The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1884-12-11
[Blackwood's Magazine.1
TOMM Y

There was poor old widow who
lived near the school, half blind
nearly wholly deaf, crippled with
rheumatism, living only on the parish
half-crown and loaf, and the sale OF
few eggs and poultry she reared
She had nearly white hair; the cata,
ract in her eyes made them blear, and
gave vacant expression to her face
| How the unfortunate creature man.
aged to live through the winter was a
wonder to me, as she was too poor to
be able to afford fuel, and too blind to
collect sticks. This unfortunate
creature was the object of mockery-.t to
the ill-conditioned boys of the school,
who played on her numerous practi-
cal jokes. At one time they stole her
eggs and sucked them, at another
they pelted and killed her goslings.
They carried away her little winter
store Of frewood to make their Guy
Fawkes bonfire. They pelted her
with snow-balls. One day they laid a
moose on the ground before her, and
when she unwittingly put her stick
into the loop, they pulled it, frightened
the moose about the staff and whipped
it out Of her hand, so that she fell on
her face in the road, which was newly
metalled. The aged woman was una
BILE to rise without assistance, and
then it was found that her forehead
was cut and bleeding, and that she
had broken her remaining teeth.
[ discovered the author of this
wanton piece Of wickedness, and gave
them a good hiding. My blood boiled
with Indignation. There were five
boys concerned in the matter-the
same who had killed her goslings in
the spring and had stolen her firewood
in November.
That settled matters.
The offence had been committed
out Of school hours and out Of school
bounds. | had no jurisdiction over
the boys when they left the precincts
of the school. | was summoned by
all the parents of the boys | had chas-
tised, and had to appear before the
magistrates in the petty sessions. |
was unable to obtain an advocate, be-
ing without the means of paying for
one The plaintiffs were ably repre-
sented by local solicitors. A harrow
ing picture was painted of my fe-
rocity, and Of the tortures to which |
had subjected the boys. The condl-
ton Of the parts Of their person
operated upon was described graph
ically, and very highly charged with
color.
defended myself to the best Of my
ability The magistrates then pro-
nounced sentence. The chairman
said that the cases were proved against
me; that there was no doubt | had
exceeded my powers. and had acted
with injudicious and intemperate vio-
lence. The laws Of England were not
framed for the protection of the weak
and helpless. The old woman, if
aggrieved, was able to prosecute those
who had wronged her. (As if she
was capable of doing sol AS if in
her blindness she could find out the
culpritsD The laws of England did
not encourage Quixotic interference
in behalf of the old, infrm, and poor;
they discouraged it in every way.
There could be no doubt that | had
acted in manner wholly unjustifia-
bic and illegal. The Bench, there
fore, on mature deliberation. had re-
solved to fine me e2 for each assault,
aud costs; that amounted to g1Q, Is.
cd. | paid the money. / had that
morning received my discharge from
the school copmittee, and my salary
for the quarter | paid the fine, and
found that | was left with 3@d. in my
pocket.
As | walked away, | reviewed my
conduct. In all | had done, I had
followed the dictates Of CONSCIENCE.
| had tried to be honorable. truthful,
and to do good. | had been a Tommy
in that situation Would Harry have
tried to make the dirty children clean
and the ribald children godly? Would
he have eschewed tricks, savoring of
dishonesty, towards parents and board?
Would he have interfered to protect
the old widow? Would he not rather
have shut his eyes and passed by on
the other side? [ was sure of it; and
I was sure also that he would have
been favorite with the parents,
would have ingratiated himself into
the good will of the committee, would
have obtained glowing report fro Il
the inspes stor, and large grant from
Whitehall. [ was quite sure also
that he. would never have been had
up before the magistrates for the pro-
lection Of the feeble and helpless, and
would not have keen dismissed his
post with ignominy. No! he would
never have taken the post with the
stipulation that it should be ''on
trial." and if he had been required to
leave it, would haye walked away
with a quarters unearned salary in
his pocket, and not. like me, with
threepence thrae=farthings!
Mo- Harry, on resigning his
sphere of usefulness, where he had
discharged his duties with such exem-
plary faithfulness as to win the ad-
miration Of ALL" would have been
presented with an electro-plate cruet-
stand by the rector, time-piece by
the committee. and half-a-dozen
spoons and forks by the parents.
The only person who at all favored
me was the rector, and only in timid
and vacillating manner. The rector
was one of those typical parsons who
either have no opinions of their own,
OR who, having opinions, have not the