ABSTRACT
Now God be thanked for this delicate sensitiveness, for this recognition of what is indispensable to them, vague as it is. We traced the evil to consenting to listen to vain and mischievous talk, instead of immediately refusing to lend an ear. They had not grasped the duty of this, only felt uncomfortable, and were touchingly grateful for being shown how to battle and how to be happy again.With the young teacher the task was harder. “All this trouble has come to me here,” she fired off. “Already once you spoke to me very strictly. I never had trouble with Miss Lindsay. No one accused me of anything; here only I am always at fault”— entirely disregarding the fact that it was owing to previous exhibitions of self-will that she had had to be transferred.Another turned the tables on me even more completely. When I reproved her for using a low word in scolding the children she burst forth vehemently: “Oh, what words I had to swallow when I was in a boarding home; and I fell on the floor before my teachers! But these girls will not even rise when I enter; they are not taught politeness here, and”— finally and crushingly-“if I am so bad how is it that you gave me work as a teacher and allow me to stay in the Home?”That wily serpent! Well has it taught here the art of converting defence into attack by innuendoes difficult to combat. Even the Matron is not exempt.Sickness had invaded the Home. I requested a little dysentery patient to show me her tongue. Adhering to it I spied a big grain of raw Bengal gram.“Where did you get this ?” I asked.“There,” pointing vaguely round. From the sick-room I went to the main building. It was the hour of homework and study. Instead of silence a loud buzz of talk met me.“What is all this talking?” I said gravelyK
“ I tell them not to,” said Matron, who was present and had not stopped it, “but they will do it.”I drew her aside and told her about the Bengal gram.“Yes, they all do these things. When they grind the raw gram they pick up some and chew it. How many times have I told them not to.” She looked at me in the way she has when on self-defence, subtly throwing the blame on me. “That is the kind of Home you have, and those are the kind of girls you bring to it, and with my best endeavours I cannot improve your messes,” her look conveys.Oh ancient cunning!
