Evening star., 1937-02-16
Resentment
Of Discipline
Is N atural
Children Will Forget
Humiliation Soon
After Protest.
BY ANGELO PATRI.

IT WAS plain that something had
happened to dsplease brother. He
rushed into the sitting room and
tossed his books across the room
toward the sofa, left the door wide
open to the street, forgot to take his
hat off and had to be reminded.
"Oh, I forgot. I'll close it If you
just give me time. Well, I'll pick
them up in a minute Gee. fellow
doesn't get a break anywhere. All
right, I'm going to hang them up.
was only just taking them of and
resting them on the chair minute.
I wish I could go somewhere where
nobody lived for a hundred years.
Maybe I'd get some place. Maybe I
would"
With those pathetic words he left
the room, injured virtue in every line
of his retreating back.
What do you suppose is the matter
with him?" said mother, threading
another needle and smiling across at
grandma, who was placidly knitting
on the opposite side of the table.
Something has rubbed him the
wrong way. Well. he will get over it."
Just then brother returned. He
remembered there was a plate Of
brownies and a basket of apples on the
sideboard, and knew they were wait
ing for him. He would no longer keep
them waiting. He would do them
justice speedily With his mouth full
of cake. an apple poised for the bite,
he began a muffled, but soul-felt ad-
dress.
"She is the worst old meanie that
ever lived. That's what. She never
sees what precious Willie does. o no!
He is her pet. Her precious pet.
What is your answer, Willie?' Then
she smiles with all her teeth.
IF had such teeth wouldn't grin
SO wide wouldn't if was her. She's
always showing partiality. Dick says
so, too. The old thing. And what
did I do? I only just turned around
and said, The belPll soon ring Just
those few words, and she downs me
like a load of brick falling on me.
Gives me zero. Says she'll send
note home. Keeps me after school.
Says I'm the worst-mannered child
she ever saw. Guess she never saw
any.
IF I'm not as good as Willie
Sweitzer I'll eat my hat. I got
perfect paper in arithmetic test this
morning. and her darling did not.
He stuck half way and she nearly
cried over it. Very good says she to
me, but it nearly choked her.
"I'll just show her something to-
morrow. If she keeps me in again
I'll do something that'll make her
sorry. And tomorrow, just for spite,
I'll throw papers all over the floor
under dear Willie's seat. She'll see.
And I'll get failure in the arithmetic
test and pull down the average. And
I'll leave the room about so times SO
as to make the record look fierce. And
I'll get cough just when she is read
ing the test for dictation."
All this was sputtered out between
Neither mother nor grand
mother interrupted. Having said his
full say brother headed for the door
and mother said, BE sure you hear
the whistle, brother. You are not to
be late for dinner" The door slam
med and a great peace settled on the
room.
why did you let him go on like
that about Miss Susan when you
know she is about the finest teacher
a child ever had?" asked grand
mother in sorrowful amazement.
II let him get all that rubbish OF
his chest. Now he feels free and clear.
Later we will get at the facts much
sooner and very much easier. He has
misbehaved and has been disciplined.
That Is all. It is over now and he
will forget it. If I had silenced him
he would still be brooding over it and
planning sweet revenge. He took
all that out in talk. He is only 9.
and they are like that. Much noise"
(Oopyrtght, 1879