Little Grandmother Part 11

"Cla.s.s in Morse's Geography.--Little lady in that front seat, be car-ful! Come out here, Patty Lyman, and stand up by the fireplace. No crying."

It is almost a daily habit with Master Purple to call Patty into the floor while the geography cla.s.s recites, and afterwards to give her a small whipping, for no other reason in the world than that she cannot stand still. William Parlin, who is a manly, large-hearted boy, pities the poor little thing, and sometimes darkly hints that he is not going to look on much longer and see her abused.

CHAPTER XI.

LITTLE GRANDFATHER.

But let us hear the geography cla.s.s.

The pupils stay in their seats to recite, while the master walks the floor and switches his boots. There is such a fearful uproar to-day that he has to raise his voice as if he were speaking a ship in a storm.

"What two rivers unite to form the Ohio?"

"A pint of clover seed and a bushel of _Timothy_," replies William Parlin, in a low voice.

"Right," returns Mr. Purple, who has not heard a word, but never contradicts William because his father is on the committee.--"Next: Soil of Kentucky?"

"Flat-boats and flat-irons," replies one of the twins, just loud enough to set the boys laughing three seats before and behind him.

"Very well, _ver_-y well.--Less laughing.--What is the capital? Speak up distinctly."

"Capital punishment," responds the other twin, cracking an acorn.

"Correct.--Next may answer, a _little_ louder: Where is Frankfort?"

And that was the way the lesson went. There had been a great deal more noise than usual, and Mr. Purple was almost distracted, for he saw the large boys were "in league," and he dared not call them to account.

Meanwhile active little Patty, who thought she was standing perfectly still, studying that dreadful Ladies' Accidence, had really been spinning about on one foot; and just then she darted forward to tear a bit of shining bark from a white birch stick in the "ears" of the fireplace.

"Master," cried out a mean-spirited boy on the front bench, "Patty's pickin' gum off that ar log; I seed her."

Master Purple strode quickly across the room. He had been longing for a whole hour to give _somebody_ a terrible whipping; and here was a good opportunity.

Of course it was the unmanly little tell-tale he was going to punish?

No, indeed; it was Patty. He seized upon the bewildered little creature with the greatest fury.

"Patty Lyman, what do you mean, young woman? Haven't I laid down a rule, and how dare you disobey? It was only yesterday I feruled Ozen Wiggins for chewing gum."

"I didn't," wailed Patty.

"What? Do you contradict me? We'll see about that! Hold out your hand, you naughty, wicked child!"

The tone was so fierce, and the clutch on her shoulder hurt her so much, that poor Patty screamed fearfully.

"Hold out your hand!" repeated the master.

Patty gave him her slender baby-palm, poor little creature! while Dorcas and Mary, up in the back seats, both drew in their breaths with a shudder.

Down came the hard-wood ferule, whizzing through the air like a thing of life. No time then to tell Mr. Purple she _couldn't_ have picked gum off a hard-wood stick if she had tried; he wouldn't have believed her, and wouldn't have listened, no matter what she said.

One! two! three! Patty had never been struck like this before. The twins looked at each other, and almost rose from their seats. Indignation flashed from thirty pairs of eyes, but the master was too excited to see it.

Four! five! six! Patty's little figure bent like a broken reed, when there was a shuffling of boots in the aisle, and a voice shouted,

"Stop that, sir!"

It was William Parlin's voice. He had sent it on ahead of him, and was following after it as fast as he could.

"Let that child alone, Master Purple."

[Ill.u.s.tration: LITTLE GRANDFATHER SPEAKS.--Page 138.]

Master Purple was so utterly surprised and confounded that he stood stock still, with his ferule high in the air.

In another minute William was at his side.

"Do you mean to let go that little girl's hand, sir?"

Master Purple stood and glared.

"She's taken her last ruling, sir. I won't look on and see such small children abused, sir. If the committee can't make a fuss about it, I will."

You might have heard a pin drop. The whole school held its breath in surprise. Master Purple, not knowing what he did, dropped Patty's hand, and the sobbing child tried to go to her seat; but, blinded with tears, and pain and fright, she mistook the way, and staggered along to the fireplace.

"Poor little thing, don't cry!" said William, lowering his voice to the gentlest tone; and taking her in his arms he carried her up to the back seat, and set her in Dorcas's lap.

It was an action which Patty never forgot. From that moment she loved dear William Parlin with all her little heart.

"O, William, do be careful," said Dorcas; for by that time Master Purple had come to his senses, and was rushing towards William, brandishing that heavy ruler.

But William was too quick for him. Before Master Purple could reach the back seat, the boy ran across the benches between the heads of the frightened children, and seizing the monstrous tongs, tossed them like a feather, exclaiming,

"Stand off, sir!"

What could Mr. Purple do? He was angry enough to tear William in pieces; but it was not so easy to get at a boy who was armed with a pair of tongs.

"How dare you?" he cried, choking with rage; "how dare you, young man?

Are the boys in this school willing to look on and see their teacher insulted?"

The boys did seem to be willing. Mr. Purple glanced about the room, hoping some one would come to his aid; but no one came. They were all against him, and full of admiration for William, though none of them would have dared to take William's place.

The little boys liked the excitement, but the little girls thought this was the end of the world, and began to cry.

"Is this the treatment I am to receive from my school?" exclaimed Master Purple, in despair.