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 Daisy--truly I won't cry.
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