The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1886-12-17

and rubbed his eyes.
eWhy, Tommy, what is the meaning
of this?n said Miss Burton in a kind
voice, for the boy was one of her
brightest pupils, and she knew some
thing about his home life He was a
tall boy for his age, little under seven
Gall the children in Miss Burton's room
were under seven), with a face that
might have been any fathers pride;
such handsome, open countenance, in
spite of its griminess, aud the thick
locks of matted, unkempt hair which
fell over his brow.
please, teacher, I didn't mean to 90
to sleep, but l wor so tiredr'
'How is that?"
81 didn't 90 to bed till long past
| twelve last night, and father he woke
me at five to light the fire, COS mother
couldn't get up, eos she amt we'll"
''What kept you up so late?''
81 had to mind the baby
''Where was your mOther?"
"Please, teacher, mother went to the
! Dolphin to fetch father, and they didn' t
! come out till they was turned out, and
| then father and mother had a row, and
| he knocked her spinning, and she's bad
| to-day, she is. -
"And was there nobody to look after
| the baby but you?"
mo, COS the lady what lives in the
next room she's gone away, and the
baby cried so as l took it and sat on the
doorstep till mother come in, and then
/ it didn't stop. Father said he'd chuck
| it out o. the window if mother didn't
| quiet its row."
1.-The boy spoke in a quiet, matter-of-
| fact tone. Why not? He was used to
| his life; such scenes were of daily oc-
currence and if the previous nights
! experiences had been a trifle worse
! than usual there was one comfort to
/ be derived from them-his mother was
too i'll to get drunk that day, at least.
You may 90 to your place., said the
| teacher quietly. Il am going to give
| out the sums. Annie Blake, what are
| you crying fOr?"
The little girl addressed vouchsafed
no reply, but after a little hesitation
! the child who occupied the next seat
volunteered the information that Annie
Blake felt sick.
Miss Burton called the little girl to
/ her side. "What is the matter, Annie?
/ have you had anything to disagree with
you?"
The child shook her head. She was
/ very clean and tidily dressed, though
/ III NOAOAAt BtAtNAONA 81 AAAOAAbo"
''What did you have for breakfast"
Nothing, teacher" said the little
| girl, looking up with timid eyes.
'Mother couldn't give US any this
morning, because all the bread was
gone"
lis your father out of work?"
Eyes, teacher, he's got a bad foot. "
Miss Burton led the child into the
! head-mistress' private room and gave
her a roll out of the bag that contained
! her own lunch. ''Sit down and eat
that, and if l can manage it I will 90
round and see your mother after
school,
The teachers heart ached as she re-
turned to the schOol-rOOm. 1t was
horrible to think of a child, little more
than a baby, sent breakfastless to
school She knew well the extreme
| deshtution there was among many of
the children, for the school was stu
ated in very poor neighborhOod. She
did what little she could to relieve the
most pressing cases in her own room,
but it was only drop of kindness in
an ocean of distress. Returning to the
schoOl-rOom, Miss Burton stood still
I for a moment at the open door. The
! children had taken advantage of her
! temporary absence to vacate their
/ places, and were amusing themselves
/ in various ways. And worse than all,
at the other door, leading from the
main corridor, stood the Inspector, the
man whom they all dreaded because of
his influence in high quarters, and be-
cause of his cold, calculating nature,
which regarded the maintenance of
discipline as the first law of the uni
verse. There he stood, his light, in
quiring eyes calmly taking in the whole
scene.
Good morning. Miss Burton. I'm
afraid my call is rather inoppOrtune
May 1 ask, do the children often dis
port themselves in this manner?''
Miss Burton cOlOred at the sarcastic
tone, but replied quietly:
1T is very unusual. l had occasion
to take a child away who felt i'll, and
am sorry to see that the others have
behaved badly during my absence"
Hum! Perhaps it would have been
better if you had sent a monitor, instead
of leaving the room yourself. Kindly
place the children; | wish to examine
them. That is right. Now, children,
attention! Wait! Do 1 see a boy
| asleepP"
Miss Burton once more reused Tom
my Carter, at the same time endeavor-
ing to explain soto voce to the In
spector the reason of the little fellow S
fatigue.
Yes, yes" he said in his lofty but
polite voice; zone hears so many of
these kinds of stories-generally ex-
cuses for idleness, you know.'a
''But | believe, | am almost positive,
this boys story is correct, for his par
ents are both
Pardon me, but should never get
through my duties if l stayed to listen
to all the stories the children bring. The
way to do the work in a place of this
kind is to 60 straight on, regardless of
obstacles, and, above every thing, to
discountenance chatter"
But we are bound, in fairness, to
listen to any reasons the children may
have to account for their absence, late
arrival, etc, objected the teacher
with a shade of warmth, otherwise |
should have punished n little girl Just
now for crying because she had no
food since Yesterday
Il am really afraid. Miss. Burton, -
said Mr. Chilblud, impressively, "that
you are a little too sensitive for your
post Think of the cause in which you
are enrolled as one of the workers, the
education of the masses-a truly noble
/ WoAh. 10 hOt, pray you, SHdL pen
your feelings on the woes, real or i'm
aginary, of individual cases"
but, said the teacher, bravely, lit
is with individual cases one must deal.
How can l compel a child to work
whose eyes are heavy and limbs weary
Tor want of rest and proper nourish-
mentP What can one expect from the
lie exhausted systems Of these babies?n
Madam, you know the schedule
1t was arranged with a proper knowl-
/ nac-. Of --knt con ha aud l. done hN