The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-17

h,c There was In the class d young
scnpcgrace named oliver Burhe. who was
menace TO the discipline OF the school,
aud thoroughly tnscr,iplous and dishoti-
est. During one Of tho first weeks Of
form caught hin throwing water III the
school ynrtl. although such rude acts
wcro expressly forbidden BY H. rule OF tho
school principal. On another OCCASION
three spheres, kept for the Use Of draw
Ing clnsscs. Disappeared inysteriously.
md, although i could not prove Ills quit.
was morally certain that tic Burhe
boy had stolen them. mention these
violations OF discipline OH
~ to show how unprotected he was, or
there was never the slightest personal
anims on my part. Most Of his infrnc-
lions we're so clcvclly achieved that ABB
solutc detection was iSlpossblc. lie was
n rosy, apple checked lad. small for MS
age, and no one. to look at HIN. would
believe 50 Innocent appearing boy collld
be. ut heart, 50 malicious and depraVeu.
SIngularly enough. MS thoughtht the
time, Oliver Burne's scholarship was
nhovc reproncI1. The correctness Of his
examination pa pcrs surprised me. They
were often as superior as Rowcnas In
simple Justice. I could not fail to marx
him passed" and oven 'passet with
credit" for Justice has always been the
Keynote Of my teaching. could. how
ever. call the attention OF the prnclpai
To his Uniform bad conduct, although it
was seldom that could point out any
one overt net that was ngn inst the rules.
and had to be guided rather by what
knew OF tho boys evil character than
BY visible proof Of Ills misconduct. III
rctaIntlo Ion, he iinaugurnted series OF
|pctty nnnoynnccs that tortured my
nerves. + did my best to induce the princl-
lypnl to cxpel the lad but Influence was
brought to bear which made that inpos-
sible. The politics and corr,piion In no
country schools is sometimes past be-
,1ief.
rho horrld term "tcachers pet" which
was applied to Rowena had its compen-
sa tons. It set us two Off against the
world and ccmented a growing friendship.
/ g could wait, for she was yet quite
young, and at any rate. did not care
to become engaged to her until the SUM
ner vacation had begun. l planned to
resign then. and taking my young bride
to some other place. find In n5rcmote and
quiet school district a peaceful married
future. t#s
The final examinations closing the term
npproached. And then came one of
I
those, depressing outbreaks Of Juvenile
depravity which occur, occasionally, In
even the best regulated schools. The
teacher Of botany was an elderly female
named Miss Murctta Byles. and may
say that she was Justly unpopular. She
had already antagonized me by com
planning to the principal. In mt OF jeal-
ousy, OF my intimacy with Miss RoWena
Philbrlck matter quite without her
Jurisdiction. That fact alone Is an index
to the narrowness of her character. Her
complexion was. when not concealed be-
meath cosmetics. somewhat turbid. If
may, express myself that way. and she
had boon favored by her pupils with the
expressive. II insulting. sobriuuet Mud
faced Moll.'
This nickname, admirably ettered in
red paint, now began to be discovered in
the most improbable places. 1t appeared
on the blackboards of the assembly room
to-day. and tomorrow In shocking dis
tlnctness upon the school steps. and had
TO be removed by an arduous days work
with a cold chisel. "Mud-faced Moll''s
was found painted on the front OF tho