Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1911-12-22

rules, and remain in school. AS his pu-
pill, she must obey him. She was i'm
movable. and her eyes laughed back de-
fiance into his r~esolute face.
What could he do?
1t was Friday. He went again to the
trustees. and insisted upon dismissing
the girl from school.
whip her; she must be conquered"
said they.
II cannot strike a girl. I will give up
my position first answered the boy
teacher, with rising color and flashing
eye, and the matter was laid over till
Monday. All night the p%erplexed young
educator tossed on a sleepless bed; and,
when morning came, the question
What could, what must he do?"-was
still racking his weary mind.
Giving up his situation meant a great
deal.
What could he do?
With sudden resolve, he determined
to go home and spend the Sabbath.
Home. Mother! God-given refuge for
man from cradle to the grave! When
cruel trials come, when the bitter stroke
wounds when strong temptation as
sails, If a man still has home and moth
err. where. for one short hour, he can re-
cover himself. he is safe. So the boy
teacher thought that, If only he could
rest one night with the shadow of home
over him, and the fact of his faithful
mother answering his tenderness and
sympathy; If he could see again the
womanly courage of her eye, he would
feel strong again. His mother had
never failed him.. She would not fail
him then.
He had no conveyance. There was no
railroad, but he had strong limbs and
an iron will. These should take him
home. Ten miles, in an easy buggy
with a spanking team, does not seem
far; but ten miles on foot, with a weary
brain, and an aching heart, is a long
journey and fearfully lingering.
When he dragged his boyish feet up
the walk at home, and stepped inside
the door, his face looked painful and
haggard, and an anxious dread took
hold of his mothers heart as she well
coined her son. She knew he was in
trouble. A dozen fears passed through
her mind. Could he have given up his
work for want of grit? Was he record
ing his first failure? Or, oh! had his
hot. boyish blood caused him to strike
down some human being, some pupil?
What could it be?
But she asked no questions. She must
comfort him first. She drew him a
rocking chair near the big. old ashioned
fireplace. She took his hat. Carressing-
ly she smoothed back his glossy black
mar. Sne even SmlllnSly tolu MIN some
town news. In a few moments the
blessedness of home had covered him as
with a sheltering wing, and he was his
own strong self again.
Mother he said. they tried to
make me whip a girl"
"Well, you wouldn't do that. I know"
mo, mother, l wouldn't; but the trus-
tees say l must whip her or give up my
position, and l told them, If they con-
tinued to insist on il, I would resign
That's right, my boy. You were
never reared to strike a woman, even in
miniature. If they insist, give up the
school,"
II will-but 1t means giving up
clothes. overcoat, and money for every
thing"
How much misery lies bottled up for
a boy just entering manhood, In these
privations, few can realize without act
ual experience.
The grown man may face the world
in seedy clothes. but the young one
must be fairly well groomed" to be
comfortable.
Never mind about the overcoat and
new Clothes said his mother, and the
half-formed tears In her brave eyes
made them beautifully tender. "Perhap s
God will send a mild winter, Stand for
the right and trust In Providence"
That was enough. lie was her owr
strong, gallant hoy again.
Lets ave supper mother" he said
TN hungry as a wolf"
Refreshed by a hot supper. he went tc
consult one OF his old college profes.
sors. God bless those noble teachers
whose heart follows and whose interest
in a boy continues long after he has left
the college walls.
When the boy teacher entered the
"old Log School-house" on Monday
morning, his resolve was ironclad,
strengthened by the approval of his
mother ana the professor.
In the afternoon. the trustees were &c
meet there and the schoolmaster was tC
announce his decision.
IT hope the pupils will make this day
a pleasant one, as 1t may be our last
together" the teacher said slowly, as
the exercises began.
At noon, n daughter of one OF the
trustees said: Matte Warren, I'd be
ashamed of myself II / were you"
y What have l done to displease you