Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-04-25
From tho Iowa School Journr
The Worst Boy in School
rs that one of my sohOlarss'
BY xns, CAROLINE 4. sOuLE.

/
Miss Merton, the new teacher, pointed to
lad Just outside the garden fence, He was rag
ged and dirty; baTefooted too, wore an oil
straw hat so much in pieces that his tabgle,
looks, stuck up every which way through tn,
holes. he was throwing stones at robin
nest that hung high in cherry tree, ant
lscreeohing all the time in a way that made on,
involuntarily clap his hands to his ears,
1 am sorry to say it is replied Deacon Gray
The worst boy in school, too, the one that viii
make you the most trOuble.- Indeed don't be
lieye you'll ever be able to do anything witt
him. He's as strong as giant, little short lel
low as he is. He iogged the teacher las
winter, and LEFT him for dead He's theiwors
boy, take him all in all, ever saw.
Has he parentsg
no; his mother died when he was baby
and his father, hard working man, hadn't any
time to see to him, and the child, l expect had
pretty hard time of it, with one old maid and
another for housekeeper. When he was five
years old, his father died, and since that he
has been tossed from pillar to post. He is natr-
rally bright boy, and ifhis mother had lived
he might have been somebody, for she was il st
one of the most patient, loving women you ever
saw in all your life; a christian woman, if there
ever was onesl
Poor boy,n Miss Morton spoke tenderly.-
What a pity somebody don'tadopt him, take
him into their home and heart -
THAT just what told father many time, ,
said Mrs. Gray, looking up from. the bread she
was kneading. 'I've always said if some one
would only take him and do by him as they would
do BY their own born child, it would be the
salvation of him. sd
Mother wanted sholld take him this spring,
when he was ont of a place, but / told her it
was too risky, III hadn't any children might
perhaps, but to have such a rough, tearing,
swearing mischievous boy here all the time with
my three little girls, learning all sorts of bust
ness to that youngster there and he pointed
to a twO-year old boy who sat on the floor, play
ing with pussy; 4 couldn't risk it no way Yet
I'm sorry for him.
That's what everybody says continued his
wife. sThey are all sorry for him, but no one
is willing to try and reform him, and if it amt
done scon, it be too late, for just as sure as he
goes on the way he is now, he'll be in the PEN
itentiary before he's twenty enc
i wish you had taken him in. Miss Merton
spoke earnestly. ira nTI9
You won't wish so month hence, said the
Deacon, Just wait till yoY'Ve seen him cut up
But if do think so four weeks from now,
viii you take him Say yes; please do and
she laid her hard confdingly on his arm.
Well, yes; if after that time you think you
can do anything with him, why, I'll try him
spell, ,-heis hard case. <
Miss Merton looked out of the window again.
The boy had climbed over the palng and was
now starting up the tree. She went out quietly
into the front yard. There were not many
flowers in bloom yet, only few daaodils,
bunch of feiir de us, and box of violets.-
She gathered few Of the latter and sauntered 1
liesurely down the gravelled walk, pausing now
and then to look at the annuals just peeping
out of moist ground. By and by she reached
the cherry tree on whose lowest bonh the boy
yet stood, for he had not advanced a fJot since
she came out, having been closely eyeing her.
What are you trying to get, little bOy?-
She spoke pleasantly, and lovely smile played
about her lips. 81.
"A robins nest, ma'am.' He was no liar,
with all his faults ffs a3a
20, wouldn't Her voice had a grieved |
tone 1t would be such pity, when the birds
have just finished it. Are there eggs In it p
I don't know; I'll see, and he climbed rap |
idly to the nest. yes ma am, four He didn't |
touch them, but came down again to ths low
est bougb.
There Ii be little birds soon, then, and It'll
be so pleasant for me to watch them. wish |
you wouldn't touch theR.'
i won't. ma'am. didn't want it for myself, |
but poor little Tommy said last night he wished !
he had string Of birds eggs to look at. Tom
my is lame, ma am, and can't get out much, /
and he gets lonesome, and wants something to |
play with. So thought I'd gethim some
is Tommy your brother p - 81 ~ i
No, ma'am. I never had any brother or
sister either His voice soitened as he spoke.
He belongs to the folks where l stay
Z i Il send Tommy something as pretty as
birds eggs See here, and she broke off
arge bunch of hlacs and handed him the pur-
pie plumes, Garry this to him. Put it in a
pitcher of water, and it, keep fresh several
days; and here are some flowers for you, aad
ihe gave him the little bunch Of yiolets she had
gathered. Run quick with them now, or you
Rill be late to school You're going to school,
I'm youT -At- SO .OF
sAre you the new teacher? H B
I'm going then; I'Ilbe there in lime and he
an off. I0 !
Now only the night before, he had declined
Up and down to Tommy that he wouldn't go
o school. 1t was no use. he never would be
anybody, end he was tired Of being Aogged and
,oxed. He wouldn't stand it from a woman
eachers And if they sent him to school he d
'lay shookey,'he would. Yet ths5 very next
morning be was in a hurry to go, fearful that
le should be late Who will dare say there is
lot magic in kind words?
Miss Merton went early to the school house.
The worst boy was already there l-
sAh, said she kindly, you beat me. But
IN very glad you're here, for want to learn
omething about the school. What is your
iame9'
Bill Hendrickson, ma'sm.' -
Say. William, ny dear, or Will Bill is not
pretty nickname
sits what I've been called ever since nv
ather died, and he sighed.
Then your father is dead, poor boy.' She /
poke tenderly. "And your mother
She's dead, too, ma'am. She died when
7as little baby. cannot even remember
icw she looked9 and new tears gathered into /,
lis blueeyes q ~ ,A-yg afE
Courage, thought Miss Merton. A boy who
Feeps at the mention Of bis dead mother, can
lot be al bad. And she laid her hand caress.
ng by on his brown hair, and said softly, I know
oW to feel fol. you, Willie, for ], too,am an or
That gentle touch Il melted the poor boys
eart entirely, brt with the better feelings that
ben suTged over his soul came feeling Of I
hame, too, and for the first time in his LIE be
lushed for his matted hair, and his dirty face
q Il