Milford chronicle., 1883-06-08
A MORE EXCELLENT WAY.

"Here you young rascal drop tina
this minute I"
The tone was stern enough to enforc
obedience of itself, but the speaker adde'
emphasis by seizing the miscreant b.
the collar and giving him a thorough
shaking. 1t was a small boy, thin an,
starved-looking, with many patches oi
his poor clothing and not a few rag
that futtered as he swung in the grasl
of the strong, well-dressed youth wht
held him. But his grimy fingers never
loosed their hold of the disputed object
and his only care seemed to be to KEEP
it from injury. His eyes blazed with
passion as he screamed:
"Let go of me, Rick Markham. It's
no business of yours, and if you make
me break it I'll kill you for it some time
see if 1 don't. Let go, say"
It was an odd contest, and the boys
gathered round, full of interest, to see
what would happen, though, of course,
they knew that the little fellow could
not hold out long.
'Give it to him, Rick !" shouted out
some, "shake the dirty little beggar out
of his boots.
"Stick to it, Toby" cried others, to
keep up "the fun;" ''hndin's is havin's,
if you can only keep EN-"
"Boys Boys What is all this dis
turbance ?" inquired Miss Lawrence, the
teacher, hurrying to the scene. Haven't
forbidden fighting times enough.
eyes, ma'am," answered Markham,
''but this isn't real fight. Toby briggs
stole Ray Burgesss toy balloon, and I
was trying to make him give it up, but
he won't, and so you see I cannot take it
away without breaking it.
Careful, careful, said the teacher,
gently; "stole is an ugly word. Do not
say it unless you are sure.
'fWell, am sure, Miss Lawrence, for
I saw him myself. He watched where
Ray laid it when some of the boys called
him to play tag, and went and got it and
was making off rs fast as ever he could
when caught him..
"Charles, said Miss Lawrence, grave
ly-she never called him by that hate
full nickname, Toby-'I thought you
we're growing to be one of my best boys,
and now you pay me in this way for
trusting you You cannot be my friend !
if you do such things Now make it as
near right as you can. Go and give Ray |
his balloon at once.
The child's eyes had been fixed upon
hers as though he dreaded each word as
it fell, while his face grew whittier and |
more set, AS she ceased stony def
ance settled over it. He moved not one
step.
Charles, she sal, after long pause
of wonder at the estubbornness of this boy,
who had lately obeyed her every word,
and perplexity as to the best course in
case he continued obstinate, care you
not going to obey me?"
"No ma'am, replied the boy, slowly.
81 didn't steal it, and won't--give it up
to him-not if you kill me.
Miss Lawrence was sastounded, though
no sign of the fact appeared.
every well" she remarked, quietly,
looking at her watch, eve have no more
time to spend with this affair now. Go
into the school-room, all of you, and
take your seats. Twill attend to it after
the session. Charles need have no rec
itations. He can take his time to
think.
The sunbeams stole in through the
window, marking, as they
moved from desk to desk, the passage
Of the hours. Pleasant summer hours
they were. Bees hummed through them,
birds sang, and sleepy windlets swung in
Ieafy branches, but two hearts in that
room were too heavy to heed.
Charles briggs sat stolid and deter
mined, Watching the door furtively, and
his chances of escape, for to
his plan his thinking" had evidently
brought him. But too many eyes were
lpon him, and, spite of the teachers
'forts to prevent, many fingers were
pointed at him and many cruel little
ongues whispered Thief r
All what wild beast instinct it is ,
hat so common one, to hunt the sus-
'ected or unfortunate, either Of human