The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-06-08

SldilC az d SldllCt vi T6pTOOI, OF melt INTO
that gracious and generous forgiveness of
offences which made one her friend for life.
But she withheld either, and fronting the rising
characterization with steady determination,
holding it in check for season. Then the
storm broke. Spit-balls were hurled from
desk to desk; rulers played tattoo on states !;
wet sponges were flung from one to another;
feet were scraped ON the floor, and sh1ili
whistling mingled its treble with the dying
chicken agonies of the internal squeedunk.
Boys !'-the voice was commanding, the
intonations liquid and sweet-''if you please,
L will commence school by telling you
story"
Those rude natures were prepared for
threats, entreaties, commands; but they were
taken unawares by this gracious ef1orescence
Of good humor.
''The young gentlemen will please Re seat
ed; the young ladies will close their books"
Young ladies and gentlemen! 1t was a
new era in Blue-nose Canon, when they were
addressed by such respectful titles. Young
varmints-barbarians -hoydens-were famil-
lar enough to them. But never before had
teacher, in the best of times, called them
anything but boys and girls; more frequently
clodhoppers and ounces IN
And such a story! 1t bore no direct refer
ence; but every child there knew it for ser
mon of reproof-knew it for shaming of
ignorance and cowardice-knew it for tri-
umphant vindication of teachers authori-
ty, and an earnest appeal to the manliness
and honor of pupils. And when it was fin
mence review of studies, that 1 may class
you properly" all indications of rebellion
had disappeared; and the mornings work
went quietly on, and the noon-bell allowed
freedom for comment, and time to renew hos
tilities; for the unsubdued elements of mis-
chief still preponderated. Hazen Sims lead
ing the malcontents, and the other boys clus-
tering about in knots, discussing the situa-
ton. Even the smallest children in school
seemed aware that something out of the dali
ly routine was going on; for they forsook
their play-houses under the trees, eschewed
their bits of broken china, and wedged them
selves into any little open spaces left in the
various closely clustering groups scattered
| over the playground, in the old-time fashion
of little pitchers with very large ears.
| ''Ned Burris says Hazen Sims is goin' to
bust up this school, said little Tony Belcher,
| chubby-fsted youngster, whose unpleasant
sniffie seems to have been contagious, as sew
| eral little girls in the vicinity of his bench
| were likewise afflicted Molly, Katy, and
Nelly Babeock, trio of triplets, having twin
brothers, eagerly caught at the information,
and communicated it to Others, with pre-
liminary ''If you won't never tell, will tell
| you something" till it seemed to be generally
understood something was up.''
Ray Burton, quiet, slim boy, stood apart,
and remarked to one or another passing by,
that he thought that was beautiful story
Miss Dree had read them and how kind she
had been not to notice their rudeness. A few
of the girls listened, but the majority sought
the condescending notice of Sims, and with
out any active participation as yet, were ready
| for allegiance to him.
''She.needn't think she's goin' to come it
| over us boys with her old stOries," said he, 81
shan't obey her, for one; she amt nothin' but
a schoolgirl herself"
The uproar of the morning seeming not to
have had any effect on Miss Dree, it was re-
| solved that the first act of downright dsobe-
dience was to be inaugurated by Sims; ''and
| then, If she's goir.' to hit us over the head,
| like Miss Grimes did, 1, for one, won't stand
| it-who says they will?' Not one word from
any one; the girls were all afraid Sims would
take vengeance on their brothers, and the
smaller children stood in awe of his overpow-
ering strength.
Unwise Whapsy! Aaron's rod blossomed
not more speedily than that bundle of man
zanita twigs. 1t had been caught sight of by
the boy at the hotel; and he had heard 'the
boys"-as all grown loafers are called in coun-
| try housekeeping and making game, and
punning on switches, in a mysterious way,
| till his young soul was fired with the glory of
strategic movement against the enemy; and
he had taken Sims in as an ally, well know
ing he would, by inherent force of character,
assume leadership.
One gentle female teacher had flogged the
children numerically, and had even called in
Whapsy to infict corporal punishment on the
larger boys. 1t was under her regime the
school had obtained its unenviable reputation
She had been followed by succession of
schoolmarms, incapable and exasperating,
and less tolerant to the pupils than the over
bearing male tormentOrs they had experience
ed Ignorance and discomfort had ripened
and new schoolmarm was the signal for
open defiance.
The bell rang. The pupils trooped in, hot,
flushed, and dusty. Patty had sprinkled the
loom with fresh water, and hung few bright
blossoms over maps and pictures. The green
shutters were drawn together, excluding the
glarlng sunlight and shading and cooling the
room. The subdued light seemed to add to
tne supdulng influence OF her own quiet dig
rlty. Nothing occurred of disorderly char
| acter until after the two O'Clock signal for the
DISMISSAL OF the primary pupils. 1t seemed
hard 10 RUNE the sweet demeanor of the
young girl, VINO was so courteous and polite,
or to break in upon the order which seemed
10 evolve Itself from her sklllful arrangement
OF classes and lessons.
The boy from the hotel whispered to Swan
Peak, "Guess Hazen's gin out a-kickin' up
rrmpus; an wouldn't keer, only I'd like to
| see old Wnapsy paid iuc that slap he gin
| me"
II say, Swany, air you on Hazen's side ?'
| 81 hain't on nobody's side. 1 go fur plum
der. Ef there's any to be had, me an Ned's
in; otherwise, I'm not"
| The hour hand had reached three on
the dial of the Yankee clock hanging over
| the desk. Its audible tick was distinctly
heard in the intervals OF examinations, as,
| one by one, the names of the pupils were
written in their order. The first class alone
| remained to be questioned; and Miss
| Dree, with an apprehensive sense of its hith-
etc unmanageable character, had lett it to
the last. Hazen Sims was the head boy, for,
| with unconquerable energy, he maintained
the first place in every department of study,
as well as in eve.y conceivable plan of mis-
chief He was born 10 be lie der, either for
good or evil and Miss Dree felt that to-day
might possibly be the turning-point in his life.
She had heard much of him which she wish
ed she had not, for she liked him, in spite of
his defiant manner; and all that had been
said of him revealed no mean or sordid trait
Of his private life nobody seemed to know
much. The death o. his mother had left him
the sole care of one little sister; and many a
boy bore black eye for teasing little Susie,
many another was in high favor with this
despotic Mos ii for sr1dry kindnesses bestow-
ed on the little three-year-old toddler-left
for safe-keeping with an old colored woman
during the bOy'S absence at school Amt