The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1881-08-12

Observation-Disclosures DILEMMA.
II was "writing afternoon said
Miss Jenkins--and my scholars were
new. II you had ever been teacher.
my dear. YOU would realize what the
combination Of those two simple facts
implies-the WEAKNESS Of body and the
utter vexation Of spirit. First. there $
the holding Of the pen. II there one
thing more than another in which schol-
airs exhibit their own originality. II il
in managing pcn-holder Then. the
ink; TO some Il was simply ink. moth
ing more. To Others IL seemed an ire
sisii5lc tempter. whispering OF unique
designs, groteSquc 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 gong 70 tell you. had had more
correcting 70 do than usual. for some Of
the scholars were stupid and couldn't
do as | wished; and Others were 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 practicing. and were
ma~ing .unknown characters" in diff
ferent parts Of their books. lost II ut
terly. That mill not have said |.
sharply. III will punish any boy who
MAKE. mark upon any but the lesson
page
They were very still for a while.
Nothing was heard but the scratch.
scratching Of the pens. and the sound
Of my footsteps as | walked up and
down the alsles. InvOlnntarily, found
m self studying the hands before me Is
il they had been faces. There was
Harry Sanford large and plump. but
flabby. withal. and not over clean. His
"n'S' stood weakly upon their legs.
seeming % feel the need Of other letters
70 prop them up.
Walter Lanes red and chappci.
with short. stubbed fingers. nails bitten
on 70 the Quick. had vet certain air Of
sturdy dignity; and his ms" il not
handsome, were certainly plain. and
looked ~ 4 they knew their place, and
meant e. keep It.
Tommy SiIycr's, long and limp. be-
smearcd with ink from palm 10 nail.
vainly stroyc 70 Keep me with tongue
which wagged. uncertainty. this way
and that. and which should have been
rel. but was black. like The fingers
His ''n's' had neither form nor come
lines. and might have stood for s'v's."
or even '.N's. quite a. well.
Then there was Hugh I;rinht's hand.
hard and rough with work. holding the
pen as If Il never meant TO let il 20; but
his MS were ms. and could not be
mistaken for anything else.
AZ length 1 came 10 .fank Dunbars
desk -dcar little Frank. who had been
q real help and comfort TO me since the
daS when he ashfuIIv Knocked at my
door. with books and slate III .saad. ili-
hand was white and shapcly; fingers
spo.less. nails immaculate. and his
IN :" but what was il that sent cold
chill over me as looked at them? An.
my dear. II ! should live thousand
years. l could never tell you how felt
when found that Frank Dunbar had
written hall dozen lettersupon the OPP
posile page of his cop, book!
Why. Frank said /, chow did
that happcn?'
ID did il.
"You did il before spokcP' said |.
clinging 70 forlorn hope
No, IN; ! did il aftcrward. ! for
got"
''Oh. Frank, my good, good boy!
How could youP | shall have TO punish
you"
Yes. m."-the brave blue eyes
looking calmly up into my face.
Very we'll; YOU may 20 10 the desk"
He went, and | walked the aisles
again up and down, up and down, giv-
ing caution here or word Of advice
there. but not knowing, in the least,
what was about. My thoughts were
all with the ilaxcn-haiTed culprit. who
stood bravely awaiting his penalty.
vainly strove 20 listen to my inward
monitor Il seemed suddenly 70 have
become two-voiced--thc one tantaliz-
ing. the othcr soothing and. Of course.
the tones were conflicting.
You must punish him." said one
You mustn't" said the other.
% H. 1onorxon ~