News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1885-08-27
WORST BOY IN SCHOOL
BY EBEN Z. REXFoRD.

"We've had good deal o. trouble il
our school for the last two years." sale
Squire Holcomb to the ''new teacher, ,
'but reckon you won't be bothered as
the others were afore We, for we've took
q vote ont and John Emerson aint to bt
lowed to tend. He was the one that
made all the trouble; he's good-for-
nothin', shiftless critter, comes o. poor
stock, an haint no frien's, an there's
no gettin' along with him. | ruther
think you won't have no trouble in keep
in the rest on 'em straight.
ssNo friends, =" repeated Miss wavne.
with thoughtful look in her eyes. "It
is a hard lot to be without friends.
know that; for l have been friendless.
But has no one ever tried to be friend
to this boy you have been telling me
about2"
II ruther guess folks haint put them
selves out much that direction, answered
Squire Holcomb. ''Twouldn't ha'
done no good eff they had. You see,
the Emersons haint amounted to nothin
ever since l knew 'em. OF man Emer-
son, he used to drink like fish, and
sod his father. The women was shift
less, though L never wondered at that
any-most women would ha' been the
same with sech men as they had. faint
none to be wondered at, I s'pose, that
the childurn should be lazy and sassy
and regular nuisances to the hull neigh
borhood. Two on 'em died last year O.
typhoid pneumony, an twas a good
thing for them an ev'rybody else that
they did. There haint but two left
now, John and Nance. Nance's got a
place to work, an I've heard she was
doin' better'n anybody expected she
would. Mebbe, if they could be took
right away from the old folks they'd
mount to somethin', but l dunno, ]
dunno" added the Squire, shaking his
head slowly, whats bred into 'em must
come out, s'pose. There's one good
thing to be said bout John: he won't
tech drop O. hquor-can't be got to nc
way. I wonder at it, seein' how lis
fathers sich an old soaker."
Perhaps he has seen the evil effect.
of it and has profited by the lesson, .
suggested Miss Wayne.
''Mebbe," said the Squire, "but prob
ably he'll git to drinkin' when he gets
Older The appetite II come out strong
when it does come, see if it don't"
81 don't like to think that any one is
excluded from school privileges, +" said
Miss Wayne to the Squire after supper.
~ wonder if I couldn't get along with
this boy 2"
'1d like to know how you'd go to
werk to do it," chuckled the Squire,
looking the little teacher over critically,
''why, the last teacher we had was a
man, six feet high, and he couldn't,
what do you s'pose yeu could do, eh 2"
''How did he try to manage him2'
asked Miss Wayne.
''He gave him mere'n half a dozen
good thrashin's," answered the SQUIRE.
''He took hoss-whip to him twice to
my certain knowledge, but it didn't seem
to do bit o. good-only made him
worse reckon"
81 wouldn't wonder if it did," said
Miss Wayne, with a smile "Where
do the Emersons live? Could I find the
place? would like to see the boy. Such
lad needs an education more than the
children of ordinary parents"
ooh, you can find the Emerson place
easy enough, " answered the Squire, 'but
'twon't do no good. Better pay no at
tention to the boy, say. Hark! some
body's whoopin' down the hill-road an
I'll bet it's John. He's allus maxim
racket an raisin Cain. I'll keep watch,
an eff IT'S him I'll let ye know an YOU
can call him in an hev talk with him.
if yer bound to, though l know't won't
do no good"
''I'd rather talk with him alone, !" said
Miss Wayne. 81 don't think it would
have a good effect to talk with him about
coming to school before others. | find
that such lads are more sensitive than
they get credit for being, as a general
thing"
The Squire smiled little at the idea
of John Emerson being sensitive.
''lt's him, J." he said, as figure came
in sight at the corner of the road. 'I
was sure twas from the hollerin'."
''Ill walk along with him little
way" said Miss Wayne. eff it doesn't
do any good, it certainly will do no harm
to have talk with him."
''No, Is'pose 'twon't, said the Squire
"but you'll be wastin' yer breath. Now
you see # 'taint so"
Miss Wayne put on her hat and went
down the path as John Emerson came
along the road. She gave him nod
and smile. He stared at her with con
siderable surprise. Evidently he was
not used to such notice.
Pm the new teacher" she said.
"school begins on Monday, you know.
| suppose you belong to this district. so.
in one sense you are my property. and I'd
ike to get acquainted with you"