May 1899
Schoolyard
Joseph sitting under a tree, looks up as his best friends come up. "What are you doing just sitting here?" asks Jeff "Come on we need you to bat for us! We can't win if you don't play"
His twin, Jason adds "You haven't done anything in the last two days but study when we have recess. Come ON!"
"I can't play baseball right now. I have to keep studying for the final History test coming up. My grades aren't all that good in History so I have to do really well on this test to get them up."
"Why does it matter to you now what your grades are? It hasn't mattered before." Jeff asks.
"Because now I have to make sure I make an eighty or better on this test to make sure my final grade is at least seventy five. If I don't have these grades, I'll be in really big trouble at home. I might not get to come to town for a long time!"
"So that means you won't do anything fun until after the test? We're going to the pond after school to catch frogs for the jumping frog contest. Aren't you coming ? You had the best jumpers the last time! We can't wait any longer to get our frogs. The contest is Saturday! We have to have time to train them to jump right." Jeff says.
"Yeah, last time we didn't get the right kind of frogs or something. They wouldn't jump straight! Every time they jumped it would be sideways. We've just got to have you help us pick the right jumpers this time. Won't you help us?" Jason pleads.
"Look Guys, I'm sorry okay? I just can't go. I have to go straight home after school. I'm still being punished for being disrespectful to Miss. Harrison and not doing my schoolwork."
"I thought you said your Uncle whipped you for that."
"Oh boy did he ever, but that was only part of the punishment Jason. I'm also housebound after school this week."
"Oh come on Joseph! It won't take but a few minutes and you can be back home before your Uncle ever finds out. He's working in town today anyway right?"
"Yes Jeff, he's helping Mitch, I mean Deputy Williams with something."
"Joseph, if you'll help us get the best jumpers, we'll help you do really well on the History test."
"How can you help me do well? Are you guys going to help me study Jason?"
"We'll tell you after you help us. You help us and we'll help you. Now, will you come?"
"Alright but I HAVE to be back home before my uncle gets home at five. I like being able to sit down to eat my supper!"
Later that night
"Ben?" Ben, having just finished washing the dishes at the sink, cringes at the tone of his Uncle's voice. "Yes sir?"
"Come over here." Ben walks slowly over to the chair where his uncle is sitting. That tone of voice he heard usually means someone is in trouble.
"When I was out in the barn earlier, I saw you had not put out clean hay in the stalls on your side of the barn. Isn't that on your chore chart for this week?"
For just a few seconds, Ben thinks "I could say it wasn't on my list but he'll know I'm lying. He's probably already looked at the lists."
"Yes Sir, it is." Ben answers sighing.
"Then if you know it is on your list of chores why didn't you do it? Did you forget?"
"No sir, I didn't forget."
"Are you telling me you chose to NOT put hay in those stalls? Because that would be deliberately disobeying what I told you to do!"
Ben hearing the anger in his Uncle's voice knows he'd better answer and do it quickly. If he doesn't he just knows he will wind up with a very sore backside.
"NO Sir, I'm not telling you that. Uncle Ethan, I couldn't put fresh hay down! There wasn't a hay bale down where I could reach it. You told me to never climb up in the hayloft. Remember?"
"Yes I remember Ben. Why didn't you just get Joseph to pitch some fresh hay into the hay bale area?"
"I couldn't Uncle Ethan. He wasn't home yet." Hearing the words that just came out of his mouth he covers his mouth and turns to look at his brother. I'm sorry Joseph. He thinks.
Joseph catching the message nods at Ben. It's okay Ben. He sends back.
"JOSEPH! I seem to remember you are housebound this week. Isn't that right?" Ethan asks looking at Joseph sternly.
"Yes Sir, I am." Joseph answers as he feels his stomach suddenly decide to do somersaults.
"Then you need to explain what Ben means when he says you weren't home yet." His uncle's voice is deadly.
"I went to the pond with Jeff and Jason after school. They wanted me to help them catch some good jumpers for the contest Saturday. I needed to get some for myself too. I was only late by thirty minutes. If Ben asked me I would have helped him get fresh hay. He didn't ask."
"Well boys it seems to me that both of you disobeyed today. You both know that what you have done is wrong. I probably should take you to the barn and warm your backsides but I won't this time." Ethan smiles to himself at the looks of relief on the boy's faces.
