The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1869-08-26


too much depending on her for that A
helpless mother, and two little sisters,
hardly more than babies yet all depend
! ant for the bread they ate upon the over
1 worked young teacher. Truly failure
i here would be her disaster
i But she must not fail. Would those in
terminable lessons never be finished? She
wanted to go home and rest.
/ Two hours CT tolerable quiet and order,
and the days work was. nearly ended,
when in the midst of the last recitation
again that interrupting whisper, plainly
heard all over the room.
For an instant Olive Burnett's heart
failed her. Gould she muster courage
enough to ferule Scott Goldrick, the old
est and largest boy in the school--a man
/ grown! The thought came at once that
it was unmanly in-him to try her SO. But
right or wrong, her word was passed and
must be kept; her authority was assailed
and must be maintained now or lost alto
! gether To falter now was to give up all.
/ So, calling up all her nerve, though her
head throbbed dizzily, she closed her book
4 quietly, dismissed the class and faced the
school as she said slowly:
/ "The scholar who whispered that last
time will please step forward.'h
j There was q dead silence for an instant
! Then Scott Goldrick left his seat and
! walked up to where the young teacher
istood. No boyish mischief in has manner
now no hooking deference no shade of
defiance but instead, a quiet manliness
lrthat was harder to meet than any bravado
lwopld have been.
"You can understand, Mr. Goldrick
thatsthiS is not pleasant duty to me,p
| her voice steady, but lower than usual, so
| low that some who were listening did not
catch the words as all. "You can under
stand that it is not pleasant for me to do
this, but my rules must be respected
For an answer he bowed and held out
his hand. They were counted out faith
lfully-twelve strokes-no more, no less
did he know how every one hurt her?
Perhaps he did, for his eyes were on her
face all the while, and when the last one
was given he walked back to his seat a
little graver than before, that was all
And the rest of the scholars opened eyes
of amazement. They had expected high
WORDS and open defiance at the first. This
new gentleness was not fear; they knew
that well. Fear and Scott Goldrick's
name never went together. If it was vol
untary submission to discipline, why they
might as well all yield too.
Miss Burnett heard him talking to some
Of the older scholars outside the door, af
ter the roll was called and the school dis
missed. ba"What resist lady, You'll
never see me do that Besides, deserved
the teruling. for breaking the rules.
didn't mean to interrupt the last time,
though. am going away tomorrow to
my unlce's counting house in c.
Then tho door closed and she heard no
more. g 20.
Going away! She said the words over
and over to herself, sitting there with he1
head laid down on the table before her.
lGoing away! What would she do, missing
day by day the bright face in the corner,
land the voice that, spite of aggravations
without number, was still the pleasantest
voice IN the world to her. What should
lshe do? $500. 8fI..
| The great pile of. copy books there on
the table still lay untouched, when, half
an hour later, some one opened the door
and came in; some one whose step she
knew. so well. Scott Goldrick had come
back for his books and slate. But she
did not lift her head. He stood before
her presently with the books on his arm
and his hat in hand
Il am going away, Miss Burnett, to stay.
VIII you bid me good bye 2"
Still she did not look up or speak He
persisted gently.
d Have offended you beyond all hope
Of forgiveness 2"
+ She croUo hin, I,o, 1,o,,J ~ Al -
sNo, but" 9.e enasa
'fBut you are sick, Miss Burnett - as he
saw her face plainly. "fYou are really
sick, What can do for you g''
cts only headache have had it all
Iday-and a touch of fever with it, per
Ihaps, nothing more"
'You have been sick all day, and have
been aggraYating the life out Of you" he
said, remorsefully, in his earnestness
4 down on one knee beside her chair, with
a half bold, half easy grace 81 have made
you trouble constantly, not to-day only
but ever since you came here to teach
What a brute you must think me! 1t was
unmanly and cowardly to act as I did. No
. you must let me make full confession now'
kissing the hand she laid over bis mouth
to stop him. "But Miss Burnett, you are
very ILL.," seriously alarmed at the sight
of her white face and closed eyes; for the
self control maintained by main force all
day, and up to this moment, had Civ Ell
way suddenly, and weaker than a child
she sat there, her breath coming in little
short gasps.
Unused to woman's moods and ''ways,'
he was at loss what to do. He had ar
ideay though, that when lady tainted
cold water was the thing, SO he sprlnkled
her face with the cup standing on the ia
bic within reach of his hand, and man
like, he drew her head down upon hi:
shoulder G IS wFt se
!, She was not altogether unconscious. .fo,