Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1871-05-12
THE GAZETTE.
CEDAR FALLS, MAY IL, 1871,
The School Teachers Story.
by JAMES MAURICE TnoMpsn,

EY JAMES MAURICE THOMPSON.
You ask me why am opposed to
tiogging children at school. | will
tell you. 1t makes them hate their
teacher when they ought to love him.
Children are little grown folks, If you
will accept the expression, and, like
big grown folks, they always remem.
ber, even If they forgive blow
When | was boy happened to get
soundly thrashed at school pretty
often, and I do most frankly nc.
knowledge that / dislike to IL is day
every teacher that ever whipped me.
But l have a story to toll from which
you may draw your own moral
taught school once myself. 1t
was down in rural district of Penn
sylvania. The school was a small
one, aud the scholars were mostly
under twelve years of age. One.
however, was thirteen, u pretty.
brown-eyed girl, Just as smart and
clever rs she could be, and withal
mischievuus as mouse. Her name
was-well, they called her Joe Joe
Ailroy. Her parents were poor, but
highly respectable. living OH little
forty-acre farm. Joe was oae of tie
most unruly girls ever saw. You
couldn't keep her out of mischief. /
ha'ed to whip her, she WAS getting
so much like woman in size, and
didn'e like to expel her from school,
for she'alw0ys knew her lessons 10y
heart. o, she had the quickest mind
| ever saw.
But, sir, she kept the whole school
unruIy. A little boy would throw
paper wads across the floor, and of
course I'd whip him.
Joe Milroy throws'rs and We don't
lam her for it," the urchin would be
sure to say.
A little girl would laugh out loud,
and when l asked her what she was
laughing for, she'd be sure to say:
"Joe Milroy made such a funny
picter OH her slate"
What was / to do? Matters got
worse and wo;se. Finally / went TO
Mr.. Milroy. and kindly but frankly
told him all about the way things
were going on, and asked him what
course had better pursue.
"Whip her, sir,n said he emphat-
icnIiy, "whip her good Make her
mind you just the same ms t'other
children. That's what l say. /
want my child controlled at school,
, | dn!'
Well, ! went back to school fully
determined on blinging Joe Milroy
to the mark. An opportunity was
not long wanting. kept sharp
loot 0ut, and presently | saw Joe
lake great funny picture, and
/ throw the bit Of paper on which it
was drawn, clear across the ioom to
SOME little boys. The urchins began
giggling and tittering, forthwith, l
took my whip firmly in my hand,
fixed my eyes sternIy on joe, and
walked up to hec. She saw | meant
something, and her pretty roguish
! tace grew pallid in second. | did
not lay word, but raised my whip
ami gave her about ten severe lashes.
"Oh, sir, oh !" she cried at frat,
then closing her lips till they pressed
into each other, She looked me al
most fiercely in the eyes till my
blows ceased.
After that had no more trouble i'm
my school. All went on we'll TO the
end, Joe knew all her lessons. but was
quiet and reserved. The last day
came, and | gave the children a
"treaL" of candy and raisins. When
JOe's share was given to her she
| pushed IL aside and would not taste
il. knew by this she was brooding
over her late chastisement. | want
ed to part friendly with oil my pu-
pills, so / went aud sat down by Joe
ami said:
whats the matter, Joe?"
She looked up with great calm
eyes. Istarted in spite Of myself
Those were no longer the eyes of a
little girl. They were the eyes of Il
woman.
''I will never forget your ungentle-
manly cruelty, never, never!" she
said, sternly as man might have
spoken.
/ tIied TO leason with her, telling
her had done it for her own good
but che only shook Ler head anG
compressed her lips.
Well, l went away from that
neighborhood never to return. FOR.
tune favored me aud l became
wealthy. Ten years had made me a
wiser man as well as an older one.
I Nor was unknown to fame.
In a certain city whittier | had
gone to deliver a course of lectures TO
Young Mems Society,"" ! got ac-
quainted with a young woman,
Josephine Milroy, by name, whose
father was millionaire. With this
young lady fell desperately in love.
o, sir, she was finely, superbly,
regaIIy beautiful. She was finely
educated. graceful, ami the finest
singer have ever heard In private.
Her conversational powers were
charming, and with all this size was
tender and womanly.
pressed my suit, never dreaming
of the little girl l had whipped In
the country school. She gave me
her heart and all the wealth, wo-
mans affection, 1t contained, aud /,
/ gave her my very soul.
How happy | was only true low
er, who feels the glorious influence
of gifted womau's power can only
know.
/ One evening my affianced bride