"Joseph, you are now housebound for next week also. Ben you will also be housebound the rest of this week and all of next week. If either of you does not come straight home from school or leaves this yard, I can promise you will not like the consequences. Do you hear me boys?"
"Yes Sir!" Ben answers.
"I understand Uncle Ethan." Joseph says.
"Now both of you go finish putting hay in those stalls!"
"Boy Joseph, I really thought I was in for it." Ben says.
"I know. I thought we were both going to get it! Ben, I really wish you hadn't said that I wasn't home yet! I thought I saw steam coming out of his ears right then! I wanted to melt through the floor when you told him I wasn't here."
"We really came close tonight! I don't know about you Ben, but I'm not going to do one thing to make him mad for as long as this housebound punishment lasts. If we do, he might just change his mind about giving us that whipping."
"Yeah I know! Joseph are you mad at me? I caused you to miss the frog jumping contest and got you in trouble."
"I am not mad Ben. I got myself in trouble. He would have found out I didn't come straight home eventually. There's always some way he finds out when we do something we're not supposed to do! I sure wish I knew how he does it!"
As the boys pitch clean hay into the stalls, Joseph thinks about what the twins' plan is to help him do well on his test. If I go through with this plan and we get caught, I'll be in huge trouble. If I don't I might not do well on the test and then I know I'll be in trouble. If I'm going to be in trouble either way, I might as well try the twins' idea. I'll just have to be extra careful not to get caught.
Thursday: at school
At recess the next day Jeff says "Okay, Joseph you are to distract Miss. Harrison while Jason and I go inside. You've got to give us at least five minutes to get it done. We'll come around the side when we're done."
Joseph waits for Miss. Harrison to come outside as she usually does during lunch recess. He calls "Miss. Harrison, Can you come see something?" When the teacher has her back turned the twins sneak inside the schoolroom.
Joseph points out some poison ivy growing in the bushes. "Miss. Harrison, isn't this the plant that makes us break out in bumps that itch?"
Looking carefully at the plant, Miss. Harrison says "Yes I believe this is Poison Ivy, Joseph. You'd better not get to close. Have you touched it?"
"No Ma'am, I didn't. Shouldn't we tell the others what it is and make sure they don't accidentally get in it?"
"That's a good idea Joseph! You go round up the older children and I'll get the younger ones. Meet me back here in a few minutes."
After the children all gather near the edge of the woods, Miss. Harrison points out the plant. "Everyone needs to take a good look but don't touch this plant. This is poison Ivy and it will make you break out in a rash that will itch very badly if you touch it. Make sure you stay away from this part of the schoolyard."
Joseph looks up to see Jason walking towards the group. When he reaches the other children, Miss. Harrison is busy discussing what the plant's leaves look like.
Jason walks over to Joseph and whispers "come on over by the wall. " When Joseph gets there, he sees Jeff standing up against the wall.
"We got it." Jeff tells him. "All you have to do now is copy down the answers. Now that you have the test questions you'll be able to make a great grade. But remember, you have to miss some or she'll get suspicious. You can't just jump from making D's to a perfect score and not make her suspicious!'
"You have to write the answers on paper that is really small. For this test, I'd use about three different little papers. Put the answers on the front and back of the paper. Stuff them into your pocket and your shoe. After she hands out the test, you can pull out one at a time to look at. Make sure you keep that paper folded up in your hand so you can look at it but no one else can see it."
"All right for helping me with the test. What about you two? Don't you need to do what you told me to do?" Joseph asks.
"No, we can remember the questions long enough to write them down. Then we'll go look up the answers. Good luck on the test tomorrow Joseph." Jeff tells him.
Thursday: at home
As soon as Joseph gets home he tells his brothers and sister "I've got to go study for my History test. Ben and George, Can you do my chores just for today?Please?" I'll do yours tomorrow and the day after that if you'll just do my outside chores today."
"Okay, Joseph." Ben says as George nods his head.
"Make sure you get everything done before Uncle Ethan gets home or we'll all be in trouble."
Claire says "I'll help them so everything is finished."
"Thanks so much Claire. I have to do good on this test or I'll be in so much trouble!"
"You have to do WELL not you have to do good! It's a good thing the test isn't on Grammar, Joseph. " Claire tells him.
By suppertime, Joseph has all the answers written out and his three small answer sheets ready. He's beginning to get a bit nervous about going through with his plan.
"Joseph?" Ethan sees Joseph jump and watches his eyes get big.
