The Illinois free trader and LaSalle County commercial advertiser. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1841-1843, 1841-09-17

thing last night that I'm ashamed tc
own
"No impudence!' exclaimed the teach.
er passionalely, as he grasped long and
heavy rattan, "give me none of your SHARP
speeches, or I'll thrash you till you beg
like a dog
The youngsters face paled little; his
lip quiyercd, but he did not speak.
"And pray, sir" continued Lugarc, as
the outward signs of wrath disappeared
from his features, "what were you about
the garden for! Perhaps you only receiv,
ed the plumber, and had an accomplish to
do the more dangerous part of the job -
IL went that way because it is on my
way home. | was there again afterward
to meet an acquaintance, and-and-but
| did not 90 into the garden, nor take any
thing away from it. | would not steal,
hardly TO save myself from starving"
You had better have stuck to that last
evening. You were seen, Tim Barker,
to come from under Mr.. NichOls's garden
fence, a little after nine o'clock, with a
bag fall of something another on your
shoulders. The bag had every appear
ance of being filled with fruit, and this
morning the melon beds are found to have
been completely cleared. Now, sir, what
was there in that bag ~
Like fire Itself glowed the face Of the
detected lad. He spoke not word. All
the school had their eyes directed at him.
The pcrspralion ran down his white fore
head like rain drops.
"Speak, sir" exclaimed Lugare, with
loud strike Of his rattan on the desk
The boy looked as if he would faint.
But the unmcrciful teacher, confident of
having brought to hight a criminal, and ex
ultng in the idea of the severe chaslsc-
ment he should now be justified in inhict
ing, kept working himself up to a still
greater degree of passion. In the mean
time, the child seemed hardly to know
what to do with himself. His tongue
cleaved 10 the roof of his mouth. Either
he was very much frightened, or he was
actually unweiI.
"Speak, say !" again Numbered Lu-
garc, and his hand, grasping his rattan,
lowered above his head in a very slgnii-
cant manner.
II hardly can, SIR said the poor (el-
low, faintly. His voice was husk and thick.
Il will tell you some-some other time.
Please to let me 60 10 my scat-l ant
we'll"
"Oh yes, that's very likely;" and Mr..
Ingarc, bulgcd ont his nose and cheeks
with contempt. "Do you think to make
me believe your lies I've found you out,
sir, plainly enough, and | am satisfied that
YOU arc as precious little villain as there
is in the state. But | will postpone set
ling with you for an hour yet shall
then call you up again and if you don't
tell the whole truth then, | will give YOU
something that'll make you remember MIR.
Nichols's melons for many a month TO
comc-go to your seat"
Glad enough of the ungraclous pcrmls-
sion, and answering not a sound, the child
crept trcmblingly to his bench. lie felt
vcrv STRANGELY. dizzily-more as if he was
in dream than in real life ; and, LAYING
his arms ON his desk, bowed down his
face between them. The pupils turned
TO their accustomed studies, for, during
the reign of Lurare in the village school,
they had been so used to scenes of violence
and severe chastiscment, that such things
made bu, little interruption in the tenor of
their way.
Now, while the intervening hour is
passinr, we will clear up the mystery of
the bar, and of young Barker being under
the Garden fence on the preceding night.
The bows mother was widow, and they
both had live in the very narrowest limits.
His father had died when he was six years
old, and little Tim was left sickIy and
cmacia,ed infant, whom no one expected
10 live many months. TO the surprise of