The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1856-03-20
For the "P.oueer.
THE DEAD SCHOLAR.

For the "P.oueer.Y
THE DEAD SCHOLAR.
TTis Monday morning,a bright winter
-snu makes everv object in view brilliant
:as an enchanted landscape of an Arabian
= asle The departing days of a lingering
winter are beautifully bright, and the
fsownaef the winter King is changing al
mostinpercepiibly to the gentle smile of
the coming spring. 'Tisa time for joy
and laughter; for merry greetings, and
happy ssngs; yet the hitherto merry and
n aim ost sbaislerous scholars drop in at the
old school house in the edge Of the forest,
silently, sadly. even tearfully No mer
ry "gesd naurning', ewakes the echoes
+, siumbeaiag amid the grand old oaks and
81 the Walauts with their sober hued trunks.
Scarce a whisper is heard from the score
ofurchins and groups OF little girls gath
cred around the old stove hearth. and
the larger girls and grown up boys stand
with folded arms and sad countenances;
their fearful eyes fixed on vacancy With
aA expression that is painful to witness in
:. faces SO young as theirs.
sa l takeup the little school bell whose
siIvery tones used to ring out SO mer
srily on the pure morning air; but now ev-
:. cry vibration awakes painful echo in
q the heart. What could in SO short a
time cause so great changein that youth
ful circle? The answer ,sighs up from
every heart, and is written on every brow
When last we assembled, but three short
days ago. obedientto the sound of that
.7'tinkling bell, all merry, all happy, all
bright. not heart beat higher amid all
- this, happy group; no voice was merlier,
NO smile brighter, and none might look
more hopefully adown the vista of the
coming years, than Henry Winters. But
last evenings's suns last beams fell on a
little knoll IN Wyandot County, where
III ". rudely carved at his head and feet,
shows the length of bis new-made grave.
or, And such deathl-I have seen death
- IN various forms. and have taken early
I, lessons in the school of sorrow, but this
r6surpasses all that have known Of horror
q. or conceived of agony. He came 10 school
ia the morning with his gun on his shoul-
der and looked at me with a mischievous
smile as though it were a novel idea to
bring gun to school, and setting it down
ID in a corner attended bis studies as busy
.ssas the busiest. I'LL noon. -
81 "A few minutes after one he swung his
gun over his shoulder with merry cava-
ilier grace and bowing with a ..good bye
girls" as though going away for longer
- time than he really intended, be took his
way through the woods which surround
the school house for a hunt, followed by
abe merry voices Of the girls returning his
mock iormality with many happy "good
bye Henry" Alas. it was parting in
= earnsst-'twas their last merry parting.
~ The bell rang and after singing one OF
wstwo OF flour5accustomed school songs. the
~ssclass was called up for the .'speing les.
IN SON which always stands prominentin a
country school. We had been spelling
buta few minutes, when we were startled
by an awful, heart-piercing scream, al
most simultaneous with the report of !
gun. Greatly alarmed, / stopped pro
sd nouncing. and looked from the window
= toward the wood from whence the soun,
~ proceeded it was repeated. but this tim
1T sounded more like cheering his dog af
s ter some wounded game. than an expires