"Yes sir?" Joseph has to work at it to keep the shakiness out of his voice. He can feel his legs trembling under the table.
"What's bothering you tonight? You seem to be far away from us. Is there something you want to talk about?"
"I'm just nervous about that History test tomorrow, I guess. I'm scared I won't make that eighty or more you said I have to make."
"I see. Well, you have been studying all week, right?"
"Yes sir I have, some during school and every night this week."
"Then you shouldn't be worried. I'm sure you'll do fine."
"Now, you seem tired tonight. I want you to go to bed early so you'll be all rested for the test. We'll say bedtime is 8:30 for you tonight." Ethan says watching for Joseph's reaction.
"Yes sir, I'll be glad to. I'm really tired tonight." Joseph answers.
Ethan is surprised not to have him complain about the early bedtime. I hope he isn't making himself sick with worrying about the test. Maybe I put too much pressure on him for good grades. He thinks.
Friday: TEST Day
As soon as Miss Harrison gives out the History tests Joseph begins to read the questions. He reaches into his pocket and feels the small paper with the answers. As he reads, he realizes he knows these answers! "Question 4 What are the first ten amendments to the constitution called?" he reads to himself. "It's the Bill of Rights!" Joseph remembers from his notes. Quickly he writes down his answer.
Next question "Name three of these amendments and describe each." Joseph writes "Amendment 1 or the first amendment says the government of the United States can make no laws to prohibit people from practicing their religion."
"The second one is the amendment allowing people to keep and bear arms. To keep guns. The third amendment says , No soldiers can stay in someone's house unless the owner of the house says it is alright for them to stay."
Reading further down on the page he comes to a question he isn't sure of the answer. Question 8 " Who was the commander in chief of the continental army?"
Joseph thinks " I don't know! Was it General Washington or was it someone else?" He thinks about pulling his answers out. As he puts his hand in his pocket he remembers Jason telling him he had to miss a few questions. "I'll just not put down an answer on that one."
As he finishes the test, Joseph is feeling very happy with his answers. I know I did good, I mean well, on this test! He thinks to himself as he gets up to turn in his test.
When he stands up, the answer sheet he had in his pocket falls on the floor. The boy across from Joseph, Dudley Adams leans over and picks it up. "Miss. Harrison?" Dudley asks giving Joseph a smirk. Joseph knows Dudley is a friend of Billy Justice. He remembers when the older boy threatened to get back at him for getting Billy beaten up.
"Yes Dudley?"
"I have a piece of paper here that just fell out of Joseph's pocket. It has the test answers on it."
"Bring the paper to me." Joseph hears Miss. Harrison say.
Hearing this Joseph feels like he might just be sick right there on the floor.
After several very long minutes with Miss. Harrison comparing his test to the little paper Dudley gave her, she looks up at Joseph.
Her whole face just looks sad. Joseph thinks. Good, she's not mad. Maybe I can explain it to her.
Just then he hears Miss. Harrison say "Claire, I need you to go find your uncle and bring him here please."
"Children, school is dismissed for the rest of the day. We will continue with the test Monday, for those who have not finished it. Please go directly home and nowhere else."
"Joseph you are to remain where you are. Ben and George you need to wait outside for Claire."
Joseph watches his brothers leave the room. He's having a very hard time keeping himself from breaking out in tears. He still feels sick in his stomach. His legs are shaking so much, the desk is rattling.
"Miss. Harrison? Please may I explain what happened?" he asks his voice sounding strange. It's hard to talk around the lump in his throat. It feels like an orange is stuck in his throat.
"Joseph we will talk about this when you're uncle gets here."
Joseph hears his Uncle's voice from behind him. "I am here Miss. Harrison. What is it that Joseph has done? All Claire said was he was in trouble and I needed to come over right away."
"Yes, Mr. Cord, If you'll step up here I will show you what has happened."
Just the sound of his Uncle's voice causes Joseph to begin crying. He just can't control it anymore. Ethan looks at Joseph as he walks to the front of the room. Seeing the boy sitting there crying makes him realize whatever this problem is must be something very bad. Joseph doesn't cry like that over nothing.
"Mr. Cord, this fell out of Joseph's pocket as he got up to turn in his test paper. These are all answers to the test questions. If you'll look at both papers at the same time you will see the answers are almost exactly the same on both."
After a few minutes of looking at both papers, Ethan turns to Joseph. "Joseph!"Is this small paper yours? It has your handwriting on it!"
