Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1852-07-29
The SchOOiHnaster.
BY WHITTIER,

splteiul little grey eye, bald head in
front, and short stiff cue behind. He
was wonderful man to look at, and his
history was no less so then his person.
Al one period he was village school
master. rare pedagogue and learned; it
is said not only familiar with Dill
worlh's Spelling Book aud Psal,er, but
also with such difficult mathematical
problems as are comprehended in the
abridgment of Pixies Arlthmetic. Ii
may be readily supposed tina, such rare
and ripe scholar would not be suffered to
remain long in obscurity. His talents
were not of an order to blush unseen,
and accordingly in his for,eth year, he
was honored with the office and enrich
ed with the emolumeuts apperlaining to
no less a dignitary than Jnstice of the
Peace. ...
But we are getting ahead of our sto-
ry, and with the readers permission, we
will GO back few years and introduce
him to the wife of Mr.. Paul. She too,
was anotheruncommon characters IA great,
good. .natured. handsom romp, who used
to attend school on purpose, to use her
own phrase, "to plague 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 arrive, ,hat she
presumed 10 lay her hands on the nicely
adjusted cue of the dominic himself.
jeremiah was leaning over his desk in
a musing attitude. engaged in profound
mathematical calculation, respecting the
probable value of the tenant of his Land
lords pig s,y, when this outrage took
place. He had already placed the SUBJ
ject in half dozen different attitudes be-
fore his minds eye, and was just on the
point of committing his lucubra,ion to the
fragments of slate, upon which his ell
bow was resting, when vigorous jerk
at the hairy appendage of his pericrani-
um, started him bolt upright in minute,
and drew from him cry not unlike that
Of the animal which was the subject of
his scientific cogitaiion.
jeremiah did not swear, for he was an
exemplary and chureh-going pedagogue;
but his countenance actully blackened
with rage and anguish, as he gazed hun
riedly and earnestly around him; and the
ill-suppressed laughter of his disciples
added not a little to his chagrin.
"Who? who? who? say He could
arilcuate no more. He was nearly
choked with passion.
That great ugly girl there who pinch
es me so," said a little ragged urchin,
with dirty face.
jeremiah confronted the fair deln.
quent, but it was plain from his manner
that he would rather have undertaken the
correction of the whole school besides.
than that of the incorrigible offender in
question. His interrogating glance was
met by look in which il would have
been difficult TO say whether good nature
or imperlinence predominated.
"Did YOU meddle with my cue!' SAID
the dominic; but his voice .rembled, his
situation was peculiarly awkward.
'l-l-what do you suppose | want Of
your cuen and queer smile played a.
long her mouth for pretty one she had,
and what was worse, the dominic him.
self thought SO. jeremiah, seeing that
he was about to loose his authority,
ahemmed twice, shook his head at such of
the rogues as were laughing ilnmodera,e.
ly at their masters perplexity. and reach
ing his hand TO his ferule, said, "Give me
your hand, Miss" His heart msgave
him as he spoke. 'fhe fair white hand
instantly proffered, and as gently too as
that of a modern belle at cotillion par
ty. jeremiah took ii; it was pretty
hand, a very pretty hand; and then her
face, there was something In its express
ion which seldom failed TO disarm the
pedaeogue's anger. He looked first at her
hand then at her face, expressive of
roguish confidence, then at his ferule
heavy instrument of torture, entirely un-
fit to hold companionship with the soft
fair hand held in durance before him.
Never, in all the annals of his birchen
authority had Jeremiah Paul experienced
such perplexity. He lifted up his right
hand two or three times, and as often
withdraw it.
You will not strike me- said the girl.
There was an arlless confidence in
these words and the tone in which they
were uttered, that went to the heart of
the pedagogue. Like Mark Anthony be.
fore the beautiful Cleopatra. or the fierce
leader of the Volscii before his own Vir-
ginia, the dominic relented.
If pardon you for this offence, you
will conduct yourself more prudently in
fulure!'
Il hope l shalI.' said the pr udent
young lady, and the master evinced his
affeclionate so.icllued for the welfare of
his pupil, by pressing the hand he had
imprisoned, and the fair owner expressed
her gratitude for such condescension, by
returning the pressure.
They were married just six months
afterwards. So much for leni.y in school
discipline.
BABIES INTERDIcTED.-The ST. Paul
Pioneer says that an Ordinance will be
passed by the town of st. Paul prevent
ing babies under two years of age ir om