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 Daisy--truly 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
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