this was not one of the regular drills, there was no confusion, and with the exception of the faces of pupils and teachers, which were a trifle more serious than at daily drill, the program was carried out perfectly.
One of the teachers, assigned to the piano, began the march, and the pupils began to file out of the rooms after the last bell. Monitors took their places on the stone steps to guard against confusion near the exits. Every door in the building was thrown open by those assigned to that duty.
As soon as they were in the streets, the classes hurried away from the exits, so that the march of those in the rear would not be hampered.
In the meantime the janitor, Duncan Robinson, had gathered a number of large boys of the grammar department and formed a bucket brigade. They made short work of the flames. There was no call sent in for the fire department.
(780)
Discipline, Easy—See Slackness.
DISCIPLINE EVADED
Kassim Pasha, when Minister of War for
Egypt, was very particular in regard to the
personal appearance of his officers and issued
stringent orders that they should never appear
unshaven in public. One day he met
upon the street a lieutenant who had bearded
the pasha and disregarded his orders. "To
what regiment do you belong?" demanded
the indignant minister. "To the regiment,
at Abasseuh," replied the frightened
lieutenant. "Get into my carriage at once
so that I can carry you to the encampment
and have you publicly punished," was the
stern command which followed.
The young man obeyed, and the twain rode along gloomily enough for some time, when the pasha stopt his carriage and entered an office where he would be detained for some time on business. Seizing the opportunity, the culprit sprang from the vehicle, darted into a neighboring barber's stall and regained his post before the return of his jailer minus his beard. For the remainder of the route the officer buried his face in his hands and seemed the picture of apprehension.
Abasseuh was reached at last, and all the officers were assembled to witness the degradation of their comrade, who all the while kept well in the rear of his chief. "Come forward, you son of a dog!" cried the irate pasha, when there stept before him an officer with a face as clean as a baby's and a look of the most supreme innocence. His excellency gave one look of blank astonishment and then, with an appreciative smile breaking over his war-worn features, turned to the assembled officers and said, "Here, gentlemen, your old minister is a fool, and your young lieutenant is a captain."—Pitston Gazette.
(781)
DISCIPLINE FROM CHANGE
God frequently improves men by shaking them up and running them through scouring-machines of misfortune, like the wheat mentioned in this extract:
The grain reaches Port Arthur in carloads,
and is examined by a grain-inspector in the
service of the Dominion Government. If
found to be suffering from smut, it is separated
into three grades, according to the
amount of smut adhering to it. That which
is least dirty is scoured and brushed until all
vestige of smut is removed, while the dirtier
grain is thoroughly washed and dried before
being cleaned. The scouring-machine turns
and tosses the wheat so vigorously that every
grain becomes highly polished, and is said
to be in a better condition for milling than
ordinary wheat, since it has lost part of its
outer integument, which would have to be
removed. (Text.)—Arthur Inkersley, The American Inventor.
(782)
Discipline, Military—See Obedience.
Disclosure—See Utterance.
DISCONTENT, DIVINE
An unidentified author writes thus of discontent:
When the world was formed and the morning stars
Upon their paths were sent,
The loftiest-browed of the angels was named
The Angel of Discontent.
And he dwelt with man in the caves of the hills,
Where the crested serpent stings,
And the tiger tears and the she-wolf howls,
And he told of better things.
And he led man forth to the towered town,
And forth to the fields of corn;
And he told of the ampler work ahead
For which the race was born.
