Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-08-09

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"forly" braver men lived before Agamennon. but
all unbonored from want of one to record their yir
tues.
Encourage then all who will, in our county,
before it is TOO late, to take little trouble in the
pious task of Old Mortality to refresh these fading
tombstones of the past, and restore as far as now
possible the teeming history Of Old Augusta, and
if not in more ambitious form let US at least re-
cord it in our county papers and preserve it tor
ourselves with the Lares OF the household.
Among stories more important perhaps, and
more dignified, related to me recently by one OF
the Oldest inhabitants of the county of his own
personal experience, and as far as possible, in his
own words. furnish you without his leave, the
following as true, land as illustrating the character
sties of those times, and telling ola then common
custom now almost fallen into desuetude, and OF
which perhaps even the memory may die with
the present generation: v.
BARRING OUT THE scEooLMAsTER.
81 mind" said our narrator, "a terrible time
we had of it once barrn' out old Johnny McCass-
lin (NIcCausland y Old Johnny was big Irish
man who taught the three RS of Reading, RItlng
and 'Rithmetic for many years on Christians
Creek. and afterwards believe, in Staunton.--
In the school-house he was the monarch OF all he
surveyed, and claimed absolute power, verify
believe, of life and death if necessary, over his
scholars he ruled in terror with rod of season.
ed hickory constantly in his hand.-And many
was the time when he was linking it into me un-
mercifully for bottng my copy book, OF some less
offence against his rules, that solemny. out Sc
cretly vowed that would thrash him for it, ten
to one. when got big enough but when that time
came the old man had got grey, and l could not
find il in nv heart to fulfill the vow, and now he
has been long in his grave. and somehow the
grave covers and subdues all such rcseniments.
at was about the year l790; | was very young
but remember the scene better than sights of only
wear AGO. Christmas times promised unusual
fun and froc for that year, but old Johnny said
not word about holyday; we suspected he want
ed it himself as much as we, but was waiting for
us to force him to it after fight according to the
usual custom of those days. So, sure enough, on
the Friday before Christmas, we boys all got ear
v in the school house before him, and barred itu
Completely with the benches and logs kept there
for seats: besides we all armed ourselves with
sharp sticks-prepared by sharpening one end Of
LONG green pole and hardening the point by burn
Iing.S (The early use, and origin doubtless, of
the phrase now so common, if not classic, of "get-
ting after one with sharp stick.")
swell, old Johnny soon arrived, and in an au-
thoritative manner demanded admIttance; we as
fercely refused except on the condition precedent
of his signing the article of agreement for holy
lday, and we poked it out under the door to him.
Of course he Indignantly refused to sign. Forth
with active hostillties commenced. We formed
into hollow square, facing outwards, around the
Inside of the schooI-house wall, armed with our
sharp sticks, and with the girls and the smaller
lboys-the light troops-in the centre. Old John
nv was outside like roaring lion. and he would
make us smaller boys tremble as he thundered a.
panst the door, or knocked out the 'chlnklng' to
a hole that he might have got in at but for the
vigorous use of the sharp sticks concentrated rap
idly upon the point of attack.
"This was kept up for two awful hours, and
some of our weaker brethren were counseling sub
mission. when to our relief he suddenly ceased
his efforts. Flattered with the hope that he was
about to give in, we had the clerk drawing up an
other article when to our great CONSERVATION we
heard his heavy tramp on the clap-board roof a.
boye us. The chimneys of school houses in those
DAYS were of rather peculiar structure there were
two-one at each end--built of wooden sticks,
and extending from the roof downwards only to
the iost logs on which they rested the shape was
somewhat that of an inverted funnel; the fires
were built on the ground floor Immediately under
the mouths of the 'chmnies' for the convenience
of the smoke. Old Johnny under these circum-
stances renewed his attack with great effect by
dashing the wooden sticks of the chimney down
the opening into the fire, scattering the burning
GOALS all over the school room, and as we would
retreat to the other end he would rush to the 9TH
er chimney and pour his fire upon US hotter and
hotter until we were threatened to be burnt alive.
Fortunately for ns however his magazine became
exhausted, and desperate charge being made
with the long sharp sticks, he was to oui great
joy dislodged from his commanding position. 1t be-
ing now about dinner time, and as he could do no
thing more, he said to US that he would be gene
rous and give us the balance Of that evening
Friday-but that we must all be back on Mon
Iday. And SO he walked off Disappointed but
not daunted we resolved to be on the ground ear
lly on Monday and again take hostile possession OF
the house.
'Monday came and we hastened to the seat of
war. but to our surprise found that the enemy al
rendu occupied the premises! Old Jonny had ta-
ken lime by the fore lock, had gone to the school
house on Sundau night to sleep there, and when
we arrived the old fellow was coolly sitting in his
usuaI plaee awaiting US with his hickory in his
bandr What was to be done? Obviously no
chance of barring out. So we took counsel togeth-
er and at length JENNY Il. (who is still living
in Aunusta. and was the ringeader of the school in
all fun and mischieD announced the plan. No
wood was observed on the fire, and 1t was the
business of the boys always to gather wood IN the
morning for the day and pile up behind the door,
Ioutsideothe door opened oulwards:. we were
then all to set to work as usual gathering logs OF
wood until good pile was prepared behind the
door. and NV brother we're then to walk In as
if nothing were intended, stir up the fire but put
no wood on until signal was given us that all
was ready we were then to come out as II Tor
wood. and naturally shutting the door on going be-
hind il all hands were to rush forward and pile
the loos against the door, and thus BAR HIM IN!
The plan was promptly executed as lald' ana WIN
our sbarp sticks around the chink-holes we soon
had old Johnny effectually Gagged; Storming a
vailed nothing, and after while he quietly sat
down by his Goals, and intimated in no very polite
terms that we might freeze outside for what he
cared. Here was obviously defect in our plan
as the day was chilly, cold, and wood ~as scarce
inside. However, parley was soon agreed upon
bv both parties, an exchange was made on liberal
terms of wood on our part for fire from old Johnny,
the .article' was handed in and there was every
nTosnect ofpeace Toour dismay however old John
nv after reading the article quietly applied 1t to
kindlng his fire What was TO ne done4 Conquer
a peace by war to the knife? But an Ordinary
Etnife we well knew wouldn't reach him STRAIT
49, - .,,,J ,,rov,il and Jenny T-k's