Joseph can't speak so he just nods his head as he wipes at the tears running down his face. Looking at the furious face of his Uncle he wishes he could just be invisible right now.
He hears his Uncle say "Miss. Harrison, once again I am sorry for the trouble Joseph has caused. I have no explanation for why he would cheat. When I get through with him he will think very hard before he tries to cheat again!"
"Thank you Mr. Cord. I will give Joseph another test on Monday for him to be able to complete the class. He will be able to be here Monday, will he not?"
"Yes Ma'am he'll be here but he may have to take his test standing up!" Ethan says as he stalks over to Joseph's seat, grabs Joseph by the arm pulling him out of the seat and delivers an extremely hard whack to his backside. This one is quickly followed by three more.
OW, that hurts! Joseph thinks as his bottom starts to burn. I can't believe he just walloped me here in front of Miss. Harrison! It's so unfair!' No one will listen to me! Now he's going to take the strap to me. I just know he is!"
After being walloped and marched out to the wagon, he sees his brothers and sister are already in the wagon. None of them say anything as he climbs up and carefully sits down. Joseph can't help but wince when his bottom touches the wooden wagon bed. As the wagon starts to roll, Joseph reaches up to wipe off the tears that are still running down his face.
The ranch
As soon as the wagon stops in the yard, Claire, Ben and George climb down and go inside without being told to do so. Joseph doesn't move from his spot in the wagon. He's having a hard time keeping from breaking down in a sobbing mess. All he wants to do is run! Run somewhere far away from where he is right now.
He thinks, I wish I'd never written those stupid papers!Uncle Ethan is so disappointed in me. He's never going to believe me again!
He looks up as his Uncle approaches the end of the wagon. "Let's go Joseph." Joseph takes a quick look at his Uncle's face. It's just as angry looking as it was back at the school. "I was hoping he might have calmed down just a little!" he thinks as he climbs down to follow his Uncle into the barn.
As soon as he enters the barn, he sees his Uncle close and drop the bar into the metal hooks on the barn doors. Joseph wonders if that is to keep him from running out or to keep someone else from coming in. He's never seen his Uncle bar the doors before.
He watches uneasily as Ethan walks across to the post where the razor strap is hanging. Seeing his uncle lift it off the nail he suddenly finds his voice.
"Uncle Ethan, please let me explain what happened! It's not what it looks like!" His uncle turns to look at him and Joseph holds his breath. Please let him stop and listen to me. he begs in his mind.
"I really don't see what kind of explanation you could possibly give me for this behavior Joseph. How can you explain away the fact that you had a piece of paper in your pocket with the test answers written on it. The same exact answers were written on the test. It seems to be very clear to me that this is cheating."
"Yes Sir, I know it looks bad. I know it looks like I was cheating but I really wasn't! I did have the paper in my pocket and I did write those answers on that paper but I did Not look at it during the test! PLEASE! Believe me! I didn't cheat on that test. I DIDN"T!" he yells.
"Joseph!" Ethan says very sternly. "Lower your voice! You shouting at me is not going to help you any! You will only make this worse by throwing a fit!"
Joseph immediately calms down. "I'm sorry Uncle Ethan. It's just no one is listening to me. Everyone just jumped into thinking I had been cheating. I swear to you, I am telling you the absolute truth. I. Did. Not. Cheat. On. The. Test. I can prove it to you. If you'll get my History book you can quiz me. You'll see, I know the answers."
Joseph sighs in relief as his Uncle hangs the strap back on the nail. He watches as Ethan unbars the doors and walks to the wagon. When he returns, he is holding the History book open in his hands. Closing the barn doors again he turns to Joseph.
"Alright Joseph, I'm going to show you that I am listening to you. We'll try this your way for a few minutes but I'm not saying this will excuse you from any punishment."
"Yes sir." Joseph says.
Holding the History book open, Ethan begins to quiz Joseph.
"Name three of the men who signed the Declaration of Independence. Tell me what year they did this."
"That would be on July 4, 1776 which is why we celebrate the fourth of July as Independence Day. The signers of the Declaration of Independence were John Adams, John Hancock, and Thomas Jefferson."
After several more questions and correct answers, Ethan closes the book. "Alright Joseph, you have shown you do know your history lessons. Now it's time to tell me just what it is you were thinking when you decided to cheat.
"Joseph squirms just a little as he answers "I was thinking it would help make a good grade on the test."
