Newport daily independent., 1905-10-26
SPONTANEOUS COMPLIMENT.
it Was None the Less Genuine Because 1t Had Cost tbe Giyer R
 Whipping.

A little group of ladies seated on hotel piazza were talking about com 3liments they had received, when one, | very pretty young woman, who is a teacher in a private 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 had gone to visit some friends who were interested in the timber business. l had only gone to visit, but [ 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 some thing of modern methods, l agreed to try it for one term. I got along very well, all things considered, and liked it well enough, except that l found 1t absolutely necessary to punish some or the scholars with the rod. Out of this fact grew my compliment, which, am sure, was the sincerest one l ever re- ceived. Among my scholars was big boy of IT, lazy, numbering, good-na- tured lad, who whispered so much In school and paid so little attention to being kept in that at last told him If he whispered again l 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, which was the most becoming one, think, ever had, and when the scholars saw me they seemed to be as pleased with my appearance as 1 was, and all the girls came to tell me what pretty dress l had and how nice looked. The boys were more shy, and whatever they thought they kept to themselves. Tho big boy wasn't there when school opened, but before the five-minute al- lowance was up he came numbering in. and, hanging up his hat, rolled over into his seat and picked up book. l didn't notice him at first. but later saw that my new gown had attracted him, and that he was admirtng 1t, fol he was unskilled in the conventionai- ties, and made no effort to conceal his feelings. Once or twice l caught his eye and he looked away, hut not for long, and at last it began te annoy me. At the same time he seemed to me mak- ing a tremendous effort 0f~some kind that did not understand. and finally, right while I was looking at him. he reached over te the boy in the seat be- hind him and whispered something.
 'T was an open violation of the rule, and, besides, was fragrant disregard of his word, and I called him up at once.
 "'Henry,' I said. with all the severity I could muster, weren't you whisper ing just then?'
 "'Yes'm,' he confessed. with his head down.
 You know it is against the ruier"
 "'Ycs'm.'
 And you know that you promised me that you would not whisper again?'
 "'Ics'm.'
 . "'Wcll, I said, getting better hold on my hickory switch, I shall keep my word better than you have yours, and as told you I would whip you for whis- 1erng I am going to do it. Havo you anything to say why you should not bs punshed?'
 "'No'm.'
 Having gone through all the forrna ol the law I proceeded to carry out the sentence, and I succeeded so well that when l finished Henry was blubbering.
 Are you sorry now for what you ,iil? asked, when it was over.
 "'No'm. he answered, greatly to my s2rprise.
 "'Nou're not 2 exclaimed, taking up the switch again, but Henry never hinched.
 "'No'm; I couldn't help it, mann
 "'Couldn't help it? Of course yoL could help it. You're not a child and ought to set better example. Tho children might say that, but you can not offer as an excuse that you could not help it.
 "'Well. I couldn't, ma'am,' he said.
 looking 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 purty that l had to say so to somebody er I'd busted wide open, shore.
 "There was no question as to Henry | sincerity. but il was so embarrassing s that I really felt like giving him an o+bar xvbiDninp "-WaShinotOn Star.