The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1884-05-20
81 can read Just as we'll sittin' down."

the incipient rebellion.
81 reckon you will have to make a new
rule for me, then," impudently answered
Nose, glancing sideways at his compan-
ions with grin Of triumph
"If you do not obey me shall be
obliged to punish you," said Alice brave
ly, though she could scarcely stand up.
81 guess all the furnishing you could
do wouldn't break any of my bones,'
replied the ruffian, leering at her impu
IDENTIFY.
"But l can break your bones for you
in half minute, and I'll do it if you
don't stand and read as the teacher asked
the class, and Alice looked in that direc-
tion and saw Jim Turner step from the
class and face astonished Nose.
Noses insoleut manner abated in an
instant, his face turned pale, and he NUT
tered something about not being bossed
by other boys" but he stood up az he
was commanded.
Alice could have kissed her young
champion for gratitude, but she mustered
all the dignity she could command and
said:
Mr. Turner, | cannot allow you to in
terfere 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 cpl
sode the exercises proceeded without in
tcrrnption 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:
"Tcachcr, teacher, the big boys are fight
ingr' She followed the child, cxclaim-
ing: "Oh, why did ever come into such
den of wild beasts 2" At the rear of
the school house stood jim Turner en-
gagged in a hand-tohand combat 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 a lion
upon his two remaining aSSailants. They
rushed at him from two sides, but Jim
was aS active az a panther, and Bill Brad
ley fell as if shot, from left-handed
blow, aud his brother Tom followed him
in IN instant. By this time Nose had
secured "a ball bat and rushed upon jim,
but tn" latter cvaded the blow, and
wrenching the bat from his hand knocked
Nose healong with blow of his tsi.
As the discomfittrd trio arose Jim
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 ont, "Comc on, boys,
lets have game of ball"
The combat ended 40 quickly that Alice
had no chance to interfere, but she felt
that it would not do to let tnis open vio-
lation OF school rules pass unpun>hcd, so
She rang the bell. When the pupils were
assemble she called the culprts up to
the desk, and asked what the fight was
about and who began it. The 6ralleys
stood sullen and silent, but jim answered.:
81 would rather not tell what it was
about, but 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
faltered as she said "Then shall have
to punish you; hold out your hand'
Jim obeyed her instantly. She took
up the ruler with a trembling hand and
began the punishment Jim's face never
changed muscle. The look upon it was
obedience, in which there was no trace of
either bravado or sullenness. AS Alice
inflicted the blows on the hand so quietly
held out to her, the thought rushed upon
her mind that she was shifting the only
hand that had been raised to betriend her
in that lawless region.
Her face grew pale, the blows fell
falteringly, the tears began to run down
her cheeks, the ruler fell from her hand,
she sank into her seat, buried her face
into her hands and lurst into a storm of
SobS
Then .Jim's cOuntenance changed. His
lips quivered, he dashed his hand across
his eyes to clear them of unnatural dim
ness, and the great lump in his throat
seemed to choke him. 4 chuckle from
Nose Bradley recalled his self-possession,
however, and he took step or two to-
ward the latter with eyes that fairly
blazed with hot Indignation.
Nose rapidly retreated a step or two
and his chuckle died an untimely death,
and for a full minute silence reigned over
the school room. At last Alice raised
her head and in a broken voice dismissed
the pupils to the play ground.
Az the children passed out she heard
some say, $50 you've got a whipping
after all, Jim," and Jim's reply, "Yes,
and I've got enough to pass some of it
around if anybody is anxious about it,
At o'clock Alice rang the bell with a
feeling of utter despair, but no school
ever moved more smoothly than did her
school that afternoon. Quiet, obedience,
study, good lessons and respectful atten-
ton were universal. But Alice had de-
tcrmined to quit the school she felt as
if she would rather be the poorest washer
woman than to be badgered, bullied and
tortured for months at time by set of
brutal ruffians, whose parents employed
her for the sole purpose of enduring this
martyrdom.
So when Alice locked the school house
door that evening it was with mingled
feeling Of humiliation that she started to
offer her resignation to the Directors. AS
she left the school house she saw Jim
Turner few yards ahead of her walking
rapidly toward home. She called his
name, and he respectfully waited until
she had overtaken him. "Mr. Turner"
she said, "Pm going away in the morning,
and wish to thank you for your brave
defense of me at the school to-day, and to
ask your forgiveness for the punishment
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