The Daily soliphone., 1902-05-14
A FIGHTING sCHOoLMASTER.
How He Unexpectedly Gained the Ad-
 miration of His Pupils

LOT year III lltlle WeStelH to"A, says the Youths Companion, is an example of the way in which a teacher sometimes wins the admiration of his pupils quite unexpectedly. A Levenw was not teacher by nature or profession; but, as many men have done, he spent year teach ing to get money enough to help him. self through the law school. He was hearty, clear-minded fellow, who kept rather aloof from the townspeo- pie. The local paper spoke of him as having "had a promising career in college.''
 Part of this promising career had, as it happened, been spent in sth- letics. He had learned to box and wrestle, and had won his class cham pionship in the art which, from its unfortunate association with the prize ring, has not so good areputa- tion among the peaceful as, in it's legitimate form, 1t deserves.
 His school was quiet and orderly from the start, but he found it hard work to get on intimate terms wlththe 20 boys under him. They obeyed at distance, but did not show much personal friendship for him.
 One day at recess, when the school yard was a clamor of voices, the young master heard sudden lull. Looking out the window, he saw the childen lined up against the fence watching a teamster, who was stupidly trying to whip his horse up the hill that ran past the school. The wagon was load ed heavily with garden-stuff, and the horse was doing his best to no pur- pose.
 Suddenly one of the boys went into the street and evidently remon- strated with the driver. For answer he got an ugly slash of the whip, and reeled back, holding his hands over his eyes.
 This was too much for Levinworth. He ran downstairs and out across the playground. Coolly pushing stone under the wheel with his foot, he commanded the teamster, gaunt, sinewy man, to come off his seat.
 The fellow grew hostile at once and obeyed. Jumping down, he sp- preached the schoolmaster, ready and eager for fight, and heated to dan gerous anger by his struggle with the horse.
 It was a real, old-fashioned fight, with the power of anger and excite ment on one side and skill, backed by those almost infallible allies, right and justice, on the other.
 There was enough left of the teamster to drive his horse, while a dozen boys put their shoulders to the wheels and pushed the wagon to the top of the hill.
 The pupil whose task it was to ring the bell for the end of recess was a minute late that day. The teacher was late. too. It took him little time to put his clothes in order and wash his face and hands. Meanwhile the school assembled, not without some noise and excitement, and took their seats. They were subdued and orderly when Levenworth came in and walked to his desk.
 Before hehad time to be seated, and as if by a preconcerted signal, the pupils began to applaud. Discipline and modesty made the teacher try to stop them. It was useless, so he smiled. Then they cheered. The disorder of the next minute was quite against the rules, but nobody re- ceived a black mark on the school masters department book; and after that, to Levenworth's surprise, there was new and warm friendship in the bearing of the boys toward him.
 Peerages in victoria's Reign.