Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-28
The WOMAN THOU GAVEST ME ta44 c

tress here. Will none Of you big girls
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 together,
after a 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 l think her neck, were scratched
and from that cause also she was
quivering with passion.
Stand there, miss" she said, land
move from that spot at your peril.2
My own fury was now spent, and
in the. dead silence which had fallen
on the entire school, l was beginning
to feel the shame of my fgnominious
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 a wilful. wicked little
character of a willful, wicked little
character. BY gross disobedience she
| has brought herself to where you see
her. Spare the rod, spoil the child is
q Scriptural maxim, and the foolish
| parents who ruin their children by
| overindulgence deserve all that comes
to them. But there is no reason why
other people should suffer, and, small
| as this child is. she has made the
life of her excellent aunt intolerable
by her ENJOYABLE, unsoclable and un-
| childlike disposition. Children, she
was sent to school to be corrected of
| her faults, and | order you to stop
your lessons while she Is publicly
punished"
Martin to Rescue.
With this parade of the spirit of
| justice, the schoomistress stepped
| back and left me. | knew what she
was doing-she was taking her cane
out of the desk which stood by the
wall. l 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 if it was 1.-the and
| timber
felt utterly Inundated Standing
| there with all eyes upon me | was
| conscious of the worst pain that en-
ters into a child's eXperience-thep 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
I throbbed with Shame. | remembered
! what my mother had said of her lit
! tie Mary being always a little lady,
| and l felt crushed at the thought that
| / was about to be whipped before all
the village children.
At home / had been protected if
only by my others tears, but here
! only by my mothers tears, but here |
little and helpless. But just as my
| lip was beginning to drop at the
thought of what my mother would
! suffer If she saw me in this position
| of nfamy. and | was ABOUT to cry out
| to the schoolmstress Don't beat
mel On! please don't beat me-" n
strange thing happened, which turned
mNshame into surprise and triumph.
through the mist which had gath
/ cred before my eyes | saw boy COM
| ing out of the boys class at the
end OF the long room. 1t 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.
Go back, sir" cried the school
mistress, and | 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 a big dog he dropped
! his head and butted at the schoolmis-
tress as she approached him, struck
| her somewhere in the waist and sent
her staggering and gasping against
| the wall.
Then, without q word, he took my
|