Beaufort Republican. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1871-1873, 1873-02-20
bushes violently, and at last whimpers,
Il Thought I did -

pear SO much interested in his.affairs,
you may 20 over and set With him till
recess. Take down your apron! Start,
if you don't want help from mel"
Help from the master under such cir
cumstances not being thought desirable,
Laura drops her apron, but pitts Up
her elbow in its place, Is hide her
shame, and with a bashful, sidelong
gait, goes over to sit with the boys.
Seeing nearly all eyes off their books
by this time, Master Drinks relazes the
rigidity of his rule, the iaare readily as
he would not like 10 punish some of the
large girls.
Tips a ticklin' me" cries Laura.
go, I amt" says Tip, earnestly.
Il was jest p'intin' my finger at her to
shame her."
"Tend to your lessons, both Of ye,"
says the master, ,'er I'll do some ticklin'
We won't like" Then to the little ones
learning their letters: "Can't tell what
letter that is, after I've tcld you fifty
timesl" And holding turkey-quill by
the feather-end, he applies the quill
part smartly to the heads of the un-
happy urchins. "There now go and
set on the stove-hearth until you can re-
member that the letter which looks like
snake climbing pole is R."
"Laury's a bittin' mel" cries Tip
Tarbox,
"He pinched me~ squeaks Laura.
"Come here, both of we p says Byron,
with O sinister smile. AS the culprits
tremblingly approach, not knowing
what fate awaits them, he opens his
table-drawer, and tells them to put their
heads in. 'Here, turn yourface toward
your dear friend Laury; Laury, turn
your lovely countenance towards Ed
ward. Now, don't let me hear from you
again till come and take your heads
out" SO saying, he closes the drawer
upon their necks, ties their hands be-
hind them, and leaves them, standing
and stopping in that ridiculous posture,
viewing each others charms of feature
by the light that comes in through the
opening. .,
"Phin Chatford's cuttin' the bench !"
says small voice from the front seat; /;
among the occupants of which the
opinion prevails, that, if punishment
is good thing, it must be virtue in
them to bring each other and their elders
to grief.
"Phineas Chatford, bring me your
knife p says the master.
"'Tain't my knife, it's Jacks"
"Jack should keep his knife in his
pocket" says the master, confscating
the same. As he has long been watch
ingfora chance to showhis spite against
Jack, and as Phin is son of one of the
trustees, this seems, to the mind of
Byron, very satisfactory settlement of
the matter.
Jack, however, takes different view
of it. "He said he wanted my knife
to sharpen a pencil with"
go, you keep knife to lend, do ye?
Then I'll borrow it.
"I don't object to lending it. to fell
lows that will give it back to me" says
Jack.
"Sassyw cries Byron, sharply. "Call
me n feller, do YEP"
' "I was speaking of the boys" an
swers Jack "and I said fcllo,cs, not
felLers." He is sure of that, the correct
pronunciation of that word being one
of the many things which his dearfriend
Annie FELTON, has taught him.
"You may go and set on nothing
against the door," is the masters SEN
tence, Jack hardly knows for what.
1t is his first punishment, and his hot
heart rebels against it. For moment
he hesitates, his eyes blazing with q
fiery sense of the injustice done him.
But something within him whispers,
"Obey !" Book in hand, he marches to
the door, which is closed and latched,
and takes sitting posture with his back
against it, but with no other support
painful and humiliating position.
Since he became the champion of Step
Hen Treadwell, he has enemies in school,
who are delighted to see him sin fix -;
but, strangely enough, no one enjoys
his disgrace more than Phin Chatford.
Master Dinks, walking about the
school-room, now takes occasion, as he
passes in the rear of young Narmore,
to hit him smartly with his ruler, saying
at the same time, "Take your seat !!
what are you here for? You amt
worth cent to hold down a nail.
Primmer class take their places. Toe
the mark Remember the turkey
quill !" which simple i:.strument of
petty torture he warningly waves in the
air.
While the primmer class is preparing
to recite, Byron turns to the urchins on
the stove-hcarth, and, pointing out to
them q capital r, asks, Now, can you
tell me what letter that is p
"Snake climbin' a pole p is the
prompt reply.
The turkey-quill is raised, but, luckily
for the urchins, there is that in their
answer which sets Mr.. Dinks and the
whole school to laughing, and they get
off with light punishment as they are
sent to their seats.
The trials of the primmer class are
interrupted by terrible crash, which
causes the schoolmasteralmost to "jump
out of his boots" rs Phin afterwards
declares. He turns, and sees ludicrous
sight, at which the school breaks forth
into roar.
The authors OF this diversion are
Laura and Tip, who have carried on
hostilities even after their heads have
been shut in the table-drawer. First
Laura made faces at Tip. Tipreturned
the compliment. Then Laura made q
go rr,,, l,,o4 +l,oI o-l l,ol n