Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1860-07-03
:. You we're seen, Tim Baker

udS 1ull vi SOHetulHSS5 VI o01oA oNSA J oUi
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 cheeks OF
the detected lad He spoke not word.
All the school had their eyes directed to
him. The perspiration ran down his
white forehead like rain drops.
"Speak, sir!'' exclaimed Lugare, with
loud strike of his rattan on the desk
The boy looked as though he would
faint, but the unmerciful teacher, con-
ident of having brought to light Grim
inal, and exulting in the idea of the
severe chastisement he should now be
justified in inficting, kept working him
self up to a still greater degree of pas
sion. In the meantime the child seemed
hardly to know what to do with himself
His tongue clave to the roof of his
mouth. Either he was very much
frightened or he was actually unwell.
"Speak, I say!" again thundered
Lugare; and his hand, grasping his
raban, GOWereQ ABOVE HIS uedu LII d very
significant manner.
II hardly can, sir" said the poor
fellow, family. His voice was husky
and thick. II will tell you some-some
other time. Please to let me go to my
seat am not we'll.
90, yes, that's very likely" and Mr..
Lugare bulged out 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 salts
fed that you are as precious william as
there is in the State But will post
pone settling with you for an hour. I
shall then call you up again, and if you
don't tell me the truth then, I will give
you something that'll make you remem-
Der Mr.. Nichols melons for many a
month to come. Go to your seat.
Glad enough of the ungracious per-
mission, and answering not sound, the
child crept trembling to his bench. He
felt strangely, dizzily-more as if he was
in dream than in real life, and laying
his arm on his desk, bowed down his
face between them.
The pupils turned to their accustomed
studies, for, during the reign of Lugare
in the village school, they had been Sc
used to scenes of violence and severe
chastisement, that such things made but
little interruption in the tenor of thei1
way.
Now, while the intervening hour is
passing, we will clear up this mystery
of the bag, and Of young Baker being
under the garden fence the preceding
evening.
=. The boys mother was a widow, and
they both had to live in the very narrow
est limits. His father had died when
he was six years old, and little Tim was
left sickly, emaciated infant, whom
no one expected to live many months
To the surprise of all, however, the
poor child kept alive, and seemed to re-
cover his strength, as he certainly did
his size and good looks.
This was owing to the kind Offices Of
an eminent physician, who had country
seat in the neighborhood, and who hac
been interested in the widows little
family. Tim, the physician said, nigh
possibly outgrow his disease, but every
thing was uncertain It was a myste
rious and battling malady, and it would
not be wonderful if he should, in some
moment of apparent good health, be sud,
denly taken away.
She, poor widow, was at frstin con
tinual state of uneasiness, but severa
years had now elapsed, and none of the
impending evils had fallen upon thu
boys head. His mother seemed to fee
confident that he would live, and be /;
shield and honor to her old age; and th'
two struggled on together, mutually
happy in each other, and enduring muel
of poverty and discomfort, each for thu
others sake.
Tins pleasant disposition made hin
many friends in the village, among th'
rest young farmer named Jones, who
with his elder brother, worked larg'
farm in the neighborhood on shares
Jones very frequently made Tim pres
ent of bag of potatoes or corn, or SOM
garden vegetables, which he took from
his own stock; but as his partner was /
parismonious, high-tempered man, ahc
he had often remarked that Tim was al
idle fellow, and ought not to be helped
because he did not work, Jones gener
ally made his presents in such a 1hanne
that no one knew anything about then
except himself and the grateful object
of his kindness.
It might be, too, that the widow wa
10th to have it understood by the neigh
bors that she received food from any one
for there is always an excusable pride il
people of her condition which make
them shrink from being considered a
objects of charity, as they would from
the severest pain.
On the night in question, Tim ha'
been told that Jones would send him
bag of potatoes, and that the place a
which they were to be waiting for hir
} was fixed at Mr.. Nichols garden fence
It was this bag that Tim had been stag
gering under, and which had caused tn
unlucky boy to be accused and convicte
by his teacher as thief.
That teacher was one little fitted fo
his important and responsible Office
Hasty to decide, and infexibly severe
he was the terror of the little world h
ruled so despotically. Punishment h
seemed to delight in. Knowing little G
J. those sweet fountains which in children
breasts open quickly at the call of gen
tleness and kind words, he was feared b
all for his sternness, and loved by none
L would that he were an isolated instanc
in his profession.
> The hour fgrace had drawn to clos,
: and the time approached at which LII
gare was to give his school a joyful
1 received dismission. Now and then on
Il of the scholars would direct furtiv
5 glance at Tim. and sometimAs in nit,