Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-28

''NSS htie' w Ia NONE Oh YOU piS SlI.S
come and help me?"
With the utmost alacrity, one big
girl from back bench came rushing
to the schoolmistress' assistance. 1t
was Messy Macleod, and togethe",
after fierce struggle they tore me
from my desk, like an Ivy branch
from a tree. and dragged me into the
open space in front of the classes. BY
this time the schoolmistress' hands,
and think her neck, were scratched,
and from that cause also she was
quiyering with passion.
Stand there, miss" she said and
move from that spot at your peril"
My own fury was now spent, and
in the dead silence which had fallen
on the entire school, | was beginning
to feel the shame of my lgnominious
position.
Children" cried the schoolmis-
tress, addressing the whole of the
scholars, put down your states and
listen
Then, as soon as she had recov-
cred her breath. she said, standing by
my side and pointing down to me;
This child came to school with the
character of wilful. wicked little
character OF willful wicked little
character BY gross disobedience she
| has brought herself to where you see
her Spare the rod, spoil the child is
a Scrlptural maxim, and the foolish
parents who ruin their children by
| overindulgence deserve all that comes
| to them. But there is no reason why
as this child is. she has made the
life of her excellent aunt intolerable
by her ENJOYABLE, unsociable and I'M
childlike disposition. Children, she
was sent to school to be corrected of
her faults and l order you to stop
| your lessons while she Is publicly
punished"
Martin to Rescue.
With this parade of the spirit of
| justice. the schoolmistress stepped
| back and left me- knew what she
was doing-she was taking her cane
out of the desk which stood by the
| wall | heard the desk opened with
an impatient clash. and then closed
with an angry bang. | was as sure as
If had had eyes in the back of my
head, that the schoolmistress was
| holding the cane in both hands and
bending it to see IL it was 1.-THE and
| timber.
felt utterly Inundated Standing
there with all eyes upon me, | was
| conscious of the worst pain that en-
tiers into child's eXperience-the pain
of knowing that other children are
looking upon her degradation.
thought of Aunt Bridget and my lit
| tie heart choked with anger. Then
| thought of my mother, and my throat
, throbbed with shame. | remembered
! what my mother had said of her lit
J tie Mary being always a little lady
| and l felt crushed at the thought that
| was about to be whipped before al
! the village children.
At home l had been protected If
only by my others tears. but here
little and helpless. But just as my
| lip was beginning to drop at the
| thought of what my mother would
suffer IL she saw me in this position
of infamy, and | was ABOUT to cry out
| to the schoolmistress Don't heat
me! on, please don't beat me-" q
strange thing happened, which turned
my shame into surprise and triumph.
Through the mist which had gath
/ cred before my eyes / saw a boy COM
| ing out of the boys class at the
end of the long room. II was Mar
| tin Conrad, and / remember that he
rolled as he walked like old Tommy
| the gardener. Everybody saw him,
and the schoolmistress said, In her
sharp voice:
Martin Conrad, what right have
you to leave your place without per
mission? Go back, sir, this very mo-
ment."
Instead Of going back, Martin came
On. and as he did so he dragged his
big soft hat out of the belt Of his
! Norfolk jacket and with both hands
pulled It down hard on his head.
60 back, sir!" cried the school
mistress, and 1 saw her step toward
him with the cane poised and switch
| ing in the air, as If about to strike.
The boy said nothing, but just shak-
! ing himself like big dog he dropped
! his head and butted at the schoolmds-
tress as she approached him, struck
her somewhere in the waist and sent
her staggering and gasping against
| the wall.
Then, without word, he took my