“Knowing this, on the way to the teacher’s desk, he spit upon the palm of his right hand, wiping it off upon the side of his pantaloons.
“‘Give me your hand, sir,’ said the teacher, very sternly.
“Out went the right hand, partly cleansed. The teacher looked at it a moment, and said:
“‘Daniel, if you will find another hand in this school-room as filthy as that, I will let you off this time!’
“Instantly from behind the back came the left hand.
“‘Here it is, sir,’ was the ready reply.
“‘That will do,’ said the teacher, ‘for this time; you can take your seat, sir.’”
“I’D A BEEN MISSED BY MYSE’F.”
The President did not consider that every soldier who ran away in battle, or did not stand firmly to receive a bayonet charge, was a coward. He was of opinion that self-preservation was the first law of Nature, but he didn’t want this statute construed too liberally by the troops.