Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-11-07
fiterarp 9eIettions.
a SCHOOLMASTER'S DREAM
AN IRISH TALE.
BIZ MRS. s. C. HALL.

James O'Leary was a schoolmaster of
of great learning, and still G reater re-
pute; his school was the most crowded
of any school within fifty miles of Kill
gubbin-yet he modestly designated it
his Small College" and his pupils,
his triies of boys" O'Leary never
considered the VuIgarians" AS he
termed those who only learned English,
writing and arithmetic-worth coming.
No boy, in his estimation, merited nam
ing or notice until he entered Virgil; he
began his school catalogue with the
Vargils," but was so decided proud of
/" the Homarians," the he often regretted
he had no opportunity of taking the
shine out of them ignorant chaps up at
Dublin College by a display of his
g Gracians" fire or six clear headed,
intelligent boys, whose brogues were on
their tongue whose clothes hung upon
them by a mystery; and yet, poor fell
lows were as proud of their Greek,
and as fond of Gaping Latin verses, as
their master himself
James O'Leary deserved his reputa-
tion to certain extent, as all do who
achieve one. In his boyhood he had
been himself poor scholar, and trav-
elled the country for his learning he
had graduated at the best hedge school
in the Kingdom of Kerry, and at one
time had an idea of entering Maynooth ;
but fortunately or unfortunately as it
might be, he lost his vocation by falling
in love and marrying Mary Bryne, to
whom, despite certain quantity of hard
ness and pedantry, he always made a
kind husband, although Mary, docile and
intelligent in every other respect, never
could achieve her A B C;-this he was
fond of instancing as proof of the in
feriority of the fair sex. James looked
with the greatest contempt at the system
adopted by the National schools, declar-
ing that Latin was the foundation upon
which all Intellectual education should be
raised, and that the man who had nc
Latin was not worthy Of being considered
a man at all.
Donnybeg, the parish in which he re-
sided, was a very remote, silent district
Ian isolated place, belonging chiefly tc
an apoplectic aid gentleman, whose
father having granted long leases on re
munerating terms, left him certain in
come sufficient for himself, and not dis
tressing to others. The simple farmer:
had so long considered Master O'Leary
miracle, and he confirmed this opinion
frequently, by saying in various Ian
guages what they had not understood i
spoken in the yernacular, that when {
National school was proposed in the
parish by some oficious person, they Of
fered to send up their schoolmaster, at
tended by his Latin and Greek scholars
toll fashion--to "bother the boord.
This threw James into such state O
excitement that be could hardly restrain
himself; and indeed his wife does no
hesitate to say, that he has never beef
"right'' since.
The old landlord was as decided al
enemy to the National school system a
James himself and the matter droppe,
without O'Leary's having an opportunit,
of flooring the boord," which he bit
terly regrets. James, for many year
after his establishment of Donnybeg, wa
exceedingly kind to the itinerant class {
scholars, of whose merits he was so brigE
an example. For long time his colleg
was the refuge of every poor scholar
who received gratuitous instruction fror
the Master" and the attention an
tenderness Of mother from " the Mis-
tress." This generosity on the part {
James O'Leary increased his reputation
and won him great many blessing
from the poor, while pupils thronged
hln from distant parts of the kingdom
! not only the itinerant scholar, but th
sons Of snug farmers, who boarded in hi
neighborhoods and paid largely for til
classics and all accomplishments. Th
James found very profitable in du
time ne slated his house, placing a roun
. stone as dnnacle" on either pabl
representing, the one the terrestrial. th
/, other the celestial globe; he paved II
J little courtyard with the multiplication
Z table in black and white stone and col
siructed summer-house, to use his ow
7 phrase, ON geometrical principles
whose interior was decorated with maj
and triangles. and every species of il
formation. If pupils came before, the
Z "rainea en- him" after his " Tusculun
q vas AnlAhed and he had its name prin