The Lincoln County herald., 1871-11-16

"First person l love, second persou
thou lowest, third person be loves, F."
dravled the head boy 10 the class. The
next, . little girl, took it up promptly,
"Plural-First person We love, second
person you love, third person they love-"
"And We all love-"
The Interruption came 10 q whisper
loud enough 10 be heard all over the
room, causing the older boys and girls to
giggle and the teacher, Miss Olive Bur
nett, looked up quickly, glancins along
the row Of scholars on tho back seat
young men and women-for this vas q
country school, and IN the winter. She
had come to look for trouble 10 that
quarter. Every day some fresh sggrava.
ton, some new Infringement Of the rules
aud offenses against the discipline, made
it hard work for her, . girl of eighteen,
to maintain her authority over forty tur-
buleut yspirits, constantly melted to in.
sutordipa,iop BY the example ct 'hei'
acknowledged leader, Scott Goldrick.
He sat there, at the further eud Of the
bench, quite in the corner, 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 prob
lem in arithmetic. But Miss Burnett
was not deceived by the apparently studi.
Gus cir. Aud there was au undertone Of
resolute determination 10 her voice as she
said, looking quietly over the forty faces
before her:
"These interruptions must come to an
end at once. There 10 . point where
forbearaucc ceases to bc q virtue, and
think it has 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" carelessly balancing the strip Of
cherry wood in her hand.
The clear bright face in the corner wss
lifted for . moment, the dark hazel eyes
looked steadfastly into Miss Burnett
blue eyes only for = moment. the space
Of . breath then the head went on again
steadily with that endless mage of figures
and Miss Burnett went on again with he,
work. r.
Hard work it was, especially hard work
to day. All day long the vivid scarlet
had burned in her cheeks, making
her passing lovely, while her temples
throbbcd with pain, and one Of the chill
dren, feeling her feverish touch, wondered
"what made Miss Burnctt's hand SO hot
She must not give up, though. There
was too much depending on her for that
A helpless mother and two little sisters
hardly more than babies yet, all depend
ent for the bread they ate upon the over
worked young teacher. Truly failure
here would be her disaster.
But she must not fail. Would these
interminable lessons never be 6uishsd ?
She wante to 60 hore and rest.
Two hours of tolerable quiet and order
and the days work was nearly ended
when in the midst Of the last recitation
came that interruptiug whisper, plainly
heard all over the room.
For an instant, Olive Burnett's hear
failed her. Could she muster courage
enough to ferule Scott Goldrick, the
Oldest aud largest boy in the schools
man grown? The thought came at once
that it was unmanly for him to try her SO
But right or wrong her word was passed
and must be kept; her authority was as.
sailed, aud must be maiutained now O.
lost altogether. To falter now was t,
give up all. So calling up oil her nerve
though her head throbbed orazily, sh,
closed her book quietly. dismissed th'
class, and faced the school as she said:
"rhs scholar who whispered that Jas
timo will please step forward"
There vas dead silence for time
then Scott Goldrick left bis seat an,
walked up to where the young teache
stood. No boyish mischief Was 10 hi
manner now, no mockins Difference, n,
shade of defiance, but instead, . que
manlincss that was harder to meet thar
any bravado would have been. . o.. e
"You can understand, Mr.. Goldrick
that this is not a pleasant duty to me,
her voice Vas steady, but loser thai
usual, so low that some who were listen
ing did not catch the words at oil. .~
"You can understand that it is 20
pleasant for me to do this, but my rule
must be respected" 'n '@N".. l."
For au answer he bowed and held ou
bis hand. They were counted out faith
fully-twelve strokes, no more, no less
Did be know how every one hurt her
Perhaps he did, for his eyes we're on he
face oil the whilo. and when the last on
Was given, walked back to his seat,
little graver than before, that was al
And the rest Of tho scholars opsue'
oyes Of amaxsmeut. They had expected
hard words and open defiance at first
This new gentleness was not fear; the,
knew that WE'LL Fear and Scott Gold
rick's name never went together. If i
was voluntary submission to discipline
Why they might as we'll yield, too.
Mis-, Burnett heard him talking l.
some Of the older scholars outside tn
door after tho roll WAS called and th
school dismissed. "What! resist echoo
lady2 You'll never see me do tha,