Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 104, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 August 1904 — The Teacher Was Popular. [ARTICLE]

The Teacher Was Popular.

Russell was usually a good- boy in school, but on this particular day he could not study. His mind persisted in wandering, and his hands in dodging about to work mischief. He did not mean to disobey his toucher, for he was very fond of her. But after he had been corrected several times he heard the steril voice of Miss Black pronounce his doom: “Russell, come to my desk. Now stand just so.” Then Miss Black took down the long ruler. Once, twice, three times fell the stick. Then a little cry came, not from Russell, but from the teacher, and she grew deadly pale. She had hurt her wrist.- Russell was sent to his seat, and soon the school was dismissed for recess. The ten minutes were up. The girls were all in their seats, but no boys. What was keeping the boys sd long in the basement? Presently a procession, headed by the weeping Russell, filed up the stairs and into the schoolroom. “Russell, are you still crying because I punished you?” the teacher asked, in reproachful tones. Then, to her surprise, the biggest boy spoke up: “He’s crying ’cause we thumped him in the basement ’cause he hurt you.” The rest of the day Russell was a model boy. At the close of school in the afternoon Miss Black spoke very kindly to him, and told him she was pleased that he had ended the day with such good behavior. From a dozen throats in concert came the explanation: “Yes, he had to be good for you, ’cause we told him if he wasn’t we’d lick him again after school.” —Youth's Companion.