The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1888-10-27
THE TEACHERS COURAGE.
What Took it Away and How She Re-
gained 1t.

ing for you ever since / heard the first
halloo from the schoolhouSe door that
told me it was four o'clock" and Mrs.
Nerryweathcr pushed large easy
chair trifie nearer the cheerful wood
fire cracking on the hearth of her
pretty sewing room, and smiled in
vitingly up at n slight figure standing
in the doorway.
"And grumble all l like?"
"Yes."
"My dress is full OF chalk-dust and
my hands will not feel clean. wash them
as many times rs may. l am all out
of Sorts" and weary, dropping figure
settled down on the low seat in hope
less "A detected manner, quite Mt
variance with its usual air of cheerful
alertness.
They do not appear to be very
grimy," said Mrs Merryweather, glanc-
ing at the small but strengthening
hands as they emerged from u pair of
not very fresh gloves. Fill them with
this for little while, and perhaps it
will rest you," and she tossed n small
balsam cushion into the little school
teachers lap. at is much more likely
to be your brain that is not fresh rather
than your hands, she said, as she
turned again to her sewing. Cant
you rest awhile here, and let us sweep
it clear before you go hame, my dear?
must go on with my mending, but
we can talk in the meantime"
The spicy odors of the sweet balsam
1oated up to the tired head bending
over it; the imprisoned wood-spirit in
the log on the fre-irons hummed n
cheerful song; Mrs. Merryweather's
tent upon its homely work, was very
restful. Presently the little school
teacher laughed softly. Mrs. Merry
weather looked up and smiled respon-
sively.
81 am forgetting to be cross" said
the young lady, meeting her glance.
81 do not think cross the right term
to use," replied Mrs. Merryweather. IL
should say you were tired and trifle
discouraged. Has it been hard
day?n
.Yes, it has; and yet I do not re-
member ever to have started oul with
a better supply of courage and hope
fulness than did this morning"
"And yet there was not enough to
last until tonight" asked Mrs. Merry
weather.
mo, and it has all gone for such
mean, petty little things. too. One
does not mind using his ammunition
in q good cause against "A worthy foe,
and he glores in conquest; but my
day has been full of failures, and /
know / have wasted my stores"
"Do not be so sure of that, my dear.
Give me some of the particulars of the
campaign
81 scarcely know where to begiE,
but / think it was Tommy Bangs who
first weakened my defences. He told
me lie."
"Only one?" asked Mrs. Merry
weather
The little teacher looked up in sur
prise.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Only that / should think that very
small allowance for Tommy Bangs,
when you remember that his whole
family are addicted to the same habit
and always have been. Instead of feel
ing discouraged you should be very
glad at having reduced him to one"
"But | have been working steadily
for two years TO break that boy of such
dreadful habit, and / thought he was
cured. He had no excuse for lying to
sarily and treated harshly, but /
thought he cared enough for me to be
truthful for my sake if not for honors
sake, though have tried to teach him
the latter. 1t discouraged me more
than you would imagine; Icannot bear
to think of that boys future"
"My dear" said Mrs. Merryweather,
solemnly. "the Lord is responsible for
Tommy Bangs and his future. You
have done your work in showing tho
boy the right path, setting high
ideal before him. Keep up to your own
standard. and hold out helping hand
TO the child just SO long as he is near
enough To grasp it, but don't show
your own lack of confidence by getting
disheartcned so easily. / dare say now
Tommy was sorry; once he would not
even have known enough to recognize
his own fault. You surely cannot
count him failure; only one lie day!
What next?"
The little teacher shook her head
slowly. 81 am not convinced" she
said.
.'You will be when you grow older"
answered Mrs. Merryweather. "and
your two years of helpfulness to Tom
my Bangs will be one of the pleasant
est things to remember. No really
good work is ever lost, my dear.
have lived long enough to find that
out"
s.You are good comforter. Mrs.
Merryweather, said the younger We
man. 81 win try and remember that
thought. What nextp you asked me.
Let me think. 1t was before the MORN