Evening star., 1899-07-01
A SPONTANEOUS COMPLIMENT.
None the Less Genuine Because 1t Cos
the Giver a Whipping.


A little group of ladies seated on a hotel
piazza were talking about compliments they
had received, when one, a very pretty
young woman, who is a teacher in a pri-
Vate school in this city, told her story.
Three years ago. she said, Il taught
my first school. in one of the mountain
districts of West Virginia. where 1 had
gone to visit some friends who were inter-
ested in the timber business. 1 had only
gone to visit, but L had just graduated from
normal school, and when an opportunity
was offered for me to teach, and there was
real need of some one who knew something
of modern methods, l agreed to try it for
one term. | got along very well, all things
considered and liked 1t well enough, eX-
cept that l found it absolutely necessary
to punish some of the scholars with the rod.
Out of this fact grew my compliment,
which, L am sure, was the sincerest one l
ever received. Among my scholars was
big boy of seventeen, a lazy, numbering,
good-natured lad, who whispered so much
in school and paid so little attention to be-
ing kept in that at last L told him If he
whispered again / would whip him. He
promised me that he would not offend
again, and for three whole days he kept
his promise. on the morning of the third
day l appeared at school in a new gown,
4
1 ever had. and when the scholars saw me
they seemed to be pleased with my ap-
pearance as | was, and all the girls came
TO tell me what pretty dress l had and
how nice | looked. The boys We're more
shy, and whatever they thought they kept
to themselves. The big boy wasn't there
when school opened, but before the five
minute allowance was up he came lumber
ing in, and. hanging up his hat, rolled over
into his seat and picked up a book. l didn't
notice him at first, but later l saw that my
new gown had attracted him. and that he
was admlring 1t, for he was unskilled in
the cOnventionalities, and made no effort
to conceal his feelings. Once or twice l
caught his eye and he looked away, but
not for long. and az last it began to annoy
me. AT the same time he seemed to be
making tremendous effort of some kind
that did not understand and finally, right
while l was looking at him, he reached
over to the boy in the seat behind him and
whispered something.
1t was an open violation of the rule,
and, besides, was a fragrant disregard of
his word. and l called him up at once.
HeHry, l said, with ali the severity l
could muster, weren't You whispering just
them?'
'Yes'm,' he confessed, with his head
down.
You know it is against the ruler
",And you know that you promised me
that you would not whisper again?'
Yesm.'
Well, l said, getting a better hold on
my hickory switch. L shall keep my word
better than you have yours. and as 1 told
you l would whip you for whispering l am
going TO do it. Have you anything to say
why you should not be punished?
Nom
Having gone through all the forms Of
the law l proceeded to carry out the SEN
tence, and l succeeded so we'll that when
finished Henry was blubbering.
Are you sorry now for what you did?
/ asked, when It was over.
m, he answered, greatly to my sur
prise.
You're not?' I exclaimed taking up
the switch again. but Henry never fiinched.
Nom; l couldn't help it, mann
Couldn't help it? OF course you could
help II. You're not child and ought to
set better example. The children might
say that. but you can not offer an excuse
that you could not help tt
Well, / couldn't ma'am.' he said, look
ing down at a knOt-hole in the floor that he
was trying to stick the toe of his shoe into,
you was lookin so durn purity that l had
to say so to somebody er I'd busted wide
open. shore
There was no question as to Henrys
sincerity, but il was embarrassing that
| really felt like giving him another whip
ping"