Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1872-02-22
A hand touched his shoulder.

flashed to meet the teachers sad, firm
eyes. "There is no use. The chance
is lost p they seemed to say.
Harold, he is smaller than youW
That was all she said, no sharpness of
personal reproof, not one word about
The wickedness of fighting, the guilt of
anger and profanity.
A swift flush died his cheek-his hand
dropped to his side. For a moment all
held out her hand. The boy caught it
impulsively, then as suddenly letting it
fall, he turned, vaulted over the high
fence, and running swiftly across the
meadow toward the creek, disappeared
behind a clump of willows.
No human eye saw him there, lying
upon the grass, his face in his hands,
his young breast swept with stormy
sobs. If he prayed he did not know it.
1 doubt if he thought of God at all.
Apart from some vague memory of
"now lay me-" said at his dead moth
ers knee, his ide IS of devotion were of
the cold, rigid uniformity of his stern
fathers morning petitions, or the state
ter's long prayer. But perhaps He who
saw the boys soul cropping after some
good it did not know, feeling weakly
for some strength not his own, yearning
from its bitter unrest toward some un-
comprehended peace, was less jealous
of forms and names. than some of us,
His followers.
Hal came back at a little past the
bour for afternoon session, silent and
pale, but Miss Waring knew instinc-
lively that it was no sullenness which
prevented a response to her smile of
welcome. 1t was well, she thought, that
his heart was too sore for rapid healing.
Meanwhile she must give him, as best
she could, the safe tonic of helpful
service.
So she asked him to stay after school
and help her to carve pair of brackets
with which she meant to surprise the
children, each one to hold a simple vase,
since the daily floral offerings were sadly
crowded by the globe and books upon
her little desk.
al am so awkward with jack knife
Hail." she said, laughingly, "and last
night 1 cut my finger, and was quite
discouraged. Then who should come
in but Grandpa Spinney, with that won
derful cane-head of his, and when l
asked him who cut it, he told me quite
proudly that it was you. So 1 knew
Immediately where to go for help"
The boy blushed, half-ashamed of
having been detected in the little kind
ness-common opinion having given
him over to unalloyed evil, he uncon-
sciously shared with the rest of hui
manity the tendency to preserve a con-
sistent reputation. However, he con-
sented eagerly to her request. She took
care to let few silent moments pass in
break might settle down in chill con-
INT nd n on
to speak of things he understood
habits of bird or beast, secrets of wood
and water course, gained, as she rightly
conjectured, through many a day OF
truantship, and atoned for, night by
night, with pitiless stripes
She praised again his skill with the
knife, and he told her of old Anton,
the Swiss wood carver, who had once
sojourned in the village, with his quaint
costume and broken speech, and his
thrilling stories of life among noun
tains and glaciers.
so, Miss Waringr" he cried out at
last, quite carried out of himself by en-
thusiasm, ~ should like to go there !!
somewhere, anywhere-tob be freer'
Miss Waring laid her gentle hand
upon his head.
"My boy r' she said, "even here, at
kingI''
His eager eyes were on her face. Her
| solemn, tender voice went on:
"'He that ruleth his own spirit is
better than he that taketh city A
| harder conquest, Harold-a prouder
victory"
The boy breathed heavily and his
eyes sank, dim with a film of unshed
tears. They worked awhile in silence,
then the teacher took out her watch
at is tea-time," she said. 81 am
going your way tonight. Shall we walk
together ?''
Deacon Thorn, from his work in the
garden, bowed to Miss Waring as they
drew near.
L" must beg your pardon, Mr.. Thorn u
she said, " for having kept Harold SO
late. 1 wanted his help about bit OF
work was doing"
"I'm very glad, miss, if you can make
him of any use. It's more than any,
body else can"
"Harold is doing very finely in his
arithmetic, Mr.. Thorn. I'm quite proud
of him."
"Well, the terms but just begun. A
new broom, you know, miss ~
She saw the old hard look darken
over the boys face.
"God give me patience with this
mans blindness ~ her soul cried out, as
she turned to pass on her way. She
would have hidden Harold goodnight
but he still walked at her side, his
heavy eyebrows knit and lowering.
"You see how it is ~ he burst out a.
last. "There's no use ~
Harold" she answered, "naake you
father trust youl This is a part of the
battle. You are not coward, to fly a
the first onslaught?"
GA coward Mol" His face famed
But it seems to me cowardly to 6ea
things. I'm sick of meekness and pa
tience, the right cheek, and left cheek
and all that There's that Gridley-
you know him, Miss Waring? He cam'
to me when 1 was in-'' He stopped
short with a hot flush, and his listene
felt instinctively that the word ".jail
had almost passed his lips.
"He came to me once, and told m
how awfully wicked 1 was, and talke'
about meekness and forgiving one
enemies-he when 1 had seen hin
fog his oxen in the furrow, Miss Wal
E ing, till the skin lay all in bloody welt.
because his ploughshare broke against
rock. 1 hate shams l''
"Hnrold, what makes the sham