Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-28
The WOMAN THOU GAVEST ME Il 5AAa c4s&

tress here. viii none of you big girls
come and help me-"
With the utmost alaerity, one big
girl from a back bench came rushing
to the schoolmistress' assistance. 1t
was Messy Macleod, and together,
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 l think her neck. were scratched,
and from that cause also she was
quivering 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 ignominious
position.
| 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 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, unsociable and I'M
| 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 schoolmistress stepped
| back and left me. I 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 l 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
| l 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
, throbbed with shame. | remembered
| what my mother had said of her lit
tie Mary being always a little lady
and | 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 infamy and | was ABOUT to cry out
to the schoolmistress Don't beat
me! On! please don't beat met 4
strange thing happened, which turned
my shame 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 l 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 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 a word, he took my