Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-04-07
The Stained Window
BY ANNA HEArHERLEiGH.
CHAPTER v.


As Mr. Blake entered the school-room. he
heard a confused murmur, as if all the pu-
pills were talking at once. But above the
uproar rsfng out the voice of Harry Ames :
"I'll lick You, Steve Darley, see if don't"
The teacher knew that it must be some
thing very irritating which could have in
duced the quiet Harry TO speak so roughly,
and he knew, too, that if stephen had done
wrong it was probably in the pursuit Of
"fun," for which he had an aptitude suf-
ficient for several ordinary boys,
lie therefore turned TO Harry and said
." think you had better turn Stephen over
to Inc if he deserves whipping Henry.
Stephen, you may come to me at recess in
the ante-room, and we will talk over the
matter"
When recess came and they were alone
together, and the slate bearing the disturb
ing picture half-rubbed out was produced,
Stephen, who had lost his disposition to
laugh, told the story of his offence very man
fully, albeit, he protested that he "did not
mean any HARM" The rude sketch which he
had made was illustrative Of Simon Byttes'
story of the girl that was going TO the city,
narrative which had already been repeated
with various embellishments, and which
struck Stephen as exceedingly comical.
He could not refrain from ringing many
changes upon it.
The teacher showed him, however, that it
was mean to do anything which might in
jure another's feelings, and enlarged on the
wickedness OF exaggeration, especially when
an unfavorable report was circulated.
There is not one Of us" he said, who
is not constantly doing and saying things
easy to make fun of, and there is not one of
us who can bear much ridicule ! would as
lief see you strike each other, as to hit one an
other with idle and unfriendly words. tits
worse to abuse a man in his heart and feel
ings than in his outward person"
." | never thought of that" /" said Stephen.
g presume not, replied Mr.. b. 1t is
very easy for US 10 forget right and wrong
when We are being amused. You have so
much-loved fun in you, Stephen, that You
need to be especially on your guard, lest it lead
you to be cruel through thoughtlessness. 1t
is not enough to mean well, if Just at the time
you ought 10 act well, You are carried away
with something which You think is funny.
There was nothing in lIarry's shouting
that you ought to have repeated to make
sport of. The best you can do now is to ask
his pardon, and to refrain from everything
of the kind in future. VIII you try"
8" Yes sir, | will" answered Stephen, as
the teacher opened the door for him to 60 out
and join the Others at play.
Got licking, or going to have one %
shouted the first boy whom he met as he en-
tered the playground.
Neither one" said the indignant youth,
who did not like to be made sport Of any
better than the others.
"Oh, no you licked the schoolmaster.
then, did you, little imp q" said another.
The boys all crowded round him, to his
great annoyance, as if curious 10 learn what
had occurred in the ante-room. As he had
come especially to ask lIarry's pardon, this
assembling of SO many witnesses made his
determination very difficult TO carry out.
lie was brave little fellow, however, and
had been taught at home, both by precept
and by daily example, that half the value Of
right act consists in its being promptly
done. So he sought out Harry, the only
one who was not in the ring about him, and
said;
Excuse me, Harry for hurting your feel
ings, II" he did not know that he could
give any reason that would be comforting to
his playmate, but his hesitation was re-
lieyed by Harry's saying
Don't say any more about it, I'm salts
fed"
AT the close Of the school, Mr.. Blake, after
announcing that he had made an arrange
ment for all the scholars TO attend the phre-
biological lecture free Stephens mouth puck
cred at the word-remarked that he hoped
they would remember the golden rule in
their play as well as in their work.
i suppose you thought that Ben Lane
was only getting his deserts when you snow
balled him, the other night, but you had no
rttfl 10, -. A Il
you helped 10 make him sick, and he had
miseries enough already But when you
abuse no matter how poor and lazy and
worthless beggar, you injure yourselves
more than you can hurt him. ! would
rather have you grow up as ignorant as he is
than to become mean and cruel by indulg-
ing in thoughtless treatment Of him or of
each other. hope shall never again haye
occasion to be so much ashamed of you as |
am to-day. The school is dismissed"
Some of the children felt this 'raproof so
severely that when the word of dismissal
came, they were scarcely ready 10 move.
Others listened so careessly that they did
not half understand it, and doubtless forgot
all about il five minutes after. Three or
four of the boys, however, headed by James
Darley, went directly to the teacher and
begged him 10 overlook their treatment of
Ben and Harry, and promised not TO repeat
their rudeness. II was not altogether easy
TO do this, at least for james, for Sarah
Byttes was looking on rather contemptuonsly,
as he thought, during the whole little scene.
But for her, the other girls would scarcely
have noticed 1t in the confusion of dismissal,
and for boys 10 confess themselves unmanly
in the presence of girls is severe trial.
Mr. Blake took in the situation, and as
soon as the first words of James made Ger
tain that the fault was to be confessed, he
spared the boys the unnecessary humiliation
OF prolonged exhibition of their penitence
by turning the conversation to something
else, before the girls fairly had their ears
oTen.