"
"You can't learn," said he. "That's a sufficiently established fact, but
if you don't behave, your teacher is going to write to me, mind! and I
shall come down here in my buggy, and take you right up and off to
Farmouth where we have a place to keep all such naughty boys and girls."
This last was evoked as a benediction. Mr. Baxter looked at his watch,
and remarked that it was a long drive to Farmouth, and he must be going.
"Dismiss your school, Miss Hungerford," he said.
Now the children were accustomed--it was a special privilege they had
requested--to sing, before the school closed at night, one of the hymns
with which they were all so familiar in Wallencamp.
I would have dismissed them, on this occasion, without further ceremony,
but before I had time to tap my ruler on the desk as a signal for
dismissal, they all struck up as with one voice:--
"What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our griefs and woes to share!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer."
At first I was a little amused at the incongruity of the thing. Then it
began to seem to me inexpressibly touching.
The Superintendent of Schools stood with a cold, supercilious grin on his
face, a stern, self-sufficient man, not one likely to echo the spirit of
these simple words.
Pages:
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108