Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1878-07-02
StlGtttO Storp.
DESPISBD and REJECTED OF MEN.
BY MARY a. PARSONS.

After All. i, is not easy TO be sympa-
theucaiY interested in boy 20 whom
you have explained f0y hines that two
sud two cant make hve, and then to
have him say for the htty-nrst time that
il does, or. II he catches the warning
shake OF your aching finger. as he is
droniug out Fl" to have him drooP in
MS du'i way aud say, 81 dunno Then,
100. when his clothes are so dirty that
persons with delicate stomachs turn
away from him with shudderine Ugh y
how can one thiak of him, Tom Dolan
and MS ike, al over the world. as any
portion OF those the master meant when
be said, Feed ny Lambs
Dear, no. Il sceus almost ireverent
to think OF .4m0s in such = connection.
One might think OF cur. or whelp, or
brute. but never lamo.
So, its not TO be wondered at that Miss
Wilton. the teacher. did not love Tom.
especially as studying being = thing
utterly beyond his comprehension, and
playing something he did measurably
understand, be was troublesome boy.
Don't YOU see that when boy has no
idea what you mean when you say
study" snd yet has - very definite idea
as 10 the manufacture and use OF psper
wads be is much more likely to neglec,
the studying, while he makes the boys
on the front seats "hop lively an ex-
huerating process to him.
Asa bad name sticks, when once il is
fastened on a boy or man, all the mis-
Chief which could no; be directly traced
10 some other scholar was laid TO Tom :
charge So be was punished many q
time when be had only been asleep. or
s.upidly drawing pictures on his desk
with iOTednger dsmpened with ssliva.
One daY Jim White scattered snuff
around. SO that the occupants Of hall q
dozen seats were SIT to sneezing yio-
lently.
Nothing could exceed the alsely sc.
cused martyr-like expression OF jim;
| face when asked il be knew snything
abou. il. lie never said Tom did 1t. lie
was a0ove telling tales OF schOolmate
but ne glanced al Tom. who sat near by
as much as to say poor Tom, he don
know suy better than % 90 such things.
So Miss Wilton asked 10 Smith. wht
didn't know nothir' about it; Tom Ben
ton. Jims crouy, who didn't know. bu
guessed Tom did It. She went back Il
Tom, and finding paper of snuff in hi
dess, she whipped him severely-frst 10
bringing srUf to school. and then 70
telling lie.
After this punishment, vicsrioUsly ye
unwillinglY borne, Tom rubbed into hi
face still more filth from his dirty JACKIE
sleeve. TO which be always traDsierre,
his tears.
Perhaps this made him look more ag
gravatiug thsn usual when, school beini
dismissed, he do1ned his very dilapidate
straw bat. At any rate Joe Smith though
it would be rare fun 10 set on ire ID
loose straw sticking up from Tom
frowsy head; so las TO let some ligh
into his skull, " ne said.
When Tom found where the smell c
smoke came from he snAtched off his hat
with a wild scream OF terror and ia
back into the woods where flowed
noisy brook. The idea that the silly cres
ture could try and save the wreck, whie
At frs, was scarcely more than hea
band, so amused the boys that thei
shouts of jeering laughter penetrate
even his dull brain with sense Of bein
miserably wronged, and tossing the sIl
smoking fragment OF hat into the broo
he watched it float away through ia:
falling tears.
There would only be more torture fror
the boys if be ventured out of bis hidin
place till they were al soae home. Add
ed to this reason for delay was the mors
certainty that his mother, herself hare
working, often ill-used woman, wOul
bea. him for coming home hatless. S