Probably all boys and girls whisper in school if they think the teacher
will not catch them. Some teachers set boys and girls to watch one
another and to tell on one another when they see anyone whispering. I do
not think that is a fair thing to do, for it makes tell-tales of boys
and girls. And tell-tales are never attractive.
The story I am going to relate to you is about a teacher who set the
pupils in a room to watch each other, and to tell if they caught anyone
idle. One boy had a grudge against another, and he thought that now
would be the time to get even with him. So he watched carefully, and as
soon as he found the other boy idling he called the teacher's attention
to it. Of course every boy and girl waited anxiously to see what the
teacher would do. And then something unexpected happened. The teacher
said to the tell-tale: "So you saw this boy idling, did you?"
"Yes, sir," quickly answered the boy.
"Then," said the teacher, "what were you doing when you found him
idling?" The boy blushed, and hung his head. He not only had been caught
idling himself, but playing a mean trick. That was a lesson for him: he
never watched for idle boys again. And it ought to be a lesson for us,
too, when instead of attending to our own work, we neglect it, and try
to get other people into trouble.