The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1872-03-27
A Tale Told Out of School.

A Tale Told Out Of School.
First person l love, second person tho
lowest. third person he loves, drawled tn
head boy in the class. The next. lttl
girl took it up promptly. ..Plural-Firs
person We love, second person you love
third person they love-"
"And we all love."r
The interruption came iu whisper lou
enough to be heard all over the room, caus
ing the older boys and girls to giggle an
the teacher. Miss Olive Burnett, looked ul
quickly. glancing along the row of scholar
on the backseat-young men and women
for this was q country school, and in tn
winter. She had come to look for troubl,
in that quarter. Every day some fresl
aggravation. some new Infringement of tn,
rules and offense against the discipline
made it hard work for her, girl of eighteen
to maintain her authority over forty turbn
lent spirits, constantly melted to insubordi
nation by the example of their acknowl
edged leader Scott Goldrick.
he sat there, at the further end of thu
bench, quite in the corner, q 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 problem
in arithmetic. But Miss Burnett was no,
deceived BY the apparently studious air.
And there was an undertone of resolute do.
termination in her voice as she said, looking
quietly over the fHrty faces before her:
''These interruptions must come to an
end at ,once. There is roint where for
bearance seases to be virtue, aud think /,
has passed. From this point shall enforcs
every rule of the school. The penalty for
the next interruption of this kind, will be
twelve strokes of the ruler" sarelessly bal
anGipg IL ssp Of shsrry-wcAd ic h. s.a.aps,
Ihe clear bright face in the corner was
lifted for a moment, the dark hazel ewes
looked steadily into Miss Burnett's blue
eyes; only for q moment, the space of a
breath then the head went on again stead
lily with that endless maze of figures, and
Miss Burnett went on with her work.
Hard work it was, especially hard work
to-day. AL day long the vivid scarlet had
burned in her cheeks, making her passing
lovely, while her temples throbbed with pain
and one of the children, feeling her fever.
ish touch, wondered ''what made Miss Bur-
nstt's hand 30 hot" She must not give
up. though. There was too much depend
ing on her for that. A helpless mother and
two Little sisters. hardly more than babies
yet, all dependent 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 in
terminable lessons never be finished! She
wanted to 60 home and rest.
Two hours of tolerable quiet and order,
and the days work was nearly ended. when
in the midst Of the last reception came that
interrupting whisper. plainly heard all over
the room.
For an instant Olive Burnett's heart
failed her. Could she muster courage
enough to ferule Scott Goldrick, the Oldest
aod largest boy in the schools man grown!
Ihe thought came at once that it was un-
manly for him to try her 80. But right or
wrong. her word was passed and must
be kept; her authority was assailed, and
must be mai1 he'd now or lost altogether.
10 falter nod1kas to give up all her nerve,
though her head throbbed crasily, dismissed
the class, and faced the school a. she said |:
1.-The scholar who whispered that last
time will please step forward"
There was dead silence for an instant,
then Scott Goldrick left his seat and walked
up to where the young teacher stood. No
boyish mischief was in his manner now, no
mocking Difference, but, instead, quiet
nanlineas that was harder to melt than any
bravado would have been.
: "You can understand, Mr.. Goldriok, that
this is not pleasant duty to me-" her voice
steady. but lover than Usual, 20 low that
sons ~ uers listening did net seasoh The
lyon can -andsrssasd that IL i. not pleas
ant for me 20 do this, but my rules must be
For an answer II bowed and held out his
hand. They were counted out faithfully
Twelve strokes-n0 more, no less. Did be
know how every one hurt herl Perhaps he
ID. for his eyes were on her face oil the
while. and when the last one was given he
walked back to his seat, Q little eraver than
before, that was all. And the rest of the
scholars opened eyes of amusement. They
had expected hard words and open defiance
from the FIRST. This new. ,geutleness was
not fear they knew that we'll. Fear and
Scott Goldrick's g name never went together.
If it was voluntary submission to discipline,
why thermight a. we'll all yield. 100.
Miss Burnett heard him talking 10 some
Of the older scholars outside the door after
the roll was called and the school dismissed.
What: resist . schooflady! You'll never
see mo do that. Besides, / deserved the
feruling for breaking the rules. didn't
mean to interrupt the last time, though.
I'm going away tomorrow to my uncie's
counting house in c." Then the door
closed, and Miss Burnett heard no more.
.Going away !" she said the words over
to herself, sitting there with her head laid
down on the table before her. .sGoine
away !" What would. she. do missing day BY
day the bright face in the corner, and the
voice that, in spite Of aggravations without
number, was still the pleassntest voice in
the world to her What should she do !!
The great pile Of copy books there on the
table we're still untouched when, half an
hour later some one opened the door and
came in-some one whose step she knew %
well. Scott Goldrick had come back for his
books and slate. Bat she did not lift her