Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1847-12-22
,renrLLANEoUs READING.
From the n Y. Tribune.
s-~saeuts in the Life Of "a SCHOOL,
master.

Ain The Green Mountain Boys, &C Bos-
Tan. B. B. Mus.ey A. Co, % CornhlI. New
YORK. Sold by w. II. Graham, Tribune Bull
diugs. (DuodeeiIno, PIP. 23l.)
amsden's success as a Teacher was
,onderful, and the School which had long
heen noted as the worst in the region be-
came in his hands the best. The former
master had been driven off by violence,
but our hero. after many trials, not only
subdued the refractory spirits. but INSPIRED
them with the noble ambition TO excel IN
Intellectual attainncnts. In tins state 81
things, an unexpected difficulty occurred
MANY Of the scholars were taken sudden
IL i'll, and many of the people, unable 10
account for the fact that the children IN
their district should be sick while those III
the ncighboring district were III good
health, contendcd that the master had
made them study So hard as to undermine
their constitutions; while others sad that
he must have rcsortcd 10 some unlawful
art or power whereby he had given them
an unnatural thirst for their studies and as
unnatural a power of mastering them
Excitement in the district ran high, and,
Capt Bunker being absent, meeting was
called 10 see what should be done Amsden
went 10 the meeting in company with Dr.
Lincoln, an eminent physician who came
a distance Of fiilv miles TO prescribe for
scholar who was dangerously Ill. The IN
cidenfs Of that meeting are so amusing
that we cannot resist the temptation toquotc
our authors account. The cause OF the
sickness. it will be SEEM, was very salts
factorily explained:
On reaching the place of destination,
they found. with the exception OF Bunker
and one or two others. all the men, togctfi-
er with several of the older scholars of the
district. already assembled, and on the
point Of proceeding 10 business. AS soon
as Locke had helped his friend, the Doc
for, 10 a seat, and taken one seat by for
himself, he cast leisurcly look round the
assembly. 1t required neither much time
nor closencss of observation to apprise
him that there was great deal of sup
pressed, excited feeling. prevailing gene
rally among the company. Nor was he
much longer in satisfying himself, from
The words which occasi onally reached his
ears, from little knots of eager whisperers
around him. and from the many cold and
suspicious chances he encountered, that a
great portion of this feeling was uniavora-
DIV directed against himself. the cause of
which he was unable 10 conjecture.
81 motion Deacon Gilchrist be Modcr
ator of this meeting" said one, bobbing
halfway up, and hastily squa'tlng back 10
his seat before the sentence was fairly out
of his mouth.
The vote having been taken. and the
Chairman, a short, sluggish man, whose
wisdom and sancttv lay principally i'll
his face. being duly installed in his scat,
nc pronounced the meeting open, and in
yitcd those present Ito oilcr.
Il notion" again said the person who
had first spoken. IL motion. Mr. Nodcra-
tor. that this school come TO an ccnd.-
And I've got my reasons fort
The motion was eagerly seconded by
Two or three others, all speaking at once,
and demanding the question, in manner
that plainly showed that considerable
portion of those present were acting in
concert. and with the intention of having
the vote taken before any debate could be
had on the subject And the Chairman,
who was evidently secret iavorcr OF the
project. jumped up to put the question;
when locke who had Witnessed the move
mcnt with the utmost surprise. rose and
demanded the reasons which the mover
asserted he had for his proposed measure.
81 call for the votc-put II to vote!' was
the only reply which Locke received TO
his reasonable demand.
Look here now Mr. Moderator.' cried
tall. rough-looking young fellow. who
rose in a different part of the room from
that occupied by the combined party. Il
have neither chick or child to send TO
school. to be sure: but I'm a voter here.
and must say think YOU are for push
ing the master rather hard. to vote him
out without giving him Your reasons. SO as
10 allow him chance 10 clear it up. if he
can. And as 10 any blame for the sick
hess resting on him. | ant sure but
what he can; Tor can't say think much
Of this black art business. or Of its having
anything TO do in bringing on the trouble
wouldn't give much for all the help the
master or anybody else ever got that way.
Now YOU may think as you're mind 10:
but never thought the old boy was half>o
much of criitcr as he's cracked up to
be. And | don't believe he's any grea.
scratch at ciphcrin' himself neither, much
less TO teach IL to others
The sensibilitcS of the good Deacon
received very visible shock from this
strange and irrcvercnt speech. as ii was
Nttintu, anu MS ZcdlOuS supporter. whom
we have mentioned as taking the lead in
motions thus far made. was so much out
ragged in his feelings. either by the senti
ments of the speaker. or the opposition
they implied 10 his plans. that he rose. and
said he thought the Young man ought TO be
rebuked for such loose discourse. in a
meeting like this. where folks had so much
reason 10 be solemn Il wonder if he
believes continued the zealot. warming
up, ''what the Scripture says about the
power of sorcerers getting unlawful help
to do what other folks couldn't dol And
should like 10 ask him where he thinks
the help comes from. when young Johr
Mugrdge. that the master had got along
so unnatural fast in figures. did hare
sum in his sleep. want 10 know too
what he thinks about widow Marvin's box
beng taken sick-in mercy. perhaps
the very nexi week after the master pu