twilight stories-第7部分

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Tommy。　　Moreover　he　was　going　to　school　for　the　first　time　in　his

life。　　Out　here　little　people　are　not　allowed　to　attend　school

when　they　are　five　or　six；　for　the　Law　says：　〃Children　under

seven　must　not　go　to　school。〃



But　now　Tommy　was　seven　and　had　been　to　school　two　weeks；　and

such　delightful　weeks！　　Every　day　mamma　listened　to　long　accounts

of　how　〃me　and　Dick　Ray　played　marbles；〃　and　〃us　fellers　cracked

the　whip。〃　There　was　another　thing　that　he　used　to　tell　mamma

about；　something　that　in　those　first　days　he　always　spoke　of　in

the　most　subdued　tones；　and　thatI　am　sorry　to　record　it　of　any

school；　much　more　a　Cheyenne　schoolwas　the　numerous　whippings

that　were　administered　to　various　little　boys　and　girls。　　There

was　something　painfully　fascinating　about　those　whippings　to

restless；　mischievous　little　Tommy　who　had　never　learned　the　art

of　sitting　still。　　He　knew　his　turn　might　come　at　any　moment　and

one　night　he　cried　out　in　his　sleep：　〃Oh；　dear；　what　will　become

of　me　if　I　get　whipped！〃　　But　as　the　days　passed　on　and　this

possible　retribution　overtook　him　not；　his　fears　gradually

forsook　him；　and　instead　of　speaking　pitifully　of　〃those　poor

little　children　who　were　whipped；〃　he　mentioned　them　in　a　causal

off…hand　manner　as；　〃those　cry…babies；　you　know？〃　　One　afternoon

mamma　saw　him　sitting　on　the　porch；　slapping　his　little　fat　hand

with　a　strap。　　〃Tommy；　child；　what　in　the　world　are　you　doing？〃

she　asked。



Into　his　pocket　he　thrust　the　strap；　and　the　pink　cheeks　grew

pinker　still　as　their　owner　answered：



〃IIwas　just　seeinghow　hard　I　could　hit　my　handwithout

crying；〃　and　he　disappeared　around　the　side　of　the　house　before

mamma　could　ask　any　more　questions。



The　next　day　Tommy's　seatmate；　Dicky　Ray；　was　naughty　in　school；

and　Miss　Linnet　called　him　up；　opened　her　desk；　took　out　a　little

riding　whipit　was　a　bright　blue　oneand　then　and　there

administered　punishment。　　And　because　he　cried；　when　recess　came；

Tommy　said：　〃Isn't　Dick　Ray　just　a　reg'lar　girl　cry…baby？〃　　（He

had　learned　that　word　from　some　of　the　big　boys；　but；　mind　you！　

he　never　dared　to　say　it　before　his　mother。）



Dick's　face　flushed　with　anger。　　〃Never　you　mind；　Tommy　Brown；〃

said　he；　〃Just　wait　till　you　get　whipped　and　we'll　see　a　truly

girl…cry…baby　then；　won't　we；　Daisy？〃



And　blue…eyed　Daisy；　who　was　the　idol　of　their　hearts；　nodded　her

curly　little　head　in　the　most　emphatic　manner；　and　said　she

〃wouldn't　be　one　bit　s'prised　if　he'd　holler　so　loud　that　hey

would　hear　him　way　down　in　Colorado。〃



Tommy　stood　aghast！　　for；　really　and　truly；　he　wasn't　quite　so

stony…hearted　a　little　mortal　as　he　appeared　to　be；　he　had　been

secretly　rather　sorry　for　Dick；　buthe　wanted　Daisy　to　think

that　he　himself　was　big　and　manly；　and　he　had　the　opinion　that

this　was　just　the　way　to　win　her　admiration。　　But　all　this　time

HE　DIDN'T　KNOW　WHAT　DAISY　DIDthat　Dick's　pockets　were　full　of

sugar…plums；　tiptop　ones　too；　for　Daisy　had　tasted　them；　and　knew

that　little　packets　of　them　would　from　time　to　time　find　their

way　into　her　chubby　hand。



All　the　rest　of　the　morning　Tommy　kept　thinking；　thinking；

thinking。　　One　thing　was　certain：　the　present　situation　was　not

to　be　endured　one　moment　longer　than　was　absolutely　necessary。　

