The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-10-28
fpr the fireside Gltair,
An Unwhipped Schoolboy.
BY THEODORE S. FAY.

IhEoDORE FAY.
Reformation is the order of the day: and
among the manifold modern Improvements
Mr.. Strap, the schoolmaster, had his.
g instrucs," said Mr. Strap, son an en-
tire new system"
You do ?' said old Mrs. .Gosling.
81 do" said Strap, oracularly.
Now, do tell l' said Mrs. Gosling.
Madam said Mr.. Strap, "the world is
six thousand years old.'
Law !" said Mrs. Gosling, admiringly.
And it has been all that time wrong on
the subject of the education of youth"
Mrs Gosling opened her ewes and ears
She knew Mr.. Strap was one of the wisest of
men. He saw she liked to hear him talk,
and he went on.
Madam, children should never be whip
ped"
No ?' said Mrs. Gosling, interrogatively,
and with a guilty look She had lagellated
her little son, Jim, every day of his life,
| once, at least, on an average If ever she had
omitted one day, from absence, illness, or any
other accident she made up the deficiency by
fiogging him twice the day after. Jim was
ten years old. Ten times three hundred and
sixty-fve make three thousand six hundred
and fifty. This seems pretty hard; but
solemnly believe the calculation to be within
the truth. l solemnly believe James Cos
ling had received the rod at least that num-
Der of times MIS- Gosling generally made
these inflictions with her own hand; she
looked, therefore, rather confounded at this
opinion of Mr.. Strap, whowas her oracle, and
who, somehow or other, she had imagined, by
his name, had her view of the subject
Children" said Mr.. Strap, "should never
be whipped
"No? Pr asked Mrs. Gosling.
Never said Mr. Strap.
How would you govern them, then Pr
asked Mrs. g., with simplicity.
Kindness. madam,'' said Mr.. Strap.
"Butwhen kindness won't answerh'
reason! madam rejoined Mr.. Strap,
with magisterial wave of the hand.
8" Reason may do well enough for sonse,''
said Mrs. Gosling, shaking her head doubt
fully.
" 1t will do for all, madam, if properly ap-
Piled We are created with reason. We are
not brutes. We are-we are-that is-''
Certainly" said Mrs Gosling.
" shall hereafter conduct my school on an
entirely new SYSTEM" said Mr. Strap. az
shan't have a rod in it. / shall make nv
boys love me-respect my kind intentions
bow to my reason, and obey me for their own
good"
"What do you charge year p, asked Mrs.
Gosling.
Two hundred dollars and each boy to
bring silver spoon, two suits of clothes
and two pair of Sheets" said Strap.
I've been a-thinking,' said Mrs. Gosling
whether my son Jim is not old enough to
be put under your care.''
What is his age" asked Strap.
Ten, last june"
" Certainly" said Mr.. Strap "I'll take
him with pleasure"
:. must tell you frankly.' said Mrs. G.,
{ that L have had trouble with him.,
Pll take him, madam,' said Strap.
!" He's very Wild" said Mrs. G.
!" No matter, madam" reiterated Mr.. Strap.
with smile of self-eonfidenee. ssI,ll take
him."
/" He's a boy of good parts" said Mrs. G.,
: but he's beyond my management"
/" think I understand his case, madam, -
said Mr.. Strap, smiling again.
And you never fog ?'
" Never, madam. When shall he come ?,'
=" w hen you please.''
Send him Tomorrow"
Il will,'' said Mrs. Gosling.
And come you and see him this day four
weeks.''
The next day Master James Gosling, with
two suits of clothes, a silver spoon, and two
pair of sheets, arrived at Mr.. Straps board
ing-school in the country, not far from the
town where he had hitherto resided. Hewas
a little red-headed boy, with short sandy hair
standing straight out like a shoe-brush-a
forehead half an inch high-a little pug-nose
--an enormous mouth-no eyebrows-and a
pair of small eyes which looked green in the
morning and red at night Four of his front
teeth had been knocked out fighting. He bit
his nails half way down, SO that you could
not look at them without setting your teeth
on edge. His hands were covered with warts,
and he had shrill, cracked voice. Jim was
sad fellow and one would think from the
number of whippings he had received must
have led but sad life of it. It appeared,
however, that he had accommodated himself
to his situation, and that he lived amid his
multifarious fagellations almost unhurt like
a salamander in the fire. He had been liter
ally whipped through life, and had become
hardened to it, soul aud body as camel's
knees are to the sand ; and though he
screamed and kicked from mere habit, you
might see him two minutes after one of these
skin-faying operations, with smile of un.