"If Teacher Poesn't Thrash Billy !

Otago Witness, Issue 2722, 16 May 1906, Page 79

"If Teacher Poesn't Thrash Billy !

■"-An Angry —

One day I got a glimpse of the weaker sex in a very militant mood. I was chatting in the playground of one of the East "End London schools with the head mistress, when the gate was suddenly pushed open, and in dashed a woman from tbo street, beside herself -with. fury. -She were no hat or jacket; her clothes were of the -dirtiest- and -scantiest. .A t frightful core, which I heard afterwards was the result of some chemical poisoning in the course of her work, disfigured two-thirds of her face. She dragged after her a wretched boy about five years old. He was yelling himself sick, and blood as well as tears .and dart ran .down his face. Hie mother wanted to ccc her Tommy's teacher. - TWhat for?" asked my companion gently, whilst the other shook her fist in her face , . • "What _ f or, ., indeed ! ' Look at 'is' f oice 1Look at them scratches. Billy" Jones did that, and if teacher doesn't- bash Billy. I'll-m » " '• ' , ""What will yoii do?"; - "111- bash her !",~ehe; shrieked. ■ "But. my good woman " "Don't good woman me. She's got to come out, and 'it Billy, or I'll 'it her !" The head mistress's, experience bad taught her that_ the best . course is gentleness at such moments, so she . set hers jlf to try and gain time lor the -steam to blow off. The. virago glared .at her , and then at "me. but Tier voice was decidedly quieter," when she asked -again, -"Where is she?" / "But now, „jrou- know, she can,'t do that. How would you iike her to. come out. and, hit your- child '<" "> • i ""- ' ' ' '' - . "I'd just .lilye tir ..catch -her," was the surly reply! ■ ' . "And if you hit her, what will she do?", asked my vaetful friend. , ' ,"Ah, what will she do !" .retorted the other. ' ■ -

"One thing is certain" (this with great gentleness) : "the teacher will never hit you back."

"No ! that she won't ; she knows hersolf better !" She was beaten by sheer womanly gentleness. With a snap at the- unfortunate oause of the row.— who. -had stopped cryinjj, and was now staring at us in amazement — "There! you s stop your noise," she shouted, as sho nearly Jolted the cliild's. bones out of place < with , a shake, /vigorously/ vigorously -wiped away with a very dirty, apron -the traces of the tragedy, and then da.rted""but of the gate. — Pall Mall Magazine.