McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-03-13

room, that they were aware or her
fright and enjoyed it thoroughly. By a
strong effort she recovered herself and
bravely resisted the temptation to lean
her head on the desk and have good
cry. She felt that she must do some
thing or faint, so she rang the bell,
though it lacked fifteen minutes to 9.
She began taking down the names and
ages of her pupils, and by the time this
was completed she began to feel more
st ease. She then began examining the
pupils in the different branches in Or
der to assign them to their proper
classes. She had finished the eIamn-
alton in all the branches except the ad-
vanced reading class, which was prin-
cipally composed of grown girls and
young men, among whom was the ter
rible Jim Turner, of whom she had
been warned.
Several of the members of the class
had read, and it was now the turn of
Moses Bradley, huge, heavy-set fell
low, with small, malicious eyes, and a
general air of ruffianism. When he
was called upon to read he did not rise
from his seat, but began to read in a
thick, indistinct voice from book hid
den in his lap. #1f
''Mr. Bradley, will you please stand
up when you readP" asked Alice.
81 can read just as well settin'
down, !" replied the fellow, with dog
ged air.
s'But it is one of the rules in read
ing class to stand up to read," said
Alice, her heart quaking with fear as
she foresaw the incipient rebellion.
''Ireckon you will have to make a
new rule for me then," impudently an
swered Nose, glancing sideways at his
companions with grin of triumph.
eff you do not obey me I shall be
obliged to punish you," said Alice
bravely, though she could scarcely
stand up.
81 guess all the punishment you
could do wouldn't break any of my
bones," replied the rufian, leering at
her impudently.
'But 1 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-" said a voice at
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.
Noses insolent manner abated in an
instant, his face turned pale and he
muttered something about not being
sbossed by other boys" but he stood
up as he was commanded.
Al;oa GOULD horo 1>.e,oI lo,, -o,x,.
champion for very gratitude, but she
mustered all the dignity she could COM
mand, and said:
"Mr. Turner, I cannot allow you to
interfere in the management of my
school; take your seat"
The youth obeyed without a word,
but kept his eye 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 throbbing head upon
the desk and wondered YEARLY how
long she could endure this.
She was aroused by one of the little
girls running up to her, exclaiming,
"Teacher, teacher, the big boys are
fghting!'' She followed the child, ex-
claiming, ''Oh, why did I ever come
into such a den of wild beasts?'' At
the rear of the school-house stood Jim
Turner engaged in a hand-to-hand COM
bat with Nose Bradley and his two
brothers, both of whom were grown.
AS Alice stepped around the corner Jim
sent Nose reeling to the earth and then
turned like lion upon his two remain
ing assailants. They rushed at him
from two sides, but Jim was as active
as panther, and Bill Bradley fell as
if shot, from a left-handed blow, and
his brother Tom followed him in an in
slant By this time Nose had secured
a ball bat and rushed upon Jim, but
the latter evaded the blow, and wrench.
ing the bat from his hand knocked
Nose headlong with blow of his fist.
As the discounted trio arose, Jim
laughed lightly and asked them show
they liked it as far as then had got,"
picked up the bat he had taken from
Nose and called out, "Come on, boys,
let's have game of ball"
The combat ended so quickly that
Alice had no chance to interfere, but
she felt that it would not do to let this
open violation of school rules pass I'M
so she rang the bell. When
the pupils were assembled she called
the culprits up to the desk, and asked
what the fight was about and who be-.
gan it. The Bradleys stood sullen and
silent, but Jim answered, 81 would
rather not tell what it was about, but 1
began it by knocking Nose Bradley
down." Alice knew the fight was the
result of Jim's espousal of her cause in
the reading class, and her voice falt-
cred as she said: "Then shall have to
punish you; hold out your hand"
Jim obeyed her instantly. She took
up the ruler with trembling hand and
began the punishment. Jim's face
never changed muscle. The look
upon it was one of quiet obedience in
which there was no trace of either bra
vado or sullenness. As Alice inflicted
the blows upon the hand so uuietlv held