Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-06-28
DAILY NOVELETTE,
UNDERSTANDING
UrTHEN Miss Lawrence" said the
by Rena Thurlow

teacher. lit Is understood that when
school convenes this afternoon, you
will retain your pupils n few moments,
md Thomas Naro will be publicly ex
PEELED before them all"
"Ies. sir" said Miss Lawrence, in
| tones of quiet respect.
You understand. Miss Lawrence.
just what | want done. Thomas has
been a nuisance for long time. This
is his third offcnse, and this time he
has gone too far.
"Ycs, sir, | understand" said the
Young teacher domurCly. She raised
her eyes to his, and in them he read
boundlcSs awe and respect She was
very young. and this was her first term
of teaching. and the sleek black head
of the superintendent was surrounded
by an almost visible halo Of authority.
Ills eyes followed the slender figure of
the teacher rs she crossed the hall and
mounted the broad stairs, worn into un-
even bumps and hollows by the tread
of little feet She crossed the hall and
entered the cloakroom. where she had
left her lunch. The door was locked.
She paused a moment, then her face
became serious. Within that room was
Thomas Naro, the boy who at !
o'clock was to be publicly expelled be
fore the other children.
His outhurSts of temper, and the fire.
qucnt punishmcnts they ncrcssitatcd.
had brought down the average of her
room nlarmngly. .
Her determination to bring him safely
through to the end Of the year had
given away gradually, and this morn
ng.s performance had run the end OF
her patience. During the recess period
he had knocked down one ot the
younger boys. and taken his knife, n
new one with wonderful blades and
tiny saw.
The teacher softly unlocked the door
and entered the room.
Tom was huddled on bench, sleep
ing soundly. To her he seemed pltltul
little figure. and she kneit down beside
him and looked earnestly into his tace'
Yes. there were the unmistnkable marks
Of tears upon his grimy checks. lie
half opened his eyes and looked into
the face above him.
Mother" he murmurcd.
The tehcher k,'" ''"' W. ~" ,,Jdo,,
was dead, and her eyes i'', 'u..','I ', :
mist If he were my little boy ana
was the mother. VIII" Is dead Sile
Thought, II would want to be pretty
near him right now
Something fell from the boys re-
laxed fingers onto the floor beside her.
| It was piece OF wool parity ''' ''
, into n whistle.
She looked at 1homaS hS"in' n"'
seemed to understand nm III an aiVo
gethpr new way. or course, INA, N"'
why he wanted the other ooN hniie'
His fingers had fairly a'heo |" Us, '"I
keen blades and the tiny saw nv"
rarturous We're the few moments ~, ,''"'
lao held that knife in his hands. linen
| Thomas awokc. lie heard voices out =
side. and his sharp little lace o'o'"'e
+ anxious.
"What Yer goin' to do ter me- lie
demanded.
p .Thc sunerintendent is going to eXpel
| Won from school before all the children
ord fhon-''
JIo sbrank back from her. LHneh-
noss and terror seemed to stare Mt h"i
out of his pinchcd face. He looked Ut
info her ewes. What he saw there she
ala NOT know. but suddenly he clung tc
= bor with A little stranglcd cry.
Miss Lawrence" called the super
irtondcnt from outside. She ros" anc
i;f+oI THOMAS TO his feet "Come.' she
soid taking his little hand tightly il
+ hove Then she opened the door an'
nopfronted thc superintendent. She wa
,,,,inood that TO eXpcl Thomas would