Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1851-03-28
THE TRUANT TEACHER.

! II again and have given him fair warning that
when he comes home after being whipped at
school, shall whip him again " ii will see to
him sir" said the teacher, land think we shall
have no more trouble With him" AS soon as
the father was gone the master ordered the bow
to take off his coat and waistcoat, and began to
beat him as severely as if staying away from a
school he disliked was crime. The little fell
low, he was small though ten years old, had evi.
IDENTIFY braced imselfup to bear the punishment,
and, severe as it was, not cry nor tear esca-
ped him for long time. Il will never play
truant again, sir" at last he said very coolly, f
| you will not strike me any more" "You don't
like it, then ?" said the master, and laid the blows
on with heavier hand. "Recollect tina, YOUR
father has promised to follow up this whipping
with n second part to the same tune You are
sorry you played truant, guess, by this time. !"
| "No, sir, am not sorry" said the suffering boy
| in a resoute tone, while he looked as pale as
death. clad you taken me at my word, would
have kept it, but now will make no promises
and no confessions ie you kill me-" There was
something in the manner of the boy which alar-
med the master, and he withheld his hand y
"Will yon now promise me never to play truant
again ?" said the master. "No, sir, never!'' said
the boy, The other pupils both boys and girls,
evidently sympathized with the truant and sever
Glad of an excuse to desist, he yielded to their
entreaties, and told the boy to put on his clothes
and take his seat.
When school was over, the wary teacher Sc
leced two of the largest boys to see that the tru-
ant went directly home TO receive what awaited
him there. "Bill, said the truant 10 the largest
OF his guards, II am not going home 10 be whip
ped again." What are you going to do1" said
the boy, whom Robert addressed. "Idon't know
but am determined not to 90 home" IL can't
say | blame you," said Bill. 81 would not po. if
were you, said the other guard, "but we Shall
get it if we let you escape" There, there
goes my hat" said Robert who, seized the op-
portunity. as they were crossing bridge, threw
1t into the stream. The two guards, supposing
it had been blown off by the wind, both ran to
recover it, aud Robert, running in the opposite
direction, was soon beyond their reach He
made for the nearest railroad station, and slyIy
entering baggage car that was conveying sheep
he was carried many miles, and, when he reeas-
ed himself was not noticed by the conductor of
the train
He Immediately went up TO the village to try
to obtain some food, not having eaten month
full since the day before, when he had been sent
to bed supperless. On his way, he saw some
apples in the window of little shop kept by
cripple, who made shoes, and retaed fruit and
confectionery to the children of the village,
with whom he was a great tavorite. The win
dow was raised just enough to admit his hand,
and under the impulse of extreme hunger, he
gently thrust it in and seized one of the apples
AT the same instant a stronger hand seized his,
and there he stood caught in the very act. The
cripple, who had been sitting at work near the
window, arose, and, seeing strange boy with
out hat, he supposed at once there must be
something unusual in the case, and, in mild
terms, he asked, "What were you going to do
with my apples, little fellow 2" The tone of
voice revived Robert, who was exceedingly
frightened at his situation, and he said, Il am dy
ing with hunger, sir, and, having no money, |
was tempted to take one of your apples, but |
am sorry did So" "You may have as many
as you want" said the cripple, "but come round
to the door, and let me know more about you
There is something in the manner oftrue benev
olence which removes all fear, and Robert did
not hesitate to do as he was requested. "Well
who are you, my little bare-head,' said the Grip
pie, 'and what have you done with your hat?'
II lost it," said Robert, from bridge" What
is yonr name - Robert sir, but do not ask me
my other name,for do not wish to be sent home"
"lou have run away, then?" "Yes, sir, play
cd truant, was cruelty punished by the master,
and as my father had promised to punish me too
when returned home, would not 60 home to
be beaten again, for my back was already raw"
Let me look at it., said the cripple, who saw at
once that the back would be certificate of the
truth or fasehood of the story. Robert stripped
himself, and all doubts were at once removed
"Why did you play truant?' inquired the cripple
who mad become quite interested in the boy
81 could not learn my lessons, sir, and hated 10
study. My master did not explain the lessons so
that could understand them, and not being able
to commit to memory so many words that were
all Greek to me, was ilogged every day until |
got tired of H." "Very NATURAL said the Grip
pie, "yery natural, and perhaps not very naugh-
ty. Do you hate study?" "If that is what you
call study, do" said Robert, "but guess am
as ready as any body to get any knowledge worth
having" "Well," said the cripple, "You may
eat your apple now. and as l am too lame to go
home 10 dinner brought something for dinner
and here is what is lett of it." Robert ate as
heartily as hungry children know how to 10, and
when he had about done, the children from the
neghboiing villiGge school began to enter the
little shop, and there was hardly room to turn
round in it, al want cents worth Of cheStnuts,
said one Robert" said the cripple, ''can you
count out % chestnuts for that little girl" Il
guess | cam said Robert, delighted at the task
and still more with the confidence that it implied.
Il should like a stick Of candy" said another.
Hand it to him, Robert" said the cripple, land
put the cent in the drawer" Two or three
others wanted something, and Robert was allow
ed to wait upon them. "Who is that fellow :"
said one Of the little boys to the cripple. "He is
a poor little fellow that was dying with pain and
hunger" said the cripple, ~and have just been
feeding him won't you have shum of my
chethnuts ?" said little girl, holding out her
little stock you may have this apple" said
rosy-faced boy, 81 don't want any more of II. =
He had only taken one large bite from one of its
cheeks "You may have half of my candy, =
said third and the cripple let them give, and told
Robert 70 take the offering, because he had known
BY hard experience tina; such sacrifices are les
sons in benevolence, one of which is worth
thousand of those committed 10 memory. The
readiness with which R ebert waited on the chill
dren satisfied the cripple that his natural powers
were, to say the least as good as those of COM
mon children and not knowing what better TO do,
he took Robert home with him for the night
In the course of the evening he made some in
quiries into the studies TO which the boy had al
tended, and the manner in which he had studied
them. The spelling lessons had been learned by
looking at he words, reading them over TO him
self, and then spelling them as the teacher "put
them out" Geography had been learned by rote
in the word Of the book, withoutany explanations