The Shasta courier., 1869-02-13
SHASTA COURIER.
Little Eunice and Her Friend.
THE SCHOOL MA'AM's STORY.

On warm summer afternoon lazy
breeze stole through the windows OF hot
district school house, lifting the white cur
tains, and rustling the leaves of the copy
books that lay upon the desks Thirty or
forty scholars of all ages were bending over
their writing, queit and busy the voice
of the master, as he passed about among the
writers, was the only sound. But though
silent, this little hot school room had its
heroes and heroines as certainly as the
wider sphere of life.
The bell rings for the writing to be laid
by; and now comes the last exercise of the
day, the spelling, in which nearly all the
scholars joined. At the head of the class
is a delicate little girl, in blue dress;
whose bright eyes and attentive air show
that she prizes her place and means to keep
it.
Presently word, which has passed all
the lower end of the class, came to Eunice
The word privilege. "P-r-i-v-i privi,
le-g-e lege, privilege" spelled Eunice.-
But the teacher, vexed with the mistake
at the other end of the class. misunder-
stood her and passed it. The little girl
looked amazed, the bright color came into
her cheeks, and she listened eagerly TO the
next person, who spelled it as she had done.
Right said the teacher " take your
place."
i spelled it So" whispered Eunice to
herself, tears springing to her eyes as she
passed down. But too timid to speak to
the master, she remained in her place, in
uarAlr o., .so4 -. oo.o,r
But her trials were not over Many ex-
pedients were tried in the schools-whis-
pering. At length the following rule was
adopted The first wh;sperer was stood
upon the floor in front of the teachers desk.
Here he acted as monitor; as he detected
aoother he took his seat, and the next of
fender kept sharp look out to find some
one to take his place; for at the close OF
school, the scholar who had the whisperers
place was punished very severely-as the
school phrase was, I" took feruling p
This plan appeared to operate very well,
every one dreading being found last on the
floor but though it secured an orderly
school, many of the parents and scholars
doubted its justice.
The boy who was on the floor when
Eunice lost her place, was an unruly, surly
fellow, who had smarted for his faults often
before /; and as school drew near its close,
began to tremble. The instant Eunice's
whispered complaint reached his ear, his
face frightened up he was safe now And
when the class was dismissed, he SAID,
Eunice whispered, sir
Eunice rose and in trembling voice re-
lated what she had said; but the teacher
saw no excuse in it, and she was called to
take the place of the ungenerous boy who
told on her.
Books had been put away, and the wait
ing school look on in sorrowfulness as
Euniee left her seat to take the dreadful
punishment. She was one of the best
scholars, bright, faithful, sweet-tempered,
a general favorite Every one felt that it
was unjust, and many angry glances were
cast at the boy who was mean enough to
let a little girl be whipped. Overcome
with shame and fear, she stood up by the
desk, crying bitterly, while the teacher was
preparing to infict the punishment.
At this moment a tall boy stepped out Of
his scat, and going to the desk, said:
Are you going to whip Eunice, sir"
Yes, | never break my rules" the
teacher said
" We will not see her whipped said
the boy, in an excited voice. There is
not a boy here, but one, that would see hel
whipped. Whip me, sir, and keep youl
rule if you must, but don't touch that lit
tie girl"
The master paused; the school looked
on tearfully.
Do you mean to say that you will take
the punishment? ?" asked the teacher
" | do, sir, was the bold reply.
The sobbing little girl was sent to hel
seat, and, without finching, her friend
stood and received the punishment that
was to have fallen on her. The school was
dismissed and the boys paid him in ad
miration and praise all that he had suffered
while the grateful title girl blessed .hin
from her heart for a noble and generous
boy, who had saved her from shame and
suffering.