Miss Vane saw a note fall upon Mary Pratt’s desk. She said,
“Mary, bring that note to me.”
The child, she knew had not yet read the note. Greatly embarrassed, Mary
looked questioningly at Clyde Mitchel before starting toward Miss Vane.
[Sidenote: Improper Notes]
Contrary to the courtesy which teachers admonish pupils to show, Miss
Vane stood up, opened the note and perused it in the presence of the
school. While she was looking at the note, Clyde Mitchel buried his
scarlet face in his book.
“You wrote this note, didn’t you, Clyde?” asked Miss Vane.
Clyde only nodded “Yes,” and burrowed even deeper into his book.
“This is a shameful note,” said Miss Vane. “It contains words that no
child should ever write or speak. You may stay after school, Clyde.”
The boys waited at the second corner from the school house for Clyde
after school.
In about ten minutes Clyde came running toward them.
“What did she do, Clyde?” they asked.
“Aw, nothing; she just preached a little and gave me a few licks that
wouldn’t hurt a baby.”
“What was in the note, anyway?”
He told them exactly what was in the note, and a loud “Hurray!” went up
from the group of listeners. The subject of conversation among these
boys as they went on down the street was as full of unclean words and
suggestions as the worst boys in the group could think up.