Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1884-02-14

said Alice, her heart quaking with
fear rs she foresaw the insiBient re.
bellion.
II reckon you will have to make q
i new rule for me then,' impudently
answered Nose, glancing sideways at
his companions with grin Of tri-
umph.
! ''If you do not obey me / shall be
obliged to punish you," said Alice
bravely, though she could scarcely
stand up.
"'I guess all the punishment you
could do wouldn't break any of my
bones" replied the ruffian, leering at
her impudently.
But l can break your bones for
you in half a minute, and I'll do it If
you don't stand up and read rs the
teacher asked you to- said 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.
Moses insolent manner abated in a
moment, his face turning pale, and
he muttered something about beng
'bossed by other boys" but he stood
up as he was commanded.
Alice could have kissed her young
champion for vely gratitude, but she
mustered all the courage she could
command, and said:
"Mr. Turner, cannot allow you
to interfere with the management of
my school: take your seat
The youth obeyed without word,
but kept his eye on Nose, as if watch
ing 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 wearily how
| long she could endure this.
She was aroused by one of the lit
tie girls running up to her, exclaim-
ing, Teacher, teacher, the big boys
are tighting!' - She followed the
child exclaimlng, ''Oh, why did l
come to such den CT wild beasts?"
At the rear of the school-house stood
Jim Turner engaged in a hand-to-
hand combat with Nose Brindley and
his two brothers, both of whom were
grown. As Alice stepped around the
corner Jim sent Nose to the earth and
then turned like liou upon the two
remaining assallants. They rushed
at him from two sides, but Jim was
as active as panther, and Bill Brind-
ley fell as if shot, from left-handed
blow, and his brother Tom followed
HIM in an instant. BY this time Nose
had secured a ball bat and rushed
upon Jim, hut the latter evaded the
blow, and wrenching the bat from his
hand knocked Nose headlong with q
blow of his fist.
AS the discounted trio arose jim
Turner laughed lightly and asked
them ''how they liked it as far as
they 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 lei
this open violation of the school rules,
80 she rang the bell. When the pu.
pills were assembled she called the
culprits up before the desk and asked
what the fight was about and who
began it. The Brindleys stood sui.
, len and silent, but Jim answered, 81
would rather not tell what it was
, about, but 1 began it by knocking
Nose Brindley down." Alice knew
the fight was the result of Jim's es
pousal of her cause in the reading
class, and her voice faltered as she
said: "'rhen l will have to punisf
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 of quiet obedi'
ence in which there was no trace Of
bravado or sullenness. As Alice in
j, fiicted the blows upon the hand 81
quietly held out to her, the though
rushed upon her mind that she wa'
shifting the only hand that had beef
raised to befriend her in that wilt
region.
Her face grew pale, the blows fel
falteringly, the tears began to rul
down her cheeks, the ruler fell from
her hand, she sank into her seat
buried her face in her hands, ant
burst into a storm of sobs.
Then Jim's countenance ch anged
His lip quivered, he dashed his han'
across his eyes to clear them of un
natural dimness, and the great luml
. in his throat seemed to choke him. A
chuckle from Nose Brindley recalled
his self-possession, however, and h
, took a step or two toward the latte
. with eyes that fairly blazed with no
Indignation.
Nose rapidly retreated step OF
two, and his chuckle died an uBtime
, Ely death, and for full minute silenc
, reigned over the schoolroom. A
last Alice raised her head and dis
: missed the pupils TO the playground
As the children PASSED out sh