voice. Jim was
sad fellow, and one would think from tn
number of whippings he had received mus
have led but sad life Of it. It appeared
however, that he had accommodated himsel
to his situation, ard that he lived amid hi
lmultifarious fagellations almost unhurt, lik
= saIamander in the fire. He had been Iii
orally whipped through life, and had becom
hardened to it, soul and body, as camel
knees are to the sand; and though he scream
led and kicked from more habit, you migl
lsee him two minutes after one Of these Skin
Iflaying operations with smile Of unclous
ed comfort on his face, or careless miru
eating piece Of bread and butter, or pla1
ing marbles, or Manble-the-peg with th
first scaramouch he met. He had been el
dured, DOOR fellow. to all the forms and v,