The Democratic advocate., 1884-07-19

SaW-nlll or q DOller Hlaker Shop, OF SOME
such occupation, that was quieter and more
soothing than the one was in. All at
once the noise ceased and on looking up
saw Bill Trimmins, the biggest and worst
boy in the school, was sitting on desk
with his feet on the seat he ought to have
sat on This was direct defiance of au-
thority that could not be ignored. Bill
was the only son of his father, and Old
Man Trimmins had no more control over
him than had. Bill could have thrashed
me quite easily, and knew it,
''William," l said, somewhat wearily,
''would you oblige me by sitting down on
the seat"
"Thank you" said Bill, 'Tm quite com
Portable where I am"
There was a litter around the room at
this remark, which was doubtless consider
ed the very choicest of wit.
"William," said, rising, II will have
to punish you if you don't take your seat
as you ought
He grinned at this absurdity and said
swell, guess you'll never have better
chance"
1 walked to where he sat in his elevated
seat.
s'Hold out your hand.
He laughed.
[ struck him smart rap oyerthe knuck-
les with the ruler. This so enraged him
that he threw down his slate 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 way the authority of the
district-was the embodiment, as it were,
of law and order, and that indefnable some
thing he was Just enough afraid of to hes
itate about striking, so he clinched me in
stead. OF course quite agree with you
that there could not be more demoraliz-
ing sight for a school to see than fight
between teacher and pupil, hutthere it was,
and l had not time to see my way clearly
out of it. Events had followed each other
too rapidly.
The moment Bill clinched, as they called
it, felt he had made mistake. Old
memories of by-gone fights rose up, and |
elevated William on my hip and dropped
him Gathering on the floor, much to his
own astonishment and that of the school,
'Rise up, William I said, "and hold
out your hand. "
He sprang to his feet and cried: "You
just try that again"
Once more we clinched, once more he
lost his feet, and once more he lay on the
floor.
''There, l have accommodated you Now
oblige me by getting up and holding out
your hand,
This time he tried to strike me, but l
lodged that, clasped him lovingly again,
and flung him at full length He evident
ly 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 my pocket.
Some of the girls had begun to cry, and all
the boys sat breathless. Bill looked fur
ried and somewhat the worse for wear.
"Hold out your hand, William" said,
as he approached. To my astonishment,
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 moment, till l got my feet on
the floor and instantly | had him on the
hip once more. 1 felt my strength rapidly
leaving me, so with final supreme effort
flung him without mercy on the hard floor,
and there he lay while l leaned painting
against the wall. As he showed no signs
of getting up, took dipper from the
pail which always stands near the door in
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 loss to know just where
the discussion had left off. I helped him
to collect his ideas by saying:
"Wilham, get up and hold out your
hand"
He rose somewhat painfully, as Rip Van
Winkle did after he oversight himself, and,
dusting off his clothes, he held out his
hand rather sheepishly. hadn't strength
left to thrash him if | wanted to. | said
~ don't want to whip big boy like you.
You know what you ought to do as well
as | could 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.
When | got back to my desk the whole
school seemed to whirl round and round
and l felt the ringing in my ears that a
person feels when sinking in the water.
However, came to the surface all right,
and when the school-house became stable
once more / noticed that the pupils were
more industriously attending to their les
sons.
Such was the intellectual status of that
neighhorhood that l received more CON
gratulations for my little debate with Bill
Trimmins than for all the brilliant educa-
ting did for two years after.
MUSTARD PLAsTERs- old and
quite eminent physician says: ''How many