Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-03-20

1
bravely. though she could scarcely
stand up.
81 guess all the furnishing you could
do wouldn't break any of my bones, p"
replied the rufian, leering at her i'm
pudently.
But / can break your bones for you
in half minute. and I'll do IL il you
don't stand and read as the teach
er asked you to-" said a voice at the
other end Of the class, and Alice look
ed in that direction aud saw jim Tur-
ner step from ,hc class and lace the as
tonished Nose.
Moses lnsolent manner abated in an
instant, his face turned pale. and he
mu tered something about not being
"bossed by other bows" but he s.ood
up as he was commanded.
Alice could have kissed her young
champion for very gratitude, but she
mustered ali the dignity she coull com-
mand, and said:
"Mr. Turner, | cannot allow you to
inter ero in the management OF my
school; take your seat. "
Tho youth obeyed without a word,
but kept his eve on Mose, as if watch.
ing for any delinquency. After this 1t
ils episode the exercises proceeded
without interruption II noon.
AL &C hal no appetite for dinner.
She leaned her throbbing head upon
the desk and wondered YEARLY how
long she coull endure this.
She was aroused by one of the little
giiis running up TO her, exclaiming.
"Teacher, teacher. the big boys are
fighting" She followed the child, ex-
claiming, ''Oh, why did ever come in
to such den of wild beastsP" At the
rear of the school-house stood Jim Tur-
ner engaged in a hand-to-hand combat
with Nose Bradley and his two BROTH
ers, both of whom were grown. As
Alice stepred around the corner Jim
sent Nose reeling to the earth and then
turned like lion upon his two remain
ing assailants. They rushed at him
from two sides, but Jim was as active
as panther. and Bill Bradley fell as
If shot, from left-handed blow, and
his brother Tom followed him in an in
slant. BY this time Nose had secured
q ball bat and rushed upon Jim, but
the latter evaded the blow, and
wrenching the bat from his hand
knocked Nose headlong with blow of
| his fist.
As the discounted trio arose Jim
laughed lightly, and asked them show
they liked it as far as they had got"
| picked up the bat he had taken from
Nose and called out, Come on, boys,
let's have game of ball.
The combat ended SO quickly that
Alice had no chance to interfere, but
she felt that it would not do to let this
| open violation OF school rules pass un-
| punished, so she rang the bell. When
| the pupils were assembled she callel
the culprits up to the desk, and asked
what the fight was about and who be-
gan it. The Bradleys stood sui en- and
silent, but Jim answered, Il woull
rather not tell what 1t was about. but l
began it by knocking Nose Bradley
down. Alice knew the fight was the
result of J.m's espousal of her cause in
the reading class, and her voice falter-
ed as she said: "Then l shall have to
punish you; hold out your hand"
Jim obeyed her instantly. She took
| up the ruler with trembling hand
and began the punishment Jim's face
never changed muscle. The look
upon it was one Of quiet obedience in
| which there was no trace of either bra
vado 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 befriend
her in that lawless region.
Her face grew pale, the blows fell
falteringly, the tears began to mn
down her cheeks, the ruler fell from
her hand, she sank into her seat, bur-
led her face into her hands, and burst
into q storm of sobs.
Then Jim's countenance changed.
His lip quivercd, he dashed his hand
across his ewes to clear them of unnat-
ural dimness. and the great lump in
his throat seemed to choke him. A
chuckle from Nose Bradley recalled
his self-possession, however, and he
took step or two toward the latter
with eyes that fairly blazed with hot
indignation.
Nose rapidly retreated step or two,
and his .chuckle died an untimely
death, and Tor full minute s.l,nce
reigned over the school-room. At last
Alice raised her head and in q broken
voice dismissed the pupils to the play
ground.
As the children passed out she heard
some say, 80 you've got whipping
after ali, 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 despa r; but no school
ever moved more smoothly than did
her school, that afternoon. Quiet oDe-
dience, study, good lessons, and res-
pectful attention were universal. But
Alice had determined to quit the school;
she felt rs if she wouli rather be the
poorest washerwoman than to be bad :.
cred, bullied, and tortured for months
at a time by set OF brutal rufiians,
whose parents employed her for the
sole purpose of enduring this martyr
dom.
So when Alice locked the school,
ho.se door that evening 1t was with
mingled feeling of relief and humiia-
ton That she started to offer her resi- -
nation to the directors. As she left
the school-house she saw Jim Turner
few wards ahead of her walking RI ridly
toward home. She called his name,
and h. respectfully waited until she
had oyectaken him. '.Mr. Turner"
she said, I'm going away in the MORN
ing, and wish to thank you for your
brave defense of me at the school to.
day. and to ask your forgivenessfor the