oks and leaving the
room; a boy came in with angry looks, and, with his hat in his hands
bruised and dusty, advanced to the master's desk, and complained that
one of his companions had thrown down his hat upon the floor, and had
almost spoilt it.

The teacher looked calmly at the mischief, and then asked how it
happened.

"I don't know sir; I hung it up on my nail, and he pulled it down."

"I wish you would ask him to come here," said the teacher. "Ask him
pleasantly."

The accused soon came in, and the two boys stood together before the
master.

"There seems to be some difficulty between you boys, about a nail to
hang your hats upon. I suppose each of you think it is your own nail."

"Yes sir," said both the boys.

"It will be more convenient for me to talk with you about this
to-morrow, than to-night, if you are willing to wait. Besides, we can
examine it more calmly, then. But if we put it off till then, you must
not talk about it in the meantime, blaming one another, and keeping up
the irritation that you feel. Are you both willing to leave it just
where it is, till to-morrow, and try to forget all about it till then? I
expect I shall find you both a little to blame."

The boys rather reluctantly consented. The next day the master heard the
case and settled it, so far as it related to the two boys. It was easily
settled in the morning, for they had had time to get calm, and were,
after sleeping away their anger, rather ashamed of the whole affair, and
very desirous to have it forgotten.

That day, when the hour for the transaction of business came, the
teacher stated to the school, that it was necessary to take some
measures to provide each boy with a nail for his hat. In order to show
that it was necessary, he related the circumstances of the quarrel which
had occurred the day before. He did this, not with such an air and
manner as to convey the impression that his object was to find fault
with the boys, or to expose their misconduct, but to show the necessity
of doing something to remedy the evil, which had been the cause of so
unpleasant an occurrence. Still, though he said nothing in the way of
reproach or reprehension, and did not name the boys, but merely gave a
cool and impartial narrative of the facts,--the effect, very evidently,
was to bring such quarrels into discredit. A calm review of misconduct,
after the excitement has gone by, will do more to bring it into
disgrace, than the most violent