The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1884-05-07

uPpci ohNuBc vi III ut uluu uult.
One day a tramp circus man taugh
me some valuable wrestling tricks M
iavorite was hip-lock, which invariabl
brought to earth the opposite party
The beauty Of it was that when once yo
raised your opponent off his feet 70,
could lay him out in almost any styl
you chose. He was perfectly helpless
despite his struggles, the moment Vol
got him III the air, and then it was de
hghtful after literally keeping him il
suspense TO lay him fiat on the proun(
III any particular style that fancy sup
gested. This point, however, was no
lasting for the boys after tumbling 10 /
in various attitudes generally "tumblet
to 1t, as the slang phrase has it, ant
then It's usefulness was at an end. Still
1t was always n wonderful accomplish
ment in new school, and on several oc
casions, although | was terrible
coward, | gained victory over my op.
ponent by clinching and hiplocking him
and then pummeling him in such rapid
succession that the fight was over before
he thought it had begun.
Although boys will fight like tigers
among themselves. it is rare that one OF
them summons up courage enough to at
tack their common enemy, the teacher.
Only once in my varied experience as a
schoolmastcr did boy set out to thrash
me, and that occasion | shall never for
| gct-and i don't suppose he will either.
taught wild school in a backwoods
district one winter when, physically, |
was scarcely able TO teach. | had had a
severe illness and WAS back at my desk
again before / had fully recovered my
strength. lave often been panied to
observe that the average boy has little
consideration for the weak, and nv
school seemed to think that because /
wasn't able to give them their regular
ratlons of birch they might do pretty
much rs they plcascd-and they did.
One day / felt that my control Of the
school was gone. The noife that was
unable to quell kind Of dazcd me, MS I
sat there feeling completely i'll and help.
less. felt that had better resign aud
get into saw.mill or boiler makers
shop, or some such occupation, that was
quicter and more soothing ihan the one
was i'll. All at once the noise ceased
and on looking up saw that Bill Trim
minis, the biggest and worst boy in the
school, wns sitting on desk with his
feet on the seat he ought TO have sat on.
This was direct defiance OF authority
that could not he ignored, Bill was the
only son of his father, and Old Man
Trmmlns had no more control over him
than mad. Bill could have thrashed
me quite easily, and knew it.
civilian" said, somewhat YEARLY,
"would You oblIgo me by sitting down
on the seat"
"Thank you," said Bill, "Tm quite
comfortable where am. II"
There was litter around the room al
this remark, which was doubtless con.
sidcrcd the very choicest Of wit.
"WiIliam," | said, rising, 81 will
have to punish you if you don't take
your seat as you ought"
He grnned at this absuriity and
said
"Wcll, / guess you'll never have
better chance"
] walked to where he sat in his elc
waited seat
"Ilold ont your hand"
He laughed.
struck him n smart rap over the
knnckles with the ruler. This 80 en-.
ragged him that he threw down bis
slate, Jumped into the aisle, and with an
oath flung of his coat. rctreated back
to the dcsl; and he followed. With nil
his brnvndO he was afraid to hit me n
square blow which would have settled
the matter there and then. He was not
afraid Of me personally, but | repre-.
scented in way the authority of the dis.
trlct-was the embodiment, MS it were.
OF law and order, and that indefinable
something he was Just enough afraid of
to hesitate about striking, so he clinched
me Instead. Of course | qnite agree
with you that there could not be more
d"morallzlng sight for u school to see
than n fight between teacher and pupil.
but there 1t was, and had not time to
sec my way clearly ont of it. Events
had followed each other too rapidly.
The moment Bill clinched, AZ they
called it, ! felt he had made mistake.
Old memories of by-gone fights rose up.
md as they rose elevated William on
my hip and dropped him Gathering on
the floor, much to his own establishment
and that Of the school.
"liise up, William, said, "and hold
out your hand
He sprang to his feet and cried:
"fon just try that again"
Once moro we clinched, once more he
lost his feet, and once more he lay on
the floor.
"Thore, have accommodated Won.
Now obigo me by getting up and hold.
ing out your hand"
This time he tried 10 strike me. but I
lodged that, clasped him lovingly again,
md flung him Mt full length. He eyi.
lentlv regretted that he had taken of
lis coat, for the floor was hard. He
made for the door, but lost time by 20.
ng around for his discarded coat. T
cached the door first, locked it and mt
:" my P'Shct. Dolne Oh the |
girls had begun to cry, and all the bows
sat breathless. Bill looked Hurried and
the worse for wear.
Hold out your hand, William."J
SAID, as he approached. To my aston.
lshment, he held out his hand, hut be
instantly thrust it further and took me
around the body, completely to my sur.
prise. He raised me from the floor and
only a grapevine twist around his leo
saved me. We surged back and forth
moment, till ! got my feet on the floor
nd instantly / had him on the hip once
lore. L felt my strength rapidly leav.
ig me, so with final supreme effort 7
nng HIM without mercy on the hard
DOR, and there he lay while / leaned
inting against the wall. As he showed
signs Of getting up, l took dipper
ON the pail which always stands near
o door In country school. house. and
rev the cold water in his face.
He raised himself and leaned with one
nd ON the floor, dying Gladiator
IL