But　what　could　he　do？　　Should　he　fight　Dicky？　　This　plan　was

rejected　at　once；　on　high；　moral　grounds。　　Well；　then；　supposing

some　dark　night　he　should　see　Daisy　on　the　street；　just　grab　her；

hold　on　tight　and　say：　〃Now；　Daisy　Rivers；　I　won't　let　you　go

till　you　promise　you'll　like　me　a　great　deal　betterer　than　you　do

Dick　Ray。〃　　There　seemed　something　nice　about　this　plan；　very

nice；　the　more　Tommy　thought　of　it；　the　better　he　liked　it；　only

there　were　two　objections　to　it。　　Firstly：　Daisy　never　by　any

chance　ventured　out　doors　after　dark。　　Secondly：　Neither　did　Tom。



Both　objections　being　insurmountable；　this　delightful　scheme　was

reluctantly　abandoned；　and　the　thinking　process　went　on　harder

than　ever；　till　at　lastoh；　oh！　　if　he　only　dared！　　What　a

triumph　it　would　be！　　But　then　he　couldn'tyes；　he　could　too。　

Didn't　she　say　that　she　〃wouldn't　be　one　bit　s'prised　if　he

hollered　so　loud　that　they　would　hear　him　way　down　in　Colorado？〃

Colorado；　indeed！　　He'd　show　her　there　was　one　boy　in　the　school

who　wasn't　a　girl…cry…baby！



Yes；　actually；　foolish　Tommy　had　decided　to　prove　his　manhood　by

being　whipped；　and　that　that　interesting　little　event　should　take

place　that　very　afternoon！



What　did　he　do？　　　He　whispered　six　times！



Had　it　been　any　other　child；　he　would　surely　have　been　punished；

but　Miss　Linnet　knew　both　Tommy　and　his　mamma　quite　well；　and

therefore　she　knew　also；　quite　well；　that　only　a　few　days　ago　the

one　horror　of　Tommy's　life　had　been　the　thought　that　he　might

possibly　be　whipped。　　Then　too；　it　was　his　first　term　at　school；

and　hitherto　he　had　been　very　good。　　So　she　decided　to　keep　him

after　school　and　talk　to　him　of　the　sinfulness　of　bad　conduct　in

general；　and　of　whispering　in　particular。　　This　plan　she

faithfully　carried　out；　and　the　little　culprit's　heart　so　melted

within　him　that　he　climbed　up　on　his　teacher's　lap；　put　his　arms

around　her　neck　and　kissed　her；　crying　he　would　never　be　so

naughty　again。　　He　was　just　going　to　tell　her　all　about　Daisy；

when　in　walked　a　friend　of　Miss　Linnet's；　so　he　went　home

instead。　　The　next　morning　he　started　for　school　with　the　firm

determination　to　be　a　good　child；　and　I　really　believe　he　would

have　been　had　not　that　provoking　little　witch　of　a　Daisy　marched

past　him　in　a　very　independent　manner；　her　saucy　nose　away　up　in

the　air；　and　a　scornful　look　in　the　pretty　blue　eyes。　　It　was

more　than　flesh　and　blood　could　stand。　　All　Tom's　good

resolutions　flew　sky…high。



When　twelve　o'clock　came　Miss　Linnet's　list　of　delinquents　begun

in　this　wise：



WHISPER　MARKS。　　Thomas　Brown　　。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　15　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Melinda　Jones　。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　11



There　was　great　excitement　among　the　little　people。　　How　dared

any　one　be　so　dreadfully　bad！　　Tommy's　heart　sank；　sank；　sank；

when　Miss　Linnet　said：　〃When　school　begins　this　afternoon　I　shall

punish　Tommy　and　Melinda。〃



And　she　did！　　She　called　them　both　up　on　the　platform；　made　them

clasp　hands　and　stand　with　their　backs　against　the　blackboard；

then　wrote　just　above　their　heads：



Thomas　Brown　and　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Partners　in　disgrace。

Melinda　Jones　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　15　plus　11　=　26。



