Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1921-04-05
JIMMYS TEACHER
BY MARGARET LOUNSBURY.
900 40 % % % % % 20

NdS6SSSS6SSd6SSS6d6
(0. 1921. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.)
Then Miss Small" said the superin-
tendent to the young teacher, sit is I'M
derstood that when school closes this
afternoon you will detain your pu-
pills few moments, and Jimmy Nor
ton will be publicly expelled before
them ALL
''Yes, SIR" said Miss Small, in tones
of quiet respect.
She crossed the hall and entered the
storerOom where she had left her
lunch. The door was locked. She
paused a moment, then her face be-
came serious. Within that room was
Jimmy Norton, the boy who at one
o'clock was to- be publicly expelled be-
fore the other children.
His outbursts of temper, and the fire.
quent punishments they necessitated,
bad brought down the average of her
room alarmingly.
Her determination to bring him safe
ly through to the end of the year had
given away gradually, and this morn
in9's performance had run the end of
her patience. During the recess pc
Rod he had knocked down one of the
younger boys and taken his knife, a
Christmas present, with wonderful new
blades.
The teacher softly unlocked the door
and entered the room.
Jimmy was huddled on bench,
sleeping soundly. 70 her he seemed
a pitiful little figure, and she knelt
down beside him and looked earnestly
INTO his face. There were marks of
tears upon his grimy cheeks. He half
opened his eyes and looked into the
face above him.
Mamma" he murmured.
The teacher knew that Jimmy's
mother was dead, and her eyes felt
sudden mist. "If he were my little
boy, and l were his mother who is
dead,' she thought, Il would want to
be pretty near him right now"
Something fell from the boys re
Taxed fingers onto the floor beside her.
1t was piece of wood partly carved
into whistle. She looked at Jimmy
again, and seemed to understand him
i'll an altogether new way. OF course
that was why he wanted the other
boys knife. His fingers had fairly
ached to use the keen blades.
How rapturous were the few mo
ments that he held that knife in his
hands. Then Jimmy awoke He heard
voices outside, and his sharp little
face seemed anxious.
what yer goin' ter do ter me?' hi
demanded.
"The superintendent is going to ex
pei you from school before all the
other children, and then"
He shrank back from her, loneliness
and terror seemed to stare at her out
of his pinched face. He looked up into
her eyes. What he saw there she die
not know, but suddenly he chung to hel
with little strangled cry.
Miss Small" called the superin
tendent from outside. She rose and
lifted Jimmy to his feet. Come" she
said taking his little hand tightly in
hers. Then she opened the door anC
faced the superintendent. She was
convinced that to expel Jimmy would
be a fatal mistake, and she knew that
size was going to tell them so-she
whose only hope of promotion lay in
unqueSti0ning obedience to orders.
HAS he given you any more trou.
ble?" asked the superintendent.
No." said the teacher.
The children were coming now, and
in another moment it would be too
late. Stop them!" she cried. Don't
let them come. Jimmy isn't going to
be eXpelled-we are going to give him
another chance"
The superintendent closed, the door
and faced the teacher.
She was kneeling on the floor with
her arms about Jimmy's neck. Her
cheeks we're crimson, her eyes big anG
| dark with excitement. The beauty OF
her made him catch his breath. In hel
/ protecting arms, which sheltered the
! frightened child she seemed to express
!! the divine instinct of motherhood, low
ing and forgiving.
He came and stood near her. She
shiyered and closed her eyes.
He was going to tell her she mus