"So you were planning to use the answer paper?"
"Yes sir but I changed my mind." Joseph tells him.
"I also want to know how it is that all of the answers on your little paper match up perfectly to the questions on the test. Where did you get the test questions? Did you steal the test?" Ethan asks sternly.
" NO SIR! I didn't even see the test until she handed it out."
"Well if you didn't take the test, someone else did. Who was it?" Getting no answer, Ethan says "Joseph, I know someone helped you do this. There's just no possible way to have the exact answers without knowing the questions. Now I want an answer, who was it that helped you with this scheme?"
"Jeff and Jason." Joseph says as he squirms a little more.
"I should have known those two would be involved in this!" Ethan says. "What part in this did they have?"
Joseph sighs to himself as he is about to tell on his friends. He knows he has no choice but to tell the truth if he's going to help get himself out of major punishment. As he looks at his Uncle, he can see Ethan is still very angry.
"Jeff and Jason went in and found the test. They copied the questions down and then brought them to me. I looked up the answers and wrote out the papers." At this he stops, horrified that he just gave away the fact there was more than one answer paper.
Maybe he won't catch what I said. Joseph thinks as he glances at Ethan.
"Papers? You had more than one answer sheet?" Ethan asks his voice sounding harsh.
"Yes sir." Joseph says hanging his head as he sees the glare his Uncle gives him.
"Go on. Finish." Ethan says sternly.
"I took the papers to school but when I got the test and read over the questions, I didn't need the papers. I already knew the answers." Watching his Uncle's face Joseph can see he is fighting to stay calm and not yell.
"Is there anything else you need to tell me about this?" his voice is very quiet but stern.
"No sir. I don't have anything else to say." Joseph says reluctantly. He is dreading what he knows is coming next.
"Joseph, there is absolutely no question that what you have done deserves severe punishment. You deliberately set out to cheat on the test by copying from the test and preparing answers to use during the test. The point is planning to cheat is almost as wrong as cheating."
"Think about all the problems you have caused in the school. The other students who were taking the test must now wait two days to finish their test."
"Miss. Harrison will have to explain to many parents what caused her to dismiss school so early today. She will also have to come up with a new test just for you. All of this is because of your actions."
Ethan stops and looks at his nephew. Joseph is sitting on a hay bale with his head down on his arms. Ethan can see from the shaking of his shoulders that he is crying.
"Joseph look at me." When Joseph looks up Ethan asks "What do you think your punishment for this should be?"
Joseph looks shocked. He's asking me? I have to pick my own punishment? he thinks. Joseph answers "I think I should be housebound for another two weeks."
"Okay, we'll go with that." Ethan says.
That's it? Joseph thinks That's all the punishment I'm getting? Good!
Then he hears Ethan say "What else do you think you should have for punishment?"
"Um well, I shouldn't get dessert for two weeks and have to go to bed early those same two weeks."
"Okay we'll go with that too. What other punishment do you think you deserve for causing so much trouble at school?"
Joseph's shoulders slump as he sighs in frustration. I have to think up more punishments? I really think I know what he wants me to say. I don't want to say that but if I don't I'll have to keep thinking up punishments.
Ethan is watching him closely and asks "Well Joseph?"
"I deserve a whipping." Joseph says very quietly not looking at his uncle.
"I quite agree. You definitely deserve a whipping. Come over here by this hay bale and bend over it." Joseph hears the sound of the strap being lifted off the nail again.
"NO Please! I told you the truth, I didn't cheat."
"Yes but you did plan to cheat plus all of the problems you caused by that plan. You were going to get ten with the strap but now it's only four. The rest will be with my belt. I want you to remember this Joseph. I love you very much but I will not abide lying or cheating. Before you say it, Yes you did cheat. You cheated yourself by not believing that you were capable of taking the test without those answer sheets."
With that said he proceeds to set fire to his nephew's backside.
Lying in bed on his stomach that night, Joseph can't help but think I wish I had kept thinking up more punishments and not said I deserved a whipping. I've got to learn to be a better thinker upper of punishments for next time. Because of my own self, I'm housebound for the rest of the month, going to bed at the same time as George, I don't get dessert for another two weeks and I won't be sitting down for that long either!
He whispers a short prayer "God, can you make sure Jeff and Jason's frogs don't even hop in that contest tomorrow? If it weren't for them I wouldn't have been in this mess to start with!"
