Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1852-10-20
MISCE LII A N Y.
The SchOOlmaSaer.
BY WHITTIER.

Jeremiah Paul was short round person
age, with quick had almost said spite
full little grey eye, bald head in front, and
a short stiff cue behind. He was Won
derful man to look at, and his history was
no less than his person. AT one period he
was the village schoolmaster. a rare peda-
gogue and learned it is said not only ia
miliar with Dilworth's Spelling Book and
the Psaultier, but also with such difficult
mathematical problems as are comprehend
ed in the abridgment of Perkins Arithmetic.
1t may be readily supposed that such rare
and ripe scholar would not be suffered to
remain long in obscurity. His talents were
not of an order 10 blush unseen. and &C
cordinsly in his fortieth year, he was hon
ored with an Office, and enriched with the
emoluments appertaining to no less dig
nity than Justice of the Peace.
But we are getting ahead of our story,
and with the readers permission, we will
90 back few years and introduce him to
the wife of MIR. Paul. She too. was an
uncommon character, great eood-natured
handsome romp, who used to attend school
on purpose, to use her own expression,
t rlague Master Jerry And verify she
was plague. She used to bounce in and
out whenever she pleased-she pinched
the boys, linked the faces OF the girls, and
finally TO such pitch did her audacity ar
rive, that she even presumed to lay hands
on the nicely adjusted cue OF dominic him
self.
Jeremiah was leaning over his desk in a
musing attitude, engaged in profound math-
ematica calculations, respecting .Ae prob
able value of the tenant ofthe pigsty when
this outrage took place He had already
placed the subject in halfdozen attitudes
before his minds eye, and was ust on the
point of committing his lucubrations to the
fragment of slate, upon which his elbows
were resting, when vigorous jerk at the
hairy appendage of his percranum, started
bolt upright in minute, and drew from
HIM cry not unlike that of the very ami
NAL which was the subject ofhis scientific
cogitatons.
Jeremiah did not swear, for he was an
exemplary, and church-going pedagogue
but his countenace actually blackened with
rage and anguish, as he gazed earnestly
and hurriedly around HIM and the i'll.
suppressed laughter of his disciples, added
not little to his chagrin.
WHO, who, who, / say" He could ar
ticulate no more. He was already nearly
choked with passion.
THAT great ugly girl, there, who pinch
es me so," said little ragged urchin, with
dirty face.
jeremiah confronted the fan delinquent,
but it was plain from his manner that he
would rather have undertaken the correc.
tion of the whole school than that of the
incorrigible offender in question. His inter
rosating glance was met by "a look in which
it would have been difficul to say whether
good nature or impertinence predominated
"Did YOU medde with my cue ?" sale
the dominic; but his voice trembled, his
situation was peculiarly awkward.
"I-I-what do you suppose | want o
your cue? :" and queer smile played alons
her mouth, for pretty one she had, anc
what was worse the dominic thought SO too
Jeremiah seeing that he was about to lose
his authority, a-hemed twice, shook hi
head at such of the rogues as were laughing
immoderately at their masters Perplexlty
and reaching his hand to his ferule, said
s'Give me you hand, Miss"
The fair white hand was instantly prof
fered, and as gently too, as that OF mod
ern belle at cotilion party. jeremiah
took it, it was pretty hand; and then he
face, there was something IN its expires
sion which seldom failed to disarm the ped
agogue's anger He looked first at he
hand, and then at her face, expressive o
rogulsh confidence, then at his ferule, {
heavy instrument of torture. entirely un
fit to hold companionship with the sof
white hand held IN durance before him.
Never, in all the annals of his birchen au
thority, had Jeremiah Paul experience
such perplexity. He lifted up his righ
hand two or three times, and as often with
drew it,
"You will not strike me9" said the girl
There was an artless confidence in thes
words, and the tone in which they wer