Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-08-01

wrong Ben ,mn, do you?"
II shoul not like to say hat, sir bui
| am sure that they have not hccn trying
20 do us they would like TO have Others
do to them Ben did throw The snow. bnl
at Libby; and he did swear; hut they
provoked him in the fist place. lIo nev.
er'bcgins ANY oi the quar- els"
That's so The l.otd know that's The
truth !" Ben said cXctedly. Aud step.
ping out from his seat sn that he could
look Mary squarcly in the lace. he added
Thank yon. May Lee. The Lord
bless You Tor cverlastinly. You're the first
person that's took my part and tried in
help me out of trouble since my mother
died I've wished morc'n Il hundred
times this winter l'd Il died when she did.
aud l."
Ben. in his excitement. had evidently
forgotten. Ior the moment. that he was in
| the school room. Suddenly recollcciing
sentence, riimsoned deeper than ever.
aud brushing a tear from each eye with
his grimmy hands, he took his seat But
he continued to gaze at Mary us though
! he doubted the evidence Df his senses. -
Was IL Il fact that the truthful. faced. blue
eyed. rosy checked girl, who WAS consid
cred u pattern scholar by the whole
school, had looked upon him compassion
atcly. and spoken kind word Tor him
Mr.. Willet was in dilemma. His dig.
nifty and authority. and his reputation Tor
beng u just man. must he maintained
In all his experience aS school teacher,
Inc had never been put lo his wits end
before He hcsitatci longer than usual
before speaking. Ben noticed his embar
raSSmcnl. and was disposed 10 seize.
what seemed Ia him, favorable opp,r.
lunity To speak for himself He rusc sud.
denly, and went, with rapid strides, up
Ia MI. Willct. Some OF the older boys
logged each others elbows. and whisper.
rd-'now Tor it, He's going in for n
regular fight Shouldn't wonder if he
should beat" And all of the little schol-
nrS looked frightened, and some OF them
began la cry. But the scholars were all
mistaken that time.
Ben looked down upon the floor, and
said rather agitated MIR Willct, you
told me, Il few minutes ago. that seem
ed disposed to net in defiance of your Nu.
thorily aint disposed 10 do no such
thing And di,ln'I mean 10 say another
word ill YOU asked me to; but when
Mary Lee spoke u good word Tor me, |
was SO kind o surprised spoke right ut
fore thought. hope you'll excuse me
for that" He glanced at Mary, and sho
looked at him approvingly. That gave
him fresh courage. lie felt that he was
II human being, aud that The rest of the
scholars were no more than that. He
Was sorry that he had no, controlled
himself better, that noon; but he lrll
conscious, rs general thing. of having
done as well ~ he could. lndcr adverse
circumstances and he thought il they
knew his history they would look upon
him in very different light The very
though chccrch him, and i. seemed to
him that the chain and lcllers that had
held his spirit, 5" long, in Ihralldom,
ness there was in linn, was trying To a~
sclt it.cIf amd that he must speak and
give vent to hls feelings, OF die. He book
cd al Mary again, and hr wa. sure oi
one persons sympathy and pity, at least
He said-'Mr. Willcl. Libby Arnold
has told her story Shall Tell mine.
now ?"
1T i my practice" Mr.. Willct replied.
with an extra touch of pcdagogic digni-
~, ITO hear both sides of case before
deciding as To the merits or dcmerits oi
my pupils, when there has been any
trouble between them. am ready to
hear what You have Ia say but bc very
careful, sir, that all you tell is truth
Ben hnd'rc>olvcd That he would be cx.
ceedingly wise, prudent and respectful.
But Mr.. WilIct's caution, in regard to
telling The truth, brought all the hot
blood back to his lace. He ,traighlened
up, and looked the teacher squarcly in
The face, and the words came out rapidly
and earnestly; but there was no cring-
ing in his tones rs he said: IL know. Mr..
Willet, as well as you know it. or rs well
as any one else knows it, that | am Il
coarse, ignorant boy; bnt am no liar,
sir, and what's more, ! despise liars
wherever :hey'r found. whether it's in
Mr.. Arnold's family or somewhere else.
But. may be, I'm most too hard in speak.
in so, cause don't suppose Libby Ar.
mold, nor any of tho rest Of The scholars,
know ust how I'm situated. When Mr..
Dunbar moved from the lower decstric'
up to this deestric' this fall. felt as tho
l'd about rs lives 90 without any more
sch0olin', rs to come here 'mong stran-
gers. And | wouldn't have come day,
with these dirty, patched clothes on, to
be the laughin' stock OF the whole school,
if old Dunbar would Il gin me the time
he promised The s'lect men shonld have
TO go to school, tn study in at home
But knew he wouldn't if he agreed to-.
| ;new that ! should be called off for
sOmethin' or mother all day long. |
thought. too, that my mother, il she
! II 4. Il tntl