St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-10-29

dDU jim ..
So soon as all was in order, calmly
surveyed the whole school. The silence
was oppressive. One might have heard
pin drop, although there was an oc-
casional sob heard upon the girls side
of the house. The children all looked
as though they had assembled to attend
the funeral of some loved mate. l made
a calm, though l flatter myself an i'm
pressive talk of some twenty minutes
in length. When 1 was through, those
who were not crying were trying to look
defiant, but there were not many of the
latter. / reviewed the whole situation,
alluding to the peculiar circumstances
and disgrace in which l found their
school district, how the community had
suffered the shame of having their
school broken up for seven winters,
and in the main, owing to the shameful
conduct of one bad man, and that one
had no legal rightin the school. Ithen pa
thetically adverted to my labors in the
direction of kindness and moral suasion
how hard 1 had labored to serve
them and to gain the good will of all,
Notwithstanding their past regulations
as rowdies; that 1 was sorely grieved
to think my confidence had been so
grossly abused, and l intimated, in
manner and terms not to be misunder-
stood, that from that time forth 1 should
conduct the school upon another basis,
and my gonfalon would be corporal pun
ishment; and that it might come to
word and a blow and before would
submit to farther disobedience and dis
respect, the blow would be likely to
come first!
Ithen referred to the aggravating out
RACES perpetrated by Baker and Archi
bald in the matter of the stove-pipe /;
that I had severely whipped Baker for
his offense, and that now proposed to
pay off Archibald with compound in
terest. Turning to the miscreant, l
quoted his language about "ramming"
the stove-pipe down my throat. He,
looking more like a dead man than a
live one, squeaked out family: "Dor-
cas- Jones is ID liar, and I'll split
her jaww 1 was guilty of little gush,
for jumping to my feet, said: CATER
1 am through with you, you may have
no jaw of your ownw To test his
nerves, 1 made the scene as tragic as
possible, and reaching down to my knot
hole, drew forth my we'll toughened
hickory club and displayed little of
my gymnastic power by bringing both
ends together as though it was COM
mon whip-stock. 1 then said, "Your
hour has come, for intend to wear this
out on your worthless body; and l
have this to say to your friends, if any
one of them attempt to interfere he will
get badly hurt, if he does not get
killed."
1 stepped down into the middle of
the floor, saw that the tongs were still
in the right place, when J. said: "Eze-
kiel Archibald, come here, sir ~ 81
shan't do it," he replied. 1 Immediate
ly laid my switch upon the desk and
started up the aisle to the long back,
old-iashioned double seats of those
days, and with the resolution and feroci-
ty of tiger, l commanded him to come
forth. Instead of doing so he braced
both of his feet so as to prevent my
dragging him forth. sprang upon him
and placing my thumbs down inside oi
his shirt band upon each side of his
neck, and gathering up his vest and
coat, knew it was simply question
as to which should give away first, his
clothes or the desk. All the strength
and nerve power within me was con-
centrated on the ''yank" I made. The
result was the whole end of the bench
gave way. 1 followed up my advantage
by dragging him upon his knees, all the
way down the aisle to the main floor
In the meantime he was screaming
"You are choking me to DEATH" (And
l had taken twist round his neck.
handkerchief.)
When had him in the main floor
stood him upon his feet with one hand
while l reached for the stick with the
other. Then he commenced shrieking
like one in the widest Mysteries. A.
a sample he cried out: ''For Gods sake
school master, do not murder me 1
you'll let me go this time, l will takt
my books and never darken the door o
the school house again so long as
live !" 1 replied, "Oh, you poor, miser
able, driveling coward, the lions ski
has dropped from your pitiful carcass
at last. While l feel in justice to my
, self and this long suffering community
l ought to break every bone in you
, body, do not really want to harm you
and l will take you at your word" Ant
to show my contempt for him, 1 tool
him by the ear and led him up to hi
seat, told James Sullivan to hand GU
his books, and then led him to the doc
| aud with push 1 said, "Gow
f Soon after, 1 made a motion for tb
unwelcome visitors to leave, which the
did in a respectful manner, and 1 ha
e the satisfaction of seeing them deelin
D to walk home with their crestfalle
friend. All the girls were sobbing, an
: on the boys side those who were nc
' crying were trembling with excitement
= In the meantime 1 was fast becomin