Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-04-10

Jumped into the aisle, and with an
oath flung off his coat. | retreated
back to the desk and he followed. With
all his bravado he was afraid to hit
me square blow which would have
settled the matter there and then. He
was not afraid of me personally, but
represented in q way the authority of
the district-was the embodiment, as
it were, of law and order, and that in
definable something he was just
enough afraid of as to hesitate about
striking, SO he clinched me instead.
Of course quite agree with you that
there could not be a more demoraliz-
ing sight for school TO see than a
fight between teacher and pupil. but
-. it was, and I had not t. - -
my way clearly out Of it. Events had
followed each other too rapidly.
The mement Bill clinched, as they
called it, felt he had made mistake.
Old memories of by-gone fights rose
up, and as they rose | elevated Will
liam on my hip and dropped him clat-
tering on the floor, much to his own
establishment and that of the school.
Rise up, William, p" said, land hold
out your hand.''
He sprang to his feet and cried: You
just try that again.
Once more we clinched, and once
more he lost his feet, and once more he
lay on the floor.
There, have accommodated you.
Now oblige me by getting up and hold
ing out your hand. y
This time he tried to strike me, but
/ lodged that, clasped him lovingly
again, and flung him at full length.
He evidently regretted that he had
taken off his coat, for the floor was
hard. He made for the door, but lost
time by going around for his discarded
coat. [ reached the door first, locked
it and put the key in nv pocket. Some
of the girls had begun to cry, and all
the boys sat breathless. Bill looked
Hurried and somewhat the worse for
wear
''Hold out your hand, William" I
said as he approached. To my asAsn-
ishment, he held out his hand, but he
instantly thrust it further and took me
around the body completely to my
surprise. He raised me from the floor
and only grapevine twist around his
leg saved me. We surged back and
forth a moment, till got my feet on
the floor and instantly [ had him on
the hip once more. felt my strength
rapidly leaving me, so with final sur
preme effort flung him without mer-
cy on the hard floor and there he lay
while / leaned painting against the
wall. AS he showed no signs of get
ting up took 4 dipper from the pail
which always stands near the door in
a country school-house, and threw the
cold water in his face.
He raised himself and leaned with
one hand on the floor, dying Gladiator
fashion, and seemed at o loss to know
just where the discussion had left off.
[ helped him to collect his ideas by
saying:
"William, get up and hold out your
hand"
He rose somewhat painfully, as Rip
Van Wrinkle did after he oversight him
self, and busting off his clothes, he
held out his hand rather sheepishly. |
hadn't strength enough left to thrash
him if I wanted to. / said:
Il don't want to whip a big boy like
you. You know what you ought to do
as well as can tell you. If you go to
your seat I'll say no more about it. I'll
let you off easy this time"
He felt obviously of the back of his
head to see if it was in place, said
''thank YOU with grim grin and went
to his seat.
Such was the intellectual status of
that neignborhood that freceived more
congratulations for my little debate
with Bill Trimmins than for all the
brilliant educating I did for two years
after.-By an cd Pedagogate, IN Detroit
Free Press.