St. Landry democrat., 1881-08-13


Are the children of quiet Dame Sleep
-Maryaret Eytittye, IN HnDe''s Young People.
Observation-Disclosures DILEMMA.
1t was .swriting afternoon said
Miss Jenkins-and my scholars were
new. If you had ever been teacher
my dear, YOU would realize what the
combination of those two simple facts
imples-the WEAKNESS of body and the
utter veXation of spirit. First, there S
the holding OF the pen. If there s one
thing more than another in which schol-
ars exhibit their own originality, it is
in managing pen-holdes. Then, the
ink: To some it was simply ink, moth
ing more. To others it seemed an ire
sisti5le tempter, whispering Of unique
designs, g"otesque or otherwise, to be
worked out upon desk or jacket. or per-
haps upon the back of one small hand.
Well, upon the afternoon Of which |
am going to tell you, had had more
correcting to do than usual, for some Of
the scholars were stupid, and couldn't
do as | wished; and others we're care
less, and didn't try. What with the
looking, and STOPPING, and continual
showing, felt my patience giving way,
and when saw that three of the largest
boys had left the page upon which they
should have been practicng, and were
MAJ ing unknown characters" in diff
terent parts of their books, lost it ut
terly. THAT | miN not have said |,
sharply. Il will punish any boy who
makes mark upon any but the lesson
page
They were very still fer while.
Nothing was heard but he scratch,
scratching of the pens, and the sound
OF my footsteps as | walked up and
down the aisles. Involuntary, | found
myself studying the handsfbefore me as
if they had been faces. There was
Harry Sanford large and plump, but
fabby. withal, and not over clean. His
ms stood weakly up,n their legs,
seeming to feel the need d other letters
to prop them up.
Walter Lanes, red and chapped,
with short, studded fingers, nails bitten
off to the quick, had yet certain air of
sturdy dignity; and his ''n's,' if not
handsome, were cer;ailay plain. and
looked as if they knew their place, and
meant SO keep it.
Tommy Silver's, long and limp, be-
smeared with ink from palm to nail,
vainly strove to keep ne with a tongue
which wagged, uncertainty, this way
and that, and which should have been
red. but was black, Ike the fingers.
His EMS had neither form nor come
illness, and might havestood for ''v's, y
or even VS. quite as well.
Then there was Hugh Bright's hand.
hard and rough with work, holding the
pen as if it never meant to let it 90; but
his MS loere IN s. and could not be
mistaken for any thingelse.
At length l came to Frank Dunbar s
desk--dear little Frank. who had been
a real help and comfort 10 ME since the
day when he tashfuliI knocked at my
door, with books anu Slate in hand. His
hand was white and shapely; fingers
spotless, nails Immaculate, and his
s'n s''-but what wasit that sent a cold
chill over me as bo 1ed at them? All.
my dear, if | should live thousand
years, | could never tell you how | felt
when I found that Drank Dunbar had
written half dozen htters upon the OPP
posite page of his copy-book!
why, Frank said |, chow did
that happen?'
Il did it.
"You did it beore / spoke?' said I,
clinging to forDrn hope.
No, m; | did it afterward. l for
got.''
"Oh, Frank. my good, good boy!
How could you? l shall have to punish
you.
Eyes, m the brave blue eyes
looking calmly Up into my face.
Very we'll; ,ou may 60 tothe desk"
He went, AMI | walked the aisles
again-up and Gown, up and down, Civ
ing caution hre on q word OF advice
there, but not knowing, in the least,
what | was abolt. My thoughts were
all with the f1aen-haired culprit, who
stood bravely awaiting his penalty.
Nainly | stroEeto listen to my inward
monitor. 1t seemed suddenly to have
become. two 3iced the one tantaliz-
inc, tie otherioothing and, OF course.
theatones were conflicting lft:'2.pI -, =, -
ias. You mustpunish him, > said one.
"You musn IT, said the other.
"He deser1es it,