Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-09-20
A Tale Told Out of School.


love, second person you love, third
person they love-"
"And we all love-"
The interruption came in whisper
loud enough to be heard all over the
room, causing the older boys and girls
to smile and giggle; and the teacher,
Miss Olive Burnett, looked up quick
ly, glancing along the row OF large
scholars on the back seat-young
men and women for this was coun-
try school and in the winter. She
had come to look for trouble in that
quarter. Every day some fresh ag-
gravation, some new infringement of
the rules, and offense against the dis
cipline, made it hard work for her, a
girl of eighteen, to maintain her au-
thority over those forty turbulent
spirits, constantly melted to insubor-
dination by the example of their &C.
knowledged leader, Scott Goldrick.
He sat there, at the further end OF
the bench, quite in the corner, a good
looking young man of twenty, with
curly chestnut hair, and mutinous
curve of the lip, with head bent low
over his slate, and fingers busy in
figuring out some difficult problem in
arithmetic. But Miss Burnett was
not deceived by the apparently studi-
GUS air. And there was an under.
tone of resolute determination in her
voice as she said, looking quietly over
the forty faces before her.
"These interruptions must come to
an end at once. There is a point
where forbearance ceases to be a vir.
tue, and | think it has been passed
From this point | shall enforce every
rule OF the school. The penalty for
the next interruption Of this kind will
be twelve strokes of the ruler" care
lessly, balancing the slip OF cherry
wood in her hand.
The clear bright face in the corner
was lifted for moment, the dark ha
eel eyes looked steadily into Mis-:
Burnetts blue eyes; only for mo
ment. the space OF BREATH then the
hand went on again steadily with that
endless maze Of figures, and Miss Bur
nett went on with her work.
Hard work it was, especially hare
work to-day. All day long the yivit
scarlet had burned in her cheeks
making her passing lovely, while hel
tempIes thrObbed with pain, and one
OF the children feeling her fcverisl
touch, wondered what made Mis-;
Burnett's hand so hot" She mus
not give up though. There was toe
much depending on her for that.
helpless mother and two little sisters
hardly more than babies yet, all de
pendent for the bread they ate upoi
the over-worked young teacher. Tru
ly failure here would be her disaster
But she must not fail. Would thos
interminable lessons never be finish
ed? She wanted to GO home and ge
rest.
! Two hours Of tolerable quiet an,
order, and the days work was near
ly ended, when in the midst of tn
last recitation came again that inter
rupting whisper, plainly heard all owe
the room.
For an instant Olive Burnett
: heart failed her. Could she music
, courage enough to ferule Scott Gold
: rick, the Oldest and largest boy in tn
school--a man grown? The though
came at once that it was unmanly 70
' him to try her so. But right O
wrong, her word was passed an
must be kept; her authority was a.
sailed, and must be maintained no,
+ or lost altogether. To falter no
e was to give up all. So calling up a
: her nerve, though her head throbbe
9 dizzily, she closed the book quietl,
dismissed the class, and faced tt
school as she said:
> "The scholar who whispered tn;
last time, will please step forward
There was a dead silence for an il
slant, then Scott Goldrick left h
, seat and walked up to where tt
young teacher stood. No boyish mi
chief was 10 his manner now, no moe
ing difference, no shade of defanc
but, instead, a quiet manliness tn;
was harder to meet than any bravad
l. would have been.
"You can understand, Mr.. Goldric
that this is not a pleasant duty
me, her voice steady, but lower tbs
usual, so low that some who were Ii
tening, did not catch the words
w all. "You can understand that it
not pleasant for me to do this, but n
rules must be respected"
,e For an answer he bowed and he
out his hand, They were count,
tn out iaithfully-twelve strokes
un lc- more, no less. Did he know how c
ITS cry one hurt her? Perhaps he d
Ior for his eyes were on her face all t
vi while, and when the last one was Q
en- he walked back to his seat, a lit
- graver than before, that was all. A
the rest Of the scholars opened ey
of amazement. They had expect
D.. high words and open defiance frC
the first. This new gentleness "
not fear; they knew that well. Fe
and Scott Goldrick's name never we
together. If it was voluntary 81
md mission to discipline, why they mis-
lar lar as well all yield, too.
Miss Burnett heard him talking
some of the older scholars outside t
door after the roll was called and I
school dismissed. "What! resist
lady? You'll never see me do tn
Besides, / deserved the feruling
breaking the rules. l didn't mean
interrupt the last time, though.
going away tomorrow to my uncl
,ra, counting-house in c." Then
It's docr closed, and Miss Burnett he;
III IN no more.
nan Going away! She said the wo
We over and over to herself, sitting tn
with her head laid down on the ia
before her. Going awayl W
would she do, missing day by day
bright face in the corner, and the vo
that, in spite of aggravations with
number, was still the pleasantest vo
in the world to her? What sho
! she do?