Kimball enterprise. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1883, 1883-05-25
THE WISE SCHOOL TEACHER.

- Tue young leacneF GREW ner mana IN,
and the clatter Of the bell ceased.
s.There, l told you 80; i knew we'd
got e new teacher before l saw her.
cause Susie Mills father is committee
man, and she told me 30 yesterday.
Miss Hurd is married, you know"
And little Nellie Ayers smoothed her
white apron in a consequential way as
she walked beside her playmate, Matte
Jones.
"yyhat did you say, Nell2' asked a
handsome but MISUNDERSTANDING boy
of about IL years, as he pulled Nellie's
curls.
"Be still now, Frank Ayers, or III
Tell mother. We've got a new tie cher.
Matte didn't believe it till she saw her.
I hope she'll whip>y you every day, and
make you behave yourself
aSho! Iguess it will take more'n a
dozen like her to make me mind, Nell.n
And with aoyish gyrations he quickly
reached the entrance, and peeped in at
the teacher.
"Ting-a-ling, y the bell sounded again
from the desk, and the children entered
E4uICttyS OIL Dut IIdllh Ayers, WHO SLOOu
peeping in and making faces until they
were all seated; and then, with a clown
ish gait, noially followed.
The teacher waited until he took his
seat, and then, after reading the Bible
and prayer, she went around with q
book and pencil, tolearn the names of
her scholars, when her attention was
called by q small, appraised hand.
What doyou wigh?n she asked.
Frank Ayers says he shan't mind no
dough-head ola teacher"
you had better not repeat any such
language she replied.
well, but he meant you"
Miss Stephens tapped with her PEN
Gil nher head, and smiling, s1id:
IF my head is dough, think it is
quite we'll baked and went on with
her duties till she came to the form
where Frank Ayers sat, and a sup
pressed litter went around as she
stepped beside him and asked his name.
"Abednego Mulliken,p he replied.
A tittering laugh followed this reply,
and the teacher looked around reprov-
ingly, and said:
8 nm surprised, children; that you
should laugh aloud so. What is your
age, Abednego?"
Eighteen last hoeing-time," in loud
voice.
Books were raised to cover laughing
faces. Unmindful of it, she said:
ts'That would be about June. You are
very near my age. l would not think
you we're so old, and yoE are not quite
so advanced in your studies as is usual
at that age
And: smiling, she passed on, leaving
Frank with 4 flushed, uneasy. looking
face.
This vas most unexpected, having his
replies, for which he expected to be re-
proved or punished, taken in this way
and he became very uncomfortable,
from the name that he. had given him.
self, which was freely applied by the
schoolmates. All of his roguery was
treated in the same manner, and the
teacher Was kind to him, while hit
schoolmates were constantly turning the
laugh intended for the teacherupon him
and he soon learned that he had {
ness was like punishment to him in hi
rebellous state.
Thus three weeks passed, and no VIC
lence married the harmony ofthe school
The other scholars became very fond o
the new teacher.
Snowy posters were put up in ever,
conspicuous place, announcing the com
ing Of q great circus and menagerie. AL
the boys in town were nearly wild owe
the great event. Miss Stevens found i
difficult to keep them from whispering
ABOUT it during school hours. Frank
Ayers was much excited, and knew just
which way it would come, and just what
time they ought to start to meet it, as
they proposed.
Now, Frank, active as he was, had one
bad, lazy habit, which his parents tried
to break him Of, but which, I fear, he
did not try very hard to overcome, 80
long as it did not interfere with his plans
or pleasures. His father often reproved
him, as he liked to see all of his family
In season at the breakfast table; yet still
Frank seldom rose betimes.
When called at the usual time on the
morning of the circus. he turned lazily
over, as was his custom, and settled
proved too long for him to keep his APP
pointment with the boys. They waited
q while for their leading spirit, and then
hurried away, wondering what kept
II him.
Nearly an hour too late. clustering
and fretting, Frank seized his hat, and
rushed away without his breakfast. He
took the nearer way across the pastures,
and ran aeetly along, startling many q
staid b0ssy at her breakfast. Halt way
across the third n he came to sudden,
most unexpected stop, as he was thrown
violently forward into a rapidly flowing
brook. One loud cry Of pain, and then
he lay moaning in unconsciousness.
There were hurried steps near, and
oon q white, startled face was bending
over the insensible boy, and trembling
hands strove to raise him up. Mis-.
Stevens had been to watch through the
night with one Of her pupils who was i'll
and was just returning to her boarding
place passing along by the side of the
brook, this being her chosen. usual waJ
TO the school-house, instead ofthe longer
less agreeable way by the dusty road
Striving to raise him up. she found tina
bis feet were %entangled in a wire, which
was carried some distance across tn
narrow path, a cunning snare.
She quickly released his feet, ~scarcel,
wondering at the snare in her fright, a
she found the blood flowing freely from
his nose, and q deep cut made by I,
pointed rock near the left temple