Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1867-07-04
IF They had only Kissed
that little Hand.

| we USCe1eU Vic O1uCI uoy w OIL
eminent divine, one of Americas S
most gifted and honored sons, as
he gave some account of ''The
wrongs of his boyhood." | went
away to school, said he, when
was seven years old. My teach,
ers never understood me. My
first teacher assumed that moth
ing was easier than to understand
children. Hence he never took
pains to study the character and
understand the disposition of a
child.
You have blotted your book,
sir-how is that? Have [ not
told you that | would have clean
writing books? said my master.
[ have not blotted my book,
said | stoutly.
Who has blotted it then? No
one has had it but yourself. Do
you accuse any one else?
[ do not accuse any one, and L
have not blotted my book.
I spoke in good faith, though
imprudently. l had no knowl-
edge of having blotted my book.
Hold out your hand, and be pun
ished for disobedience and lying.
I was not yet eight years old
The master ruled me till he was
tired. Ny eye-balls seemed on fire.
The teacher rested and then whip
ped me again. l did not weep or
cry out.
You shall beg to be let of, sir,
said he. l did not beg. l en-
dured all he chose to infict, and
he was obliged to leave me at last,
worn out with my obstinacy.
The worst boy that ever saw,
said he. You will come to the gal
lows yet. You have not human
feelings,
[ looked at my swollen and dis
colored hand. Oh, if any one
had kissed that little hand, in
stead of beating it, l could have
hid my face in his bosom and
wept for every fault | had COM
mitted or ever should commit. l
believe l registered vow in Heav-
en- then, to be always kind to little
children. [God knows he has
kept. it, most tenderly and relig-
iously.] That master did his best
but he could make nothing of me.
God forgive him, as l have; and
may such teachers be like angels
visits, few and far between-a
teacher with great heart, and a
wise head, who can know his or her
pupils, and teach them, adapting
instruction to capacity, is a treas
ure. | remember a fellow, who
sat by me in that lecture room,
who fell under grave rebuke, be-
cause the lecturer judged by ap-
Epearances. He had a trick of
whiting. One day he fashioned
asmalEkeel of aship, a dainty thing
with witching figure head. He
finished it, just as the lecture was
finished. DR.. M. was a reverend
man, with white hair and a kind
heart. sBut the good man was
wounded by the whittier. He was
idle and disrespectful; and he sum-
moned him to his study, to admin
lister wholesome rebuke.
Young man, said he, | am OBJ
bliged to speak to you about the
foolish and trifing way in which
you spend your time.
Frank w. looked at him IN
surprise.
Please take that thing out of
your pocket you made during lee
ture.
Frank drew forth the keel-he
had made it without thinking, and
he-was hardly conscious of its ex-
IStence.
Your disrespect for me and the
students, I might pass by, said
DR.. NJ, but your irreverance for
important subjects, | must treat
more severely. Can you tell me
the subject of the lecture this
morning?
Frank told the subject readily.
Can you tell me anything about
the manner in which it was treated?