The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1882-02-18
Mr.. O'Daly, welding his lash unmer.


cifully. A dacent woman is Mrs.
Mclaughlin whack =" and she
makes an honest penny by her plums''
-whack-" haporth piece she gets
for them" - Whack - land there's
forty haporth in your stomachn-
instead of in her pocket"-
whack-sand she'll give me no peace
until its paid"-whack, whack, whack.
There, I've done with We. Put on
your jacket; never stale again while
we live"
Poor Robin, more dead than alive
rushed to his seat and hid his face in
his arms. Meanwhile, Master Spratt
the Oldest boy in school, arose III his
desk and signified his desire to speak.
We'll, Spratt, what is it ?n asked
Mr.. o. Daily.
There's but the one door to the
room Redburn was locked in,' said
| Spratt, land there was no other way
of getting out +; the window is toe
| high and too small for anything but a
cat, and there's spikes on it. Wait a
minute, master; sat by the door,
with my legs across it, from the min
ute you sent Redburn i'll until the
minute you took him out, doing that
problem / failed inn
''Then the W 'ddy and the boys have
been lynn and I'll-wait minute.
Dunstan come here ~
Dunstan, another large boy, between
whom and Spratt there was sort OF
feud, as they were the leaders of rival
factions, strobe up to the desk.
ut was you told me the WILDLY
spoke the TRUTH" said Mr.. O'Daly.
Now give your violence"
''Well, ] shouldn't have mentioned
it, Mr.. O'Daly," said Dunstan I'm
not tell-tale, but you wouldn't be-
lieve the old woman and she told the
truth. Redburn was up the tree for
an hour and a half. We boys on the
form by the window saw -Stok es,
Grady, Fisher, Pope and /. He ate
the plums and threw them about. If
am a liar, there are five of us ~ and
he looked at Spratt, who slowly re-
peated
"Redburn never left the room, | saw
MIN go in and / saw him come out,
and he was studying aloud most of
the time"
"Mr. O'Daly listened in silence. He
would like to have fogged the whole
school, but even tyrant could not be
quite so unjust.
He opened the door of the classroom
and made sure that nobody on earth
could have escaped through the win
dow. He called Redburn to him and
turned his pockets inside out; neither
fruit nor stones were there. He looked
at his hands; they were unstained by
plum juice, though grimy with slate
pencil dust and tears.
Fifteen boys being questioned, swore
solemnly that Spratt had never left
the door. The class at the window
swore to seeing Redburn in the tree.
Widow Mclaughlin being sent for
was asked to point out the thief, and
bounced on Redburn at once.
HES the idlest boy in the school, :"
she said; and wonder, Mr.. o Daily,
you lave him so much time to throw
stones at the ducks, and taze me
guinea-hen; and didn't he milk a
COW with tin can last Monday morn
ing?"
''Its a-falsehood ~ screamed little
Reiburn.
Mr.. O'Daly was puzzled. He re-
marked that he'd talk the thing over
next day and settle it, and dismissed
the school. Instantly, instead of a
game of ball, began battle, Spratt
and his adherents on one side; Dun
stan and his friends on the other.
Black eyes, bruised cheeks, and torn
clothes were the result. In two cases
the doctor was sent for. Anxious
mothers called on Mr.. O'Daly and re-
preached him. More than ever did
that unhappy individual desire TO
"fog every boy in the school," The
Widow Mclaughlin beset him for
forty halfpence until he paid her.
And when he retired at night, instead
of saying his prayers, his last waking
words were:
"To the devil with all boys and all
widdys!'
School opened next day as usual.
The factions marched back, after a
slight skirmish by the way. Mr..
O'Daly had anew cane, nicely waxed,
upon his desk. Redburn was there
also, and solemn ceremony took
place. Mr.. O'Daly called the boy to the
desk, put one of those small chunky
Bibles which prevail in schools upon
it, bid the boy lay his hand upon it,
and take his solemn oath to tell the
truth, and then questioned him.
"Where were you, lad, yesterday