The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1851-02-19

lently demolished it, feather and all, and
brushed back his hair, drew from the hol-
low Of an old oak his decent cloth cap,
smoothed down his trowsers, his dog all
the time looking commiseratingly into his
face. with countenance not less sorry
than his masters. ~,
"Aha," said Bill Larkins to his COM
panions, as they were returning from
school, "what do you think Of our baby
schoolmarm?"
"She amt no bigger than doll, and
III lick her yet" cried one. ss
"What is thatl" cried Job Brewer,
farmer GoodwelPs boy, shaking his fist
threateningly, "if you touch her, III make
you see stars"
"By gosh, amt she pretty!" exclaimed
one. "But there's Mike, he'll give us some
for not being up to our word. Ideclare |
never felt SO ashamed in my life, and could
not laugh TO save me.
"Fools! cowards!" shouted Mike, angri.
ly. "That's your fair play, is it! Get me
in there, in that shape, and then back out,
and sit there as sober as deacons, a parcel
of long.faced hypocrites. You'll be sorry
for it, every living soul Of you"
"But look here, Nike" said Job Brew.
er, in conciliating tone, at the same time
patting him on the shoulder, 81 hope you
didn't feel any worse than we did, in a
heap on the floor. she calling US young
gentlemen, and so sorry for the accident,
and so afraid we were hurt, and all the
time looking so pleasant and kind.
"Then you didn't back out Of that, too"
said Mike, somewhat appeased.
"No, but tell you what, we wished we
could, as much as you did. If she had
only taken out her cowhide, and offered to
lick US, we should have known what to
have done; we could have tackled her
then as we did old Miss Blarney. But |
tell you what, Miss Blarney and Miss Har-
low are two. Another thing, Mike, she
never will know you again, you look so
different now, and she'll give you seat
with US, young gentlemen and he placed
his thumbs in the sides of his vest, and
strutted before them with mock importance.
"Didn't | look funny?" asked Mike,
now quite restored to good humor, by the
consideration that she might notrecognize
him, "and didn'r | act like fool, too!"
Fine looking hands for young gentle
man," murmured Job 10 himself, as he left
the boys, and walked down the lane leading
to the farmhouse. "But what shall tell
old Goodwell? know; III tell him il she
is little she is spunky, and keeps first rate
school. He will be trying to have her
turned off, and if she is, declare won't
60 to school STEP"
Soap and water were in great requisition
during the intermission, as, for the first time
in their lives, the boys had looked with dis
may on their dirty nails and hands, con-
trasting strongly with the little delicate ones
that had guided theirs, in endeavors to cor
rect their awkward method of holding pens.
Clean faces and hands, and nicely combed
hair, were all the rage that afternoon, and
each boy looked with secret surprise upon
the change in his comrades, and Annie
scarcely recognized in the tidy, pleasant
looking little fellows, the determined row.
dies of the morning.
On the evening of that same day, were
congregated at the grocery store of Mikes
father, all the principal men in the neigh
borhood. Mike, Job, and not few of the
boys were there likewise.
'.Well, neighbor Goodwell, what's your
opinion of our new teacher?" asked MIR.
Hastings.
81 haint no opinion Of her at ALL" re.
piled the old man, striking the floor vio-
lently with his cane.
"Nor l." "Nor | mother, was heard
from several voices.
1.-THE boys seem to like her though" !"
remarked Mr.. Hastings, as he quietly
weighed half pound Of souchong.
"Ha! we don't do nothing else" said Job,
"She's first rate school.marm."
"That's Jest it!'' exclaimed Goodwell,
looking sternly at the boy. "lf she had
given you confounded thrashing, as you
deserve, you wouldn't like her so WE'LL"
"True, true, neighbor," was heard from
several voices.
"If we did have a broken school last
winter that Miss Blarney was one first-rate
school marm," said Mr.. Larkings, as he
paced the floor with hands in pockets, and
eyes bent thoughtfully downward; "but
that little Miss-what's her name-haint
nothing at all. Bill, here, and all the rest
Of these great rascals, have been out Of
school these two winters, because the
school marin couldn't manage them, and
if you can afford to send your boys to
school summers, | can't, and what's more,
| won't, to such school as that! He'll
forgit all he's larnt, at this rate; sand if we
had first rate school would send him
through. But faint no use now, he wont
larn nothing, that's sartin." y
"My boy must 60 to school. anyhow
said Mr.. Hastings, "and if this teacher
won't do, we must send her home and gel
another, and since The district are dissat-
;,6oJi ,,a oop' do n on1 Il ,,onya th ot u.o