The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1872-10-10
AMY'S TRIAL.

AMY'S TRIAL.
Amy's head was inside her desE
She had dear little playhouse there
made out of her spelling book an,
grammar set up on end. 1t was Car
peted with piece of old plaid shaw
and on a chair in the middle sat dol
in calico dress. There were two o
three pictures tackled up with pins,
little box of Slate pencils, clam shel
crayon and a sponge. Amy wa
very busy just then making fresh lie
orice water in bottle. 1t was cream
ing up splendidly, ever so much bet
ter than Jennie Days, who kept hous,
in desk two doors below. She wa
holding it up for Jennie to see, whel
Mr.. Brown called her.
Amy Fields, come here"
Down went the lid with a thump
and up walked Amy to the MASTER
She was not bit afraid of him, be
cause he lived next door, and talked
politics with her father every night
She only hoped she didn't mean tt
confiscate her Hquorice- water. His
desk, by three o'clock, was pretty sure
to be ornamented with rows of good
things taken from the scholars, and
what he did with them all was prob.
lem that many of them never could
solve. r.1as fr,.,e3s
Mr.. Brown raped three times with
his ruler, and then looking over his
spectacles at the school, said ea1
am going out for half an hour.
| Amy will stand here and be monitor.
Take the names, Amy, of all who
speak" s .zvrl1r. Z. .{f.st .
Some people like being monitor and
some don't. Amy didn't. For one
thing, it was the first time. Then she
felt bashfnl, percned on the platform,
and facing two long rows of school
mates. She didn't mind the girls so
much, but there were the boys, and
like the little woman that, she was.
she wondered whether her hair was
smooth. and wished she had worn
white apron. Besides, she hated to
tell of the others and get them into
trouble. Ohlif they only would sit
still and behave until Mr.. Brown came
back; for, standing in that place, she
would have to take their names if they
didn't. - 1...es,5S. -, -,
A verse she had said to her mother
the night before, and had asked the
meaning of, came up in her mind,
oddly, just at this minute: at is re-
quired in stewards that man be
found faithful"
I? i" Well, 1 will" she said to, herself,
" even if don't like it." 49, 5,.Iieq
Johnny is pullin' my hair !" shout
ed Louie, from the A B G bench. ~
's He pinched mel" screamed John
ny in return. q
Amy set a good boy between the
two, and silenced the hubbub., While
she was doing this Susie jenkins left
her seat and took one by MoIlie Camp,
so Amy had no compunctions in put
ting her down in bold, round charac-
thrs.
Mr.. Browns half-hour was nearly
up, and the little monitor was very
glad. Two boys and one girl-it
might have been worse. just as she
was eongratulating herself, she heard
a familiar voice on the left, and turn
ing, there were Abram Post and |
Charlie DAVIS, chattering to each |
other like magpies.
What should she do? Justice, the |
being found faithful, demanded that |
she should treat all alike. But Char |
lie was her special favorite, defender,
and friend. She sewed up the rips |
in his gloves, and he carried her to
school on his sled. They ".went
with all their goodies. A
great, rosy Seek-no-fnrther, his gift,
was in her bag at that moment, and
ut recess she had given him her big
gest doughnut, all powdered over
with sugar. Charlie! how could he
be so vexatious?
To make matters worse, just as she
had made up her mind, she caught a
laughing glance from his merry blue
eyes, and folded paper thrown by
him, fell full on her slate. Opening
it, she read:
':Deer Amy: I've got too more ap-
pies for you.-C. D." 9af.o
"That girl be found faithful!"
whispered very softly just
hen in Amy's ear. Something else
said, ats mean to tell OF your dear
est friend" and between the two, the
poor child was half wild. Her face
burned, and the tears came to her eyes
put conscience won the day. Her
hand shook like Stephen Hopkins in
The Declaration of Independence, as
'he wrote Charlie DAVIS" and, like
Stephen, she put something else to it.
It was this:
:" Mr.. Brown, please don't punish
him. had to tell, but didn't want
o."
A moment after, the door opened
md the master came in. He was in
l good humor, and smiled as he took
Amy's slate. Amy felt as if she
would fall through the floor; she
wished it would open and hide her,
Is, his hand on her curley head, Mr..
Brown read the names of the delin-
luents. One glance of wonder, re- {
and reproach, came to her
rom Charlie, and it needed all the
comfort that belongs to doing ones
luty, to help her bear it. Poor little
monitor! School had been over for
In hour, ond those who had been kept
we're coming out, when Charlie, I
olunging through snow drifts, heard
himself called. 1t was Amy, half
'rozen, who was waiting to give him
pack his apple, and be forgiven. Bnt
Charities anger was gone like mist, I
or, perhaps pnrposely, Mr.. Brown
lad left that slate where he could see
t. He caught little Amy in his arms
md almost carried her home, and that {
light, tucked up warmly in her bed,
With her mothers sweet kiss on her I
ips, the little monitor said to herself,
I'm glad God helped me to be found
aithful. Mrs. II. NJ. ,Sangster, an ,
Hearth and Home.
--SsS--
An irritable man, who was disap-
pointed in his boots, threatened to eat (
Up the shoemaker, but compromised
,y drinking a cobbler.