The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1882-12-08

| VI KIN read just us well settin' down." re-
piled the fellow, with logged air.
But it is one of the rules in reading class
to stand up TO read" said Alice, her heart
quaking with fear as she furesaw the incipi
ent rebellion.
II reckon you'll have to make q new rule
for me, them" impudently answered Nose
glancing sideways at his companions with q
| grin of triumph.
| "lf you do not obey me, l shall be obliged
TO punish you, said Alice bravely, although
| she could scarcely stand up
Il guess all the Furnishing you could do
wouldn't break any of my bones" retorted
| the ruffian, leering at her impudenily.
But can break your bones for you in
half minute and I'll do it, if you don't stand
| up and read as the teacher asked you to-
sad la voice ut the other end of the class, and
Alice looked in that direction and saw Jim
Turner step from the class and face the
aStonished Nose
Moses insolent manner abated in an in
slant, his face turned pale, and he muttered
| something about not being "bossed by other
ed s1ys' but he stood up as he was command
Alice could have kissed her young champ.
| ion for very gratitude, but she mustered all
the dignity she could command and said -
Mr. Turner, ] can not allow you to Interfere
III the management of my school; take your
seat" The youth obeyed her without word
hut kept his eyes on Nose, as if watching for
any delinquency After this little episode
The exercises proceeded without interruption
till noon.
Alice had no appetite for dinner She
leaned her llrobbing head upon the desk and
wondered YEARLY how long she could endur,
this.
She was aroused by one of the little girls
rushing up TO her, exclaimiI e, "Teacher.
teacher the big boys are fighting" She fol
lowed the child, eXclaiming, "Oh, why did I
ever come into such den of wild beasts ~
Al the rear of the schoo-h, use stood Jim
Turner, engaged in a hand to hand combat
with Nose Bradley and his TWO brothers, both
ofwhom wei grown. As Alice stepped around
the c0rnerJim sent Nose reeling to the earth,
and then turned like lion upon his two re-
naming assailants. They rushed at him from
two sides, hui Jim was MS active asa pan.
rher, and Bill Bradley fell rs if shot. from
lcft-handed blow, aud his brother Tom fol.
lowed him in an instant. BY this time Nose
had secured Il ball ba, and rushed upon Jim
hut the tier cvaded the blow, wrenched tn,
hat from his hand and knocked Nose head
long with IL blow of his fist.
As the discounted trio rose Jim laughed
lightly and asked them "how they liked it as
far as they had got" picked up the bal h.
had wrenched from Nose and called ont,
Come on, boys, let's have a game of ball"
The combat ended so quickly that Alice
had no chance to interfere, but she felt thai
it would not do to let this open violation of
school rules pass unpublished, so she rang the
NIL. When the pupils were assembled she
called the culprils up to the desk, and asked
what the fight was about and who began il
The Bradleys stood sullen and silent, hut jim
answered, 81 would rather not tell what il was
about, but began il by knocking Nose Brad
ley down" Alice knew the fight was the
result of Jim's cspC usal of her cnuse in the
aiding class, and her voice faltered as she
said Then | shall have to punish you; hold
GU your hand
Jim obeyed her instantly. She took IL,
the ruler with a trembling hand and began
the punishment. Jims face never changed
muscle The look upon it was one of quiet
obedience, in which there was no trace either
of brayado or sulleness. AS Alice inflicted
the blows upon The hand quietly held oul
to her the thought rushed upon her mind
that she was shifting the only hand that had
been raised TO befriend her in all that lawless
region.
Her face grew deadly pale, her blows fell
allcringly. the tears began to run down her
cheeks the ruler fell from her hand. she sank
ntO her seat, buried her face in her hands.
and burst into a storm of sObS.
Then Jim's countenance changed His liz
quivered, he dashed his hand across his ewes
10 clear them of an unnatural dimness and n
great lump in his throat seemed to choke him.
A chuckle from Nose Bradley recalled his
self possession. however, and he took a step
ar two towards the latter with eyes thai
fairly hlazed with hot Indignation.
Nose rapidly retreated n step or two, and
his chuckle died an umtimely death, and for
u full minute silence reigned over the school
room. Al last Alice raised her head and IN
broken voice dismissed the pupils TO III,
playground.
AS the children passed out she heard some
one say, so YOU got a whipping after all.
Jim" and Jims reply, Yes and got enough
10 pass some of it around if anybody is anx
iOus about it,"
AT one O'Clock Alice rang the bell with q
feeling of utter despair but no school ever
moved more smoothly than did her school
that evening. Quiet obedience, study, good
lessons and respectful attention were univer
sal. But Ali, G had determined to quit the
school she felt as if she would rather he the
poorest washwoman than to he badgered
quilted, and tortured for month his at a time hy y
sci ofhrula ruflians, whose parents employed
her for the sole purpose of enduring this mar
tyrdom.
So when Alice locked the school house
door that evening it was with mingled feel
ing OF relief and humiliation that she started
TO offer her resignation to The directors As
she left the school-house she saw Jim Turner
few yards ahead of her walking rapidly to.
wards home She called his name and he
stopped and respectfully waited until she had
overiaken him. Mr.. Turner, she said ~
nm going away in the morning. and | wish
to thank you for your brave defence of me
at school to-day. and to ask your forgive.
ness for the punishment | so unjustlv inflict
ed on YOU, and in her earn stness Alice held
ont her little, trembling hand, and Jim in.
stanty grasped it.
81 have nothing to forgive" said he. "vou
could not do otherwise and neither could I
hut you are surely not intending to quit the
sch0ol?"
Yes" answered Alice, II would rather
die than pass through three months of such
as have to day"
But you will have no more trouble; there
is no one in the school that would be Mt all
likely to give you trouble, except the Brad
ley hovs, and as long rs em there will an
swer for their good behavior"
AT last Jim's tloquence prevailed, and Alice
finally consented to teach week longer. And
mt the end of that time she decided to stay, for
never did school move along more smooth
~. AT her request Jim was allowed to re-
main during the term, and as soon as it clos
ed he went to college
Alice taught the Bear Creek school success.
fully for three years; hut in the end Uncle
Zeke's predictions were verified, for Jim Tur-
ner came back and broke up the school,
He married the teacher.
DIDN'T LIKE THE MEDICINE "A Young
physician, who had long worshipped at q
distance, was one day suddenly called to at
tend her He found her suffering from no
particularly dangerous malady, but she
Mnnlpd him IN nrpscrihn fnr hn,. nnuurtLa