The weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1869-18??, 1870-06-01
Children,s Troubles,

Grown people, doubtless, have their cruci-
fixions Women, know, ''dic daily" But
am certain, from observation and reflec-
tion, that some children, and very small
ones too, suffer quite as much as it is posi-
ile for adults to do. | shall never forget u
punishment measured out to me, when
fat little club at school, | had committed
the heinous offence of whispering to one
of the boys" l don't rccollect what it was
about only remember that George
Smiled at me kindly on that first terrible
day when took my seat on narrow bench
without any ksck, to "kccp very still !"
which was then, and is now. the most fend-
ish torment that can be devised for me.
Directly my name was called. "to stand
up in the middle of the floor" HIS name,
"Georgie," was also called With very red
faces, out of which all the smile had gone,
we confronted each other. Miss Birch then
turned US back to back, and with a string
of twine tied our elbows together. saying to
me, "Sincc you like boys, you shall have
enough of EN- Now, George, true to the
instincts OF his sex, no sooner felt himself
"bound" to the little creature. whom he the
moment before adorcd, than lie began to pull
Mt the cruel string. till 1t cut into myt tat bare
arm with toruring sharpness; his jacket
sleeve protecting him from the pain he in
flicted on me. There We stond, 1.-The bows"
laughing at Gcnrglc What little man
could stand being 'hen pccked," even
at that tender age. For me-, would
not have shed tear had he cut my arm in
two. let him pull and twcak. and bore
it with Spartan endurance till our pcnance
was over, and school was ''let out"
Did you care?" asked the girls of me
going home NO" answered l huskiIy,
with my chin in the air, twitching ncrvnusly
at my white pinafore. said nothing about
it when got home, but went up in the gar
ret to CRY it out. That Genrgic should have
hurt me on purpose, when was In disgrace !!
That he should not have walked home with
me from school, as before; or tnat he--a
boy should be "afraid." though thousand
OF "the boys looked on, td speak to girl
Ito speak to me HIS reign was over from
that moment, spite of his curly black hair
and glittering white teeth. / staid up
garrct till l had it all out, among tho raf
tiers, and then washed my face and went
down to my dinner.
The next morning took my satcllcl and
went TO school. When got as far as the
corner of the street, George was there wait
ing for me. didn't see him. looked
straight IA; the lamp post. He said softly
Sarah y l didn't hear. planted my
little boots firmly ON the sidewalk and trot.
ted on. He had not been my friend in my
trouble. Failing in that, he had failed IN
everything This was my first life battle
l have had others since. with greater ca
pacity for suffering; but thought then
nothing could he worse Than little Gcorgic's
detection.
One day was walking with my two littlt
girls beside me, and met "Georgie." II
whom had never spoken since our childish
falling put. He was u physician then, il
| good Practice, and us handsome as u man
US he hal been as child. 5lir
| We Ct 3ch laughed. and passed. on. Fn
one l W IS glad that vas not tiled" to him
save onE for those few moments
ma add, how ever. 10y way of postscript
that if Hiss Birch imagined that she then
and thee cured me of whispering to til,
boys" i was fallacy. FANNY FERN.