The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1899-08-30
A PIucky Little Pennsylvania Lady
Thirty Years Ago.


About thirty years ago a young
lady who was stranger in the
neighborhood was EN- pioyed to teach
the Stony Point school in East Fin
ley township Washington Co., Pa.
This had the reputation of being
rather good school Of about SO
pupils, located in country district
where society was good. The lady
was small, young, intelligent and
modest with rather a commanding
appearance. She was not in the
neighborhood long until her pleas
ant ways made her many friends,
her school was one of the best, the
pupils respected and obeyed her;
everything went well for a time
Finally a tough boy of about Is who
had been reared in neighboring
town started to school, he was q
town tough indeed. He had no
respect for the teacher, himself, nor
any one else, always tried to pro
yoke and annoy the teacher. The
young lady tried to win him by kind
words, but to no avail One day she
reproved him in kind and polite
way while she was talking to him.
Some of the larger boys saw him
take a large knife from his peck
ct and work it up his sleeve. The
teacher did not notice this. 1t was
not many days until she had oc-
casion to reproye him again. Every
time she spoke 60 him he would do
something worse to provoke her,
until she was compelled to harsher
means. She took small stick that
was in the house and struck him
with it. He caught the stick and
tried to wrench it out of her hand.
When he failed to do this he broke
the stick in pieces and threw them
on the floor. Then he drew a
large knife. The steel blade fairly
glittered in the light. He fastened
his steel gray eyes on the young
lady and said ''strike me again and
/ will cut your heart out" All eyes
were turned on the scene. Neither
hand nor foot moved and all was
still. Oh, think of an innocent
young lady with nothing to defend
herself, standing in easy reach of a
fiendish boy who held deadly
weapon in his hand ready to plunge
it into her heart But she faced him
without showing any sign of EN-
barassment whatever. But looked
at one of the largest boys and asked
him in kind and pleasant tone of
voice if he would get her good
stick. The boy was soon on his way
to the timber which was near by.
The young lady walked away and
called class as though nothing I'M
usual had happened. The fiendish
boy would shake the knife at her,
sometimes he would thrust his ton
que out like serpent. The look of
him was enough to brighten lady
out of her senses But she paid no
attention to him. Presently the boy
returned with stick which proved
to be good hickory of large size.
The lady laid down the book and
took the stick, and walked up to the
vicious boy and in firm tone of
voice requested him to close the
knife and give it to her. There
seemed to be something in the tone
of her voice that unnerved him. He
closed the knife but put itin his
pocket. By this time he was crouch
ed down under his desk. The
teacher requested him to take his
seat. This he refused to do. She
did not insist long, but caught hold
of him then there was struggle,
but presently the young lady drag
ed him from his hiding place, and
threw him in the aisle on his back.
She grasped the stick and used it
with great skill, almost pinning him
to the floor every blow, and never
let him get to his feet. After Civ
ing him sound threshing she told
him to get up and take his seat. II
am going to whip you for drawing a
knife on me-. She struck him a
number of blows, almost lifting him
from the seat every blow l had
seen boys whipped by strong and
vigorous men, but this exceeded
anything l ever saw. The boy come
on to school, but l need not say he
never drew a knife on this young
lady again and she never had any
occasion to thresh him during the
remainder of the term. 80 years
have come and gone since this and
l know the teacher, and no one who
witnessed this scene, ever dreamed
of it going into print. 1 have trav-
eled from New England to the wilds
of Texas, have seen some hard and
fierce struggles, have seen strong
and brave men face danger manful-
ly, but all things, considered / new
err saw a drawer or more courageous
act than that of the little heroine of
Old Stony Point school 80 years
ago.
(1NE on THE