The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-11

red odman shirt-a tough-Iooking
fellow. of perhaps % years. as tall as I.
10 pounds heavier. n with muscles
hardened by work. He was evidently
examining the ground. for he behaved
reasonably well. Nance looked tri-
umphant. but did nothing to call for a
reprimand during the morning session.
In the afternoon Mahaney was in his
seat in the back row against the wall.
and two other young woOdsmen were
beside him. Nance began early. as
soon as the school was called to order,
signalling to Mahaney. passing notes.
and generally doing everything she
could to make me speak to her. I said
nothing to her until after the first class
in reading had finished its recitation.
Nance was cutting up her worst. but I
pretended not to notice IL as I walked
with a careless air up the aisle nearly
to where Mahaney was sitting. I still
had i'm my hand the thick. heavy read
ing book that I had used in the recita-
ton. Nance too occasion to turn In
her seat and throw a paper wad direct
ly past me at Mahaney.
Nancy Groton. go out into the floor
I said.
she laughed. flung her head back.
and remained in her seat. I repeated
my command, but she only looked at
me defiantly. Tom Mahaney thought IL
time to declare himself.
That's right! Don't yer go a step.
Nance he shouted. rising from his seat
as he spoke. He dassent'-
That was as far as he got. The
Towne's fourth reader | had been hold
ing in my hand landed full in his face.
and then I came in after Il with the
left! right, that ] had been practicing
for a year and a half against such an
emergency. I had got the chance at
last to pay out on Nance's champion
all the anger I had been bottling up
through her six weeks persecution OF
me. and 1 made the most Of IL, ham
mering him with both hands six times
to the second. He was pinioned by the
desk before him. Inc confused by the
s~uddenness with which I had begun
the fight. but he showed some pluck
his girl was looking pm. remember-and
though he was badly punished. he got
into the aisle at last. Then. as he faced
me and tried to rush in to clinch. I
landed the blow on his Jaw IN set
tied the fight. He fell on his face. and
before he realized what was going on.
/ a caught him by the collar. dragged
him down the aisle across the floor, and
thrown him out into the snow.
II closed the outer door and came
back into the school room. All the
" y ~ NAA't staNSs dllh tAttDN
for the sobs of some OF the girls who
were crying, the room was as quiet as
the grave. Nance Groton sat I'm her
place as pale as a sheet. and the two
big fellows who had come with Ma
honey to see him have fun with me
were white about the gills. and looked
as II they would like to be somewhere
else. But there was more for me to
do. | took from my desk the long.
heavy ruler that served as a ferule i'm
cases where corporal punishment was
required.
Name Groton. come out into the
floor ] said. and she came. talter-
ing.
Hold out your hand
h extended her hand. palm upward.
j took hold of IL by the finger tips. and
lifted the ruler-but | did not let IL fall.
Instead I talked To her-told her how
her conduct had injured the school and
me, and most of all. herself. l did not
speak harshly. hut IL seems as II I
must have spoken impressively, for
presently she was crying. and well.
j had taken solid comfort t%hrlsning
Mahaney when my fighting blood Was
up, and, that done. | found that al
my resentment against Nance had de-
parted. When she softened and cried.
! found IL a little hard to go on with
my talking. | laid my ruler on tile
desk.
'You may go home for the rest O.
the day. If you wish. Nancy I said { o
her kindly. I hope YOU will come To
school tomorrow and we will try to-
gether to make up for lost time in your
studies
"She went home. taking her hooks
with her. Mahaney's two r~ed-shirted
friends had slipped away while I vas
talking to Nancy. ! thought she would
not come back and II must have cost
her a great effort, but the next core
ing h was i'm her seat at school with
her lessons well learned. / never had
a better pupil than Nancy Groton was
from that day on. She showed an anti
tude in learning that I had never sus-
pected, n a college mate of mine who
taught the school the next winter gave
the best report Of her conduct 10 me.
1T Is needless to say that the school
came back to a healthy state OF dis
cipline and good order after the ring
leader i'm mischief had thrown up hCr
hands. and IL closed six weeks later
with the encomiums OF the committee.
Mahaney I never saw again. He stay
ed az home until his face got some
what presentable. and then went awav.
His experience at the sen Dol cost him
his reputation as a fighter and his girl.
for Nancy Groton married another and
much likelier man; n wise thin IN her
part. though II might seem a little I'M
grateful toward the man vino got
soundly thrashed for taking her part"
New York sun.