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.
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