"There is," continued I, "another injury which must grow out of such a
practice. This I should not have expected the little girls could think
of. In fact, I doubt whether any in school will think of it. Can any one
tell me what it is?"
No one replied.
"I should suppose that it would lead you to disregard the bell when it
rings, and that consequently a gentleman or lady might sometimes ring in
vain, the scholars near the door saying, 'Oh, it is only the little
girls.'"
"Yes, sir," was heard from all parts of the room.
I found, from farther inquiry, that this had been the case, and I closed
by saying,
"I am satisfied that those who have inadvertently fallen into this
practice are sorry for it, and that if I should leave it here, no more
cases of it would occur, and this is all I wish. At the same time, they
who have done this will feel more effectually relieved from the pain
which having done wrong must necessarily give them, if they individually
acknowledge it to me. I wish, therefore, that all who have thus rung the
bell in play would write me notes stating the facts. If any one does not
do it, she will punish herself severely, for she will feel for many days
to come that while her companions were willing to acknowledge their
faults, she wished to conceal and cover hers. Conscience will reproach
her bitterly for her insincerity, and, whenever she hears the sound of
the door-bell, it will remind her not only of her fault, but of what is
far worse, _her willingness to appear innocent when she was really
guilty.
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