"Otto," said the teacher, earnestly, "yesterday it was not swept up here
at all. I excuse you for once; but do not let it happen again, or I must
punish you, boy."
Otto looked for a moment at all the nut-shells and apple-parings and
bits of paper that lay scattered about the floor waiting to be brushed
up; then he turned his head quickly away, and scampered out of the door,
for the teacher had disappeared into his own part of the house. Otto
stood outside and gazed about him at the golden sunset, and thought, "If
I could go home now, I could get a capful of cherries, and I could ride
the brown horse home from the field when the groom fetches the hay; and
now I must stay here instead, and sweep up these scraps from the floor!"
And Otto was so angry over this unpleasant task, that he scowled about
him, saying, "I wish the day of judgment would come, and carry off the
schoolhouse, and break it up into a thousand pieces!" But every thing
was still and peaceful all about, and not a sign of any such ravaging
earthquake to be seen or heard.
After a while Otto turned back towards the schoolroom-door with a savage
determination, for he knew that he must bite into his sour apple, or be
punished the next day by having to sit still during recess; and he would
not run the risk of that disgraceful punishment. He entered the room,
but stood still with surprise as soon as he stepped past the threshold.
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