The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-08-20
EOW MISS JENKINS "GOT OUT OF
!T.D

IT."
1t was "writing afternoon "-said
Miss JenIlins-and my scholars were
new. Ii you had ever been a teacher.
my dear, YOU would realize what the
combination Of those two simple facts
implies-the WEAKNESS Of body and the
utter vexa,ion 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 a pen.holder. Then, the
ink: TO some it was simply ink, moth
ing more. To others it seemed an ire
sistible tempter, whispering of unique
designs, grotesque 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, l had had more
correcting to do than usual, for some Of
the scholars were stupid, and couldn't
do as l 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 l saw that three of the largest
boys had left the page upon which they
should have been practicing, and were
making "unknown character" in diff
ferent parts of their books, lost it Ut
terly. "That sciW not have" said !,
sharply. II will punish any boy who
makes 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 l walked up and
down the aisIes. Involuntarily, | found
M self studying the hands before me as
if they had been faces. There was
Harry Sanford's large aud plump, but
iiabby, withal, and not over clean. HIS
"n's" stood weakly upon their legs,
seeming to feel the need of other letters
to prop them up. '. ''. +.
Walter Lanes, red and chappei,
with short, stubbed fingers, nails bitten
off to the quick, had yet certain air of
sturdy dignity; and his ms if not
handsome, were certainly plain. and
looked as if they knew their place, and
meant to keep it. .. ... -.
Tommy Silvers, long and limp, be-
smeared with ink from palm to nail,
vainly strove to keep time with a tongue
which wagged, uncertainty, this way
and that. and which should have been
rod, but was black, like the fingers.
His ms had neither form nor come
illness, and might have stood for ''v's,"
or even ''x's," 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 60; but
his MS ecere ms and could not be
mistaken for any thing else.
At length I came to Frank Dunbar $
desk--dear little Frank, who had been
q real help and comfort to me since the
day when he bashfully Knocked at my
door, with books and slate in hand. HI,
hand was white and shapcly; fingers
spotlcss, nails immaculate, and his
'n's'--but what was it that sent cold
chill over me as looked at them? An.
my dear, if I should live q thousand
years, could never tell you how l felt
when | found that Frank Dunbar had
written half a dozen letters upon the OPP
posite page of his copy.book!
!, why, Frank" said !, 'how did
that happen?'' .' -. 'i5 .....
"Idid it," .''' ~. '~@
"You did it before / spoke?'' said l.
clinging to forlorn hope. ...'''
mo, m: / did it afterward. l for
got"
"Oh, Frank! my good, good boy!
How could you? I shall have to punish
you.'' ~. saaaI
"Yes, 'm,"-the brave blue ewes
looking calmly up into my face.
Very well; you may 90 to the desk"
He went, and l walked the aisles
again-up and down, no and down. civ.
ing q caution here or a word OF advice
there, but not knowing, in the least,
what | was about. My thoughts were
all with the tiaxen. haired culprit, who
stood bravely awaiting his penalty.
Vainly l strove to listen to my inward
monitor. 1t seemed suddenly to have
become two-voiced-the one tantaliz-
ing, tie other soothing and, Of course,
the tones We're conflicting. a..
''You must punish him." said one.
You mustn't said the other.
"tIe deserves it," ..,
He DOESN'T g.
"He discbeyed you ha.ly."
but he forgot he has always
been so good.n "' .".
but you promised. You have given
your word. Here are thirty boys to
whom you should be an example. Do
you think they are not watching you?
Look at them!'
l did look at them. Walter Lanes
sharp. black eyes and Harry Sanford's
sleepy orbs were fixed curiously upon
me. Nor were these all. Gray eyes,
blue eyes, hazel and brown eyes-all
were regarding nae intently; 1 almost
fancied that they looked ut me plying
ly. could not bear it. ......
"Attend to your writing. boys"