coming week would bring forth.

Then I raised my hand for permission to speak, and stood up and
said: "Miss Dearborn, don't you mind! Just explain to us what
benefercent' means and we'll write something real interesting;
for all of us know what punishment is, and have seen others get
rewards, and it is not so bad a subject as some." And Dick Carter
whispered, "GOOD ON YOUR HEAD, REBECCA!" which mean he was sorry
for her too, and would try his best, but has no words.

Then teacher smiled and said benefercent meant good or healthy
for anybody, and would all rise who thought punishment made the
best scholars and men and women; and everybody sat stock still.

And then she asked all to stand who believed that rewards
produced the finest results, and there was a mighty sound like
unto the rushing of waters, but really was our feet scraping the
floor, and the scholars stood up, and it looked like an army,
though it was only nineteen, because of the strong belief that
was in them. Then Miss Dearborn laughed and said she was thankful
for every whipping she had when she was a child, and Living
Perkins said perhaps we hadn't got to the thankful age, or
perhaps her father hadn't used a strap, and she said oh! no, it
was her mother with the open hand; and Dick Carter said he
wouldn't call that punishment, and Sam Simpson said so too.

I am going to write about the subject in my Thought Book first,
and when I make it into a composition, I can leave out anything
about the family or not genteel, as there is much to relate about
punishment not pleasant or nice and hardly polite.