Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-03-29
MORNING LEADER.
THURSDAY nIORNINe, nIARCH 20. 700.
The Doctor aud the Doctors Son.
ay ANNIE N. LOvERIxo.


were unusually rude and bolsterous-to the
contrary, they were quietsr than / had evel
before known them; but somehow my con
science trOpblsd me. Thinking Of the motherles
boy before me, saw that in dealing with h n
| had put away from my heart that blesseC
charity which sufereth long and is kind.
had called anger justice, and by it dealt viii
him. had forgotten how warm human words
sink through the CONCEALED surface ofthe heart
touching and stirring its purest depts,
had blamed the father And there / wai
wrong again Ofall the world, "a woman, hsC
the best right to look straight through his I'M
dulgence to the faith erly tenderness that cOulC
not give birth to a repriman d or 7buke; to the
love that could not, because of the mother rest
ing in the grave, mete out the justice that the
child meTited.
How the tender hands of pity brought these
overlooked truths before my eyes, until blinded
BY tears could not see!
The next morning | met Dr.. EldTidge again
and again he kept me company to the very
door Of the school room. His tantaliEing hu-
NOR had not left him, and with a sly look IN his
clear, gray eyes, he assured me thGt the father
Of my unruly pupil had, indeed, taken my sage
sdvice to heart. Was glad to hear it!
30, yes" l answered in q sober, quiet way.
"Lst one fact consOle you, Mss Lakin," he
said, earnestly, you have succeeded admira-
bly, with your school, and quite TO the satisfac.
ton ofthe villagers. There is talk Of having
the summer term continued into the fall, since
there is a stout fund of school money on hand. u
"Dear heavens" / said, Il shall 60 crazy"
"No, hope not, unless you will consent be-
forshand to engage me as medical adviser"
I did not answer him. was in poor mood
to bear his teasings. Indeed, / could hardly
keep back the tears at the thought Of the many
weeks Of torture that they were planning out
for me. For six weeks (half of the summer
term) had been trying to keep down the REBEL
ion, and had hoped to worry through the
rest Of my allotted time without serious out.
break. But now, could not hope for it. "War
was inevitable, it must come" Before the
thought, my good resolutions Of the day before
vanished like empty air. IftO be mistress OF
the school room must use stick, whip and rule,
then l would WELD them. ! would conquer or
be conquered. Ibid not resolve upon this full,
ly until was informed that the school would
be heightened out six weeks into the autumn,
allowing q vacation Of one week in the mean
time.
So the days dragged along, not one passing
without DR.. Eldridge making bis appearance
somewhere in my way. Sometimes ! was
pledbSu 70 sec ullLi oAWo bAs AS nAN
a strange, mischievous way with him that
worked against my temper constantly. think
be liked my little fits of passion, however, OF
be would not have provoked them continually.
And the school Dear me, what school 1t
was The trial Of it wore me thin as q shadow.
But affairs came to a climax one day. This
was the way it was brought about. While
hearing recitation, one hot, sultFy afternoon,
drew my chair iuto this middle OF the floor,
where there was q faint show of q breeze. l
was directly in front Of one of the aisles, and so
seated that could not see what was going on
behind me. After dismisslng the class, made
an attempt to rise, when to my utter dismay
and horror found myself, or my dress, made
fast to the chair. l tried TO be very cool and
collected, ss / released myself but my hands
trembled violently, and knew that my face
wss white with anger.
"Cau any one tell me who pinned my dress
to the chair Z" asked.
There was a dead silence. repeated the
question. Still DO answer. could interpret
that easily enough Not scholar in school
dared tell tale Of Frank Eldridge.
''You may walk this way, Frank, 4" l said.
As though marching to a military drum, he
came to the middle of 6he floor.
81 shall bear your impudence no longer,
I began. EITHER you or must be at the head
of this school, If my arm and ruler are as tEus-
ty as 1 think, / shall be mistress here"
i'You don't dare ferule me; my father"
he began.
:. 'Lst your father come here, andI will ferule
him too" said, interupting hun.
am tell him Of that" he cried out.
"Do SO, by all MEANS" answered.
And so thrashed Frank Eldridge, sOundly,
smartly, till he begged for mercy like three
year old baby, and promised as hambly as
cC uid wish to do better. There was q great
nm, oar, Ia consequences of it, both in school and
ont. Bet what made the matter ludicrous in
the sxtreme, was that the fact Of my threatens
il.g to whip DR.. Eldridge handsome, idOlized
DR.. Eldri5ge, the awe Of the whole village, and
the pride of she whole town. was nOised about.
At last it reachSd the doctors ears and as had
feared he came Just at the close OF school, the
next afternoon, to remind me OF my threat:
81 have come for my whipping" he said, IN
low tone, as answered his loud rap at the
door. -.-.
do not know why, but tears sprsng to my
eyes at this. II seemed unkind IN HIM. almost
cTueL I was afraid that be would notice how
1 was moved. and so l turned my head sway
as ] answered
al am very busy now, can't you come IN ana
wait"
"Uutil after school do you mean!" -
aust as you Plesse-I have no time to spare
now-I suppose you have come to undo my
work of yesterday"
"Walk in, if you please, said interrupting
hin. He was speaking so pleasantly and kind
ly that ths tears were coming to my eyes
aga,n.
aNow my whipping, Miss Lakin," he said,
after the last class was dismissed, and we were
alone together in the old school house.
"Dr. Eldridgs, how unkind Of you" l said.
''But insist upon it, he answered, passing
me my rule.
How exceedingly ftOIish felt. How Eretcl /.
edly be teased me. But there was no escaI ,
ing from Kim, so 1 said laughing and crying
alog ,ther, "Give me your hand !"
''Ihe right, l believe, Is the one always
claimed by the ladies. But are you serious,
shall really give it to you! sci
Yes" answered, coloring.
Taking the tips of his fingers IN ny LEFT
hand, gave him q quick blow.
"a kiss for blow" be said, raising my hand
TO his lips. "strike away, dear, / shall never
weary"
So struck him again, once, twice, thrice.
"See which hand will get blisteTsd first
yours or mine, !" be said, in high glee. "How
happy you make ne, and how good am get
ting"
'And how bad l am growing every day, >, j
cried, bursting into tears, and dropping my head
upon the desk.f
"HeaYen forbid, Lizzie" /" he said tenderly. the
nocksry going quite away frpm his voice 81
know that have worried and troubled YOU:
but nv heart has been, and is, EIl right nv child
Do YOU remember what you said to me long
time ago, about marrying again And You
know, that in spite Of reason and prudence,
(for you are young and Pure>heartsd YETI
hoped and prayed that sometime you might be
the light and love of my bad, daTkened heart
my darksued home? love you, that is all
can say in pleading my case"
And that was enough That blessed knowl-
edge for 6 moment sxpiated all my suferipgI
I. a.. s...b.,l,,f .cbr,of ,,orn.. All that