Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1876-03-01
Che family Circle.
Eim's Last Whipping.

There was once wretched little un-
painted schoohouse, that stood in Il sand
bank Ill summer. and in I; snow bank all
winter, waiting for strong north wind to
blow it over
Say, what will you sell that school
house tor?" asked a traveller Of Il little boy,
who stood on one foot on the rickety door
step.
;: For a bunch of matches. answered
the little bov, rs quick as thought.
boy was kimball Price, the rogue of the
town of Skoodac. District Number Three,
and the try-paticncc Of all his teachers.
He was :. handsome lad. ten years old.
don't mean that he was always ten; but
Whipped him. and there is where our
story begins.
Now, Miss Pentecost taught the school
that summer at District Number Three.
She liked Kin-everybody liked him. but
that WAS no reason why he should be al
lowed TO tie the girls together by the hair
they wore long braids in those days
or fire paper-balls. OF eat chohe-cherrieS.
or stick pins in the benches to make the
4 b { scholars cry o. when they Were
not saying their letters. Miss Pentecost
never winked ut naughtine>s; and as
whppings Were fashionable ut that period,
she whipped Kim regularly three times Il
week 1t was considered the most direct
way Of reaching the conscience.
But Kim never could remcmbcr a whip
ping more than a day and a half or 1t the
longest. three DAYS; and Miss PentccoSt
began to grow discouraged. Must Kim
always 20 on doing mischief, and neglect
inc his le>sons-a boy who could learn so
we'll if he chose?
She knew his mothcr.-a poor widow,
with a large family Of children. and she
was sure Mrs. Price could not afford to
send Kim to school merely to play
"Whtt can say or do to make IN i'm
preston on that child?" thought Miss
Pentcco,t. one day. rs she tied the strings
of her gingham = logclbin under her
chin. and stepped ont of the >chool-hou>e-
Just then She caught these words,
spoken by Kim with great energy. and a
| flourish of fists
Tell Won its true, Bob Whiting; for
mother said So and if mother st,iS 50, it :
50. if amt So"
Mis- P-ntcco>t laughed all to herself.
and passed ON through the sand-bank into
the dusty road When She had gone rs far
Il, the bic willow. She paused hide and
laughed again.
like to hear Il boy talk 50 about his
mother. even if il is NONSENSE Kun is an
ti, ctionote little fellow, and | >houldn'
wonder if he is a pretty -ooi son. Any
way. I've got an idea and | mean 70 try it,
and see how it VIII work.
Next day was the time for one Of Kim
regular whipping~ He had been move
irving than u>u,l. and Miss PentecO-t
sent Bob Whiting out for remarkably
strong birch stick, which could cxpres,
her feelings better than the Old one.
which stood in the corner. She spent
some time in trimming the new twig
though she wa, careful to leave a few
little knots on it, which would give en-
pha>i~ to the blows
Il don't think ever saw a better birch
stick. said she. looking at it admirinrly.
" Now, kimb.ll You may take off vour
I Jacket
He was 50 used to taking it oft that he
always kept half the buttons unf.,>tcncd
to save time
Mis- Pcnteco~t gave lin IN unusually
hard whipping: an |. after it. he cried til
he could hardly see ON, of his eyes He
thought that WAS enough. and II was what
the bows call "a square thing" but a
night, as he was running ont of the school
house, Nhistlinr, Miss Pen,cco>t calleC
him No to her desk.
Well, kimball, Eve whipped You har,
to-day-very hard"
Kim thought there was no doubt about
that.
Yes IN, RESPONDED he mccklv.
q" Look ut this stick. Didn't | 'ak'
pains to get L good one
Ye,'m.' sud KIN; but he did no
gaze ut the stick rs il he loved it,
- DO Won know, kimbtll, it is very hare
work to whip YOU? 1t lanes nv arm
and it hur,s my feelings Really, | can
afford to do it. ,ltv after day. for nothing
Kim looked up in SURPRISE This was
new view of the matter
You understand me, kimball? can
afford to do it for nothing any more
There's not another boy in school Nv,
whirped so often us Won: and this time |
must mus be n,iI for i. Dnn,t Won think
that's fair
"Ye,'m," said Kim, in intense amaze
mcnt, his eyes as black and shining as
watermelon seeds.
..Wcll. Kimball. I think it's worth al
least twenty five cents and don't want
Won to come TO school tomorrow wilhou,
bringing me the money. Tell your moth
or about it. and tell her if YOU don,
b.inr it, | shall have to send YOU home
for it. Good nirht. kimball, and rcmem
Der what | saw
"Ye,'m.
"What did she do to Won this time
asked Joe Fuller, who had been waiting
outsilc.
90. 20 long, now; She didn't do any
thing to me-" replied Kim. sheepishlv
-" Come. lets run down to the pond, IN,
catch blood-suckers
Next morning, about school-timc. Kin
stole along into the Shed kitchen, am
hung about the chceSc-tuh, where hi
mother was cutting curd.
Why don't you start for school
You'll be late, my SON
. The mistress whipped me Yesterday,
muttcrcd Kim. helping himself to Il luml
Of cur,.
did She? Well. I've no donbt yol