Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1884-06-26

the circumstances. always taugh
school on a somewhat free and easl
manner | allowed ample opportunity
for free speech and encouraged it, ant
| never laid any claims to that infalibili
ty which many teachers surround them
selves with. Boys are quick to detect
humbug, and teacher never loses pres
tige with them by admitting that hi
doesn't know everything. Although the
incident l have alluded to consumed the
greater part of a valuable forenoon,
never thrashed another boy there, anC
when l asked the pupils afterward who
did any particular thing. some one in
stsntly sprang to his feet and said:
81 did, sir"
PALAABLR HIT.
Although boys have many noble quail
tiles if they are rightly brought out, YET
regret to say that my experience OF
them conviDces me that most boys are
cruel and tyrannical. Nothing delights
a schOlar-a big bOy-so much as to bully
ateacher. Il is the height of a boy's
ambition. Haven't done it hundreds
of times myself? Next to that, the
domineering over small boys is source
of deep and lasting delight.
One January took my place in new
school, and l was panied to notice that
the smaller boys were mercilessly snow
balled by the big iubbers who lorded it
over both school room and yard. So well
established was this tyrannical rule that
L found the poor little beggars were
afraid to answer my questions about the
matter even when privately put. Con-
sequently, although l like to encourage
manly sports, 1 was forced to forbid
snow balling entirely. AS it was early
in the session, and as the big boys had
been in the habit of assisting in the gov
ernment of the school, and as their ideas
on the subject of snow balling were not
in accord with mine, and as it bad not
yet been settled who was to run the
school that year, need hardly state that
the order WAS not Obeyed. Next noon 1
went ints the yard as soon as school was
dismissed and found large pile of snow
balls heaped up like cannon balls at a
fort. They were most cruel missiles, ,hav-
ing been dipped in water at the forenoon
and allowed to harden in
the interim. picked one up, intending
to bring it in with me and show the utter
barbarity of f1inging such balls.
"WhO made these snow balls 2" / asked
4 small boy.
Casting frightend look around him,
ne answered under his breath:
Jim Higgins, sir"
jim was the biggest and worst boy in
he school, and l thought that if it came
o tussel between us, as felt it. newt
ably would, there was every chance that
Jim would get the best of me. L make
40 bones of the fact that 1 was afraid of
lIm. and l had endeayOred quite unSuc
,essfully to propitiate him during the
week that school had been going on. At
his moment Jim entered the yard,
queezing snow ball with his hands be
'weeD bis knees after the manner of
,oys who want to make hard one. He
vas going to his pile when he noticed me
tanding by it, when ne stopped, straight
med up and looked at me moment as
he hesitated whether to drop the ball
II brazen it out. The silence and the
yes of the whole school on him braced
lin up and he cried:
Master, gimme leave?
"CsrtaiHly."
With movement like lightning he
lung the snow ball directly at my head.
ducked like flash, but the ball took
he rim off my hat and plastered it
gainst the neighbOring fence. / had
'een no slouch of a snow baller myself in
ny youthful days, but l never flung a
'all with such vengeance as that. l
prang erect ami said:
'.NOw it's your turn" and sent my ice
'olt at him as sif it had come from can
Ion. He ducked, of course. but l had |
alculated on that, and the ball hit him |
quare on the ear with thud that made
ny heart stand still. He flung his arms |
yer his head and rell back against the |
ate by which he had just entered. His |
ace was pale and he gasped for breath. |
Although with set teeth and tears in his |
yes, he smiled a CHASTITY smile.
20, MASTER" he half sobbed, your arms |
heavy one"
"You see, Jim," said, with a light
ess l did not feel, snow balls, like |
come home to roOst."
"They do that" gasped Jim, as he
oked the crushed ice cut of his ear with
is forefnger, land they roost mighty
old, you bet"
He was grit clear through and never
When school was assembled l said:
"Boys, the trustees hired me to teach
he young idea how to shoot. | have |
iven Jim, there, Il lesson on shooting |
hat, if it didn't, as is TOO often the case,
o in at one ear and out at the other, came
cry near doing so. In some years at the
saching business l have got into the
abit of having my own way. You
eem to have got into the same perni-
ious habit. am getting old and its /
ard for me to acquire new habits. You
re young and it's easy. Now, if L don't
ave my own way there will be trouble.
| do there will be peace. The decision
ssts with you. What do you say, Jim?"
Jim was still pale eand Il little shaky on
is pins, and l noticed with sorrow that
is ear was cut.
"Well," he drawled out, I'm for peace,
or the rest of the day, at least. I'm in
svor of giving the master Il fair show
1r the winter guess if we don't he'll
AXE it anyhow. l don't want to be hit
'ith the side of the school house again"
':Jim,'' said /, as he sat down, I'm
fraid you've been SHOW balling again.
won't say anything about it this time,
ut it had better stop. Some one will
ct hurt"
81 expected old Higgins would be
own next day with shot gun, but 1
ever heard of the matter again. l
ont think Jim ever told him. He was
lucky and we had peace.-~An Old
edagOgue," in Detroit Free Press.
GEO. w. CABLE spent Sunday with