Oh；　how　mortified　and　ashamed　Tommy　was！　　If　only　she　had　whipped

him；　or　if　it　had　been　some　other　girl。　　But　MELINDA　JONES！！！　　

At　the　end　of　ten　minutes　Miss　Linnet　let　them　take　their　seats；

but　Tommy's　heart　burned　within　him。　　DAISY　HAD　LAUGHED　WHEN　HE

STOOD　THERE　HOLDING　MELINDA'S　HAND！　　There　were　deep　crimson

spots　on　Tommy's　cheeks　all　that　afternoon　and　a　resolute；

determined　look　in　his　bright　brown　eyes；　but　he　was　very　still

and　quiet。



Later　in　the　day　the　children　were　startled　by　a　sudden　commotion

on　the　other　side　of　the　room。　　Daisy　was　writing　on　her　slate

and　Melinda　Jones；　in　passing　to　her　seat；　accidentally　knocked

it　out　of　her　hands；　without　a　moment's　hesitation；　Daisy；　by　way

of　expressing　her　feelings；　snatched　her　slate　and　promptly

administered　such　a　sounding　〃whack！〃　on　Melinda's　back　and

shoulders　as　brought　a　shriek　of　anguish　from　that　poor；　little

unfortunate　who　began　to　think　that　if　all　the　days　of　her　life

were　to　be　like　unto　this　day；　existence　would　certainly　prove　a

burden。



Just　about　two　minutes　later　Miss　Linnet　was　standing　by　her

desk；　a　ruler　in　one　hand　and　Daisy's　open　palm　in　the　other；

while　Daisy　herself；　miserable　little　culprit；　stood　white　and

trembling　before　her。　　As　she　raised　the　ruler　to　give　the　first

blow；　Tommy　sprang　forward；　placing　himself　at　Daisy's　side；　put

his　open　palm　over　hers；　and　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　pleaded　in

this　wise：



〃Please；　Miss　Linnet；　whip　me　instead！　　She　is　only　just　a　little

girl　and　I　KNOW　she'll　cry；　it　will　hurt　her　so！　　I'd　rather　it

would　be　me　every　time　than　Daisytruly　I　won't　cry。　　Oh；　please

whip　me！〃



And　Miss　Linnet　did　whip　him；　while　Daisy；　filled　with　remorse；

clung　to　him　sobbing　as　if　her　heart　would　break。　　To　be　sure；

somebody　who　ought　to　know；　told　me　it　was　the　lightest

〃feruling〃　ever　child　received；　but　Daisy　and　Tommy　both　assured

their　mothers　that　it　was　the　〃dreadfulest；　cruelest；　hardest

whipping　ever　was。〃



〃And　did　my　little　man　cry？〃　asked　mamma。



〃No；　indeed！　　I　stood　up　big　as　I　could；　looked　at　Daisy　and

smiled；　'cause　I　was　so　glad　it　wasn't　her。〃



Then　that　proud　and　happy　mamma　took　him　in　her　arms　and　kissed

him；　and　right　in　the　midst　of　the　kissing　in　walked　Daisy。



〃Would　Tommy　please　come　and　take　supper　with　her？〃



Of　course　he　would；　and　they　walked　off　hand　in　hand。　　When　they

passed　Dicky's　house　Tommy　suggested。　　〃S'posing　they　forgive

Dick　and　let　him　go　'long　too。〃　　And　Daisy　agreeing；　they　called

that　young　gentleman　out　and　magnanimously　informed　him　that　he

was　forgiven　and　might　come　and　have　supper　with　them。



What　in　the　world　they　had　to　forgive；　nobody　knows；　but　then；　so

long　as　forgiveness　proved　such　an　eminently　satisfactory

arrangement；　all　roundwhy；　nobody　need　care。



The　children　waited　outside　the　gate　while　Dick　coaxed　his　mother

to　let　him　go；　and　standing　there；　hand　in　hand；　Daisy　plucked　up

heart　of　grace　and　with　very　rosy　cheeks　and　an　air　about　her　of

general　penitence；　said　something　very　sweet　in　a　very　small

voice：



〃I'm　sorry　you　were　whipped；　and　oh；　Tommy；　I　wish　I　hadn't　said

you'd　holler！〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Mrs。　AMY　TERESE　POWELSON。







　Baby　thinks　it　fine；

　　　　　　In　the　summer…time；

　　To　wade　in　the　brook　clear　and　bright。

　　　　　　But　a　big　green　frog

　　Jumped　off　of　a　log；

　　　　　　And　gave

　　　　　　　　　　　Baby　Charlot