River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-01-31


| Joe Thornton was the worst boy in the
| school, and everybody said it. He was
twelve years old now: strong, cookbook
ing lad who could not read intelligibly
/ because his mind was bent on mischief
the whole day through. With the winter
teachers man, he just kept within bounds !;
! but every summer he had a brush, as he
called it, with the woman teacher, and
| kept her in an anxious, excited state
throughout the term. This summer the
presiding genius of the red school house
had kind face, and so lender a heart
that she never once thought of its capa-
bilities of becoming steely when circum-
stances might cause it to harden. Joe
always had name for his teacher. The
winter schoolmaster had been Long
Shanks the lady who had taught the sum-
mer previous was May Pole; and the lit
tie girl who smiled down on them this
summer was Rosebud AS this. was her
| first school, Joe confded to the boys that
he should postpone breaking her for q
while; so, for few days, she was left to
Fhe illusion that the group of little child
ten around her was made up of SO many
cherubs; then he began to lay plans for
! siege.
His base of operating at first always con-
| sisted in defying the rules; so his first Of
Tense was staying outside for half an
| hour or SO, after school had been called
at recess. Now, the summer before he
had not only stayed outside, but he had
pelted the school house wall as well; SO
you see he meant to be little forbearing,
after all.
Well, what did Rosebud do but detain
him as many minutes after the others
were dismissed as he had remained alb
sent.
| Under ordinary circumstances, Joe
would have just marched out and paid no
attention to the teachers command. But
| the little school-mistress stood quietly by
the door and, and looked at him; and
: though he was we'll aware that, physical
| ly, he was much the stronger, there was
in her eyes look Of power that he did
not resist. But when once set free he
gave whoop upon the school-house steps,
and told the boys when he joined them
that Rose bud and he had got to have a
brush, and that was just what it was com
ing to.
On his way to school Joe passed a lit
tie, grim smithy, where the village horses
were shod. The proprietor Of this estab-
llshment, Jack Jones, and he were old ac-
quaintances. The next morning, when
Joe passed for school, Jack stood in the
| door, looking as sooty as his shop. He
was a huge fellow, sinewy and powerful,
and looked as though he might have been
made at his own forge; and yet in this
steely case tlrobbed a heart soft and
warm, and exceedingly tender. Rose bud,
in passing that way once or twice, had
looked into his shop with seeming inter
est, because it was work, and Jack had
fancied that he caught the same look in
her face that had belonged to a little
daughter of his, who had rested now seven
years under the daisies.
Joe" said Jack, John Town told me
last night that you.was goin' to lick the
teacher
| Joe Strengthened mp and looked import
ant ''Wal. Wis, Jack, do think Of com
mencin' operations, little, in that line.
She's the delicatest little thing, and it
won't do to be very savage, and it won't
do to have her bossin' of Teller round,
nuther you know
"See here, joe" said Jack, 81 don't be
in your life, and I'll tell you what I'll do:
You tech hair of that gals head, and I'll
give you a sound maulin', as sure as my
names Jack jones' and Jack brought
down his sledge-hammer of fist with
emphasis on his leathern apron.
/ Joe put his thumb up to his nose and
marched on. He did not care mnch for
Jacks threat; he felt so sure he could
keep out of his way, and he did mean to
give the young school-mistress a scare,
and this was the way he would do 1t He
would break the rules again, and she
would call him out, but he wouldn't go.
He felt pretty sure she was gritty enough
to undertake to whip him; then he would
catch the stick. break it, throw it over her
head-assume so offensive an attitude, IN
short, that she would be glad to retire to
her desk and leave him master of the field.
This was to be the programme. 1t was
all to be without bloodshed, and let Jack
Jones catch him if he could.
| So, little while after school had taken
up that morning, he commenced throw
| ing spit-balls; but Rosebud, who was at
tending to a class, seemed entirely obliv
/ ious. When she had finished, she walked
! uD Tie diSitS W AiD JLS WOo tb
work a little back of his seat, when pop
went ball and hit Tiny Smith on the
! chin
/ At the instant, from some mysterious
| fold of Rosebud's dress, flew long, though
willow blue-beech, and gave several
quick slashes around the shoulders of
! Joe's linen coat before he seemed to COM
prehend the position. Then he sprang
up and caught at the stick. But the
| blows come thicker and faster, first at
one point then at another, until the whole
stick was worn up, and he had not sue
! ceeded in catching it once. Joe was de-
/ feated, but not conquered, and he would
/ get the better of her yet, as sure as fate,
| he told the boys at recess. SO all day
! long. while the wounds smarted, he pom
dered some new method of assault; and
no doubt, Rosebud would have been
equal to the occasion had nothing super
yened. But as Joe went home that aight
with head bent, still studying at his
roblem, he was caught by Jack, who
| held him as il in one of his own iron
vises He carried him into his shop and
laid him across his anvil block.
Hand me the hammer" said Jack to
his man, who was at work at the bellows,
that pulled and snorted, and threw the
angry sparks up, swapping and cracking.
Jack turned the boy over on the block,
both his hands in one of his, placed his
/ knee upon him and raised his free arm.
Hold-hold on, Jack" blubbcred
Joe. I'll didn't do it. Inever theched
'er. But she gin me a awful waullupin' I
Jack hesitated. i've hearn long
enough that Joe Thornton was the wust
boy in school, and was travelin' on $
fast s he could to the gallows. He'd
better die a respectable death here, at
this present time, and not be lowed to
walk the airth any longer, jest for a
skerge, never dewing any good whatsom-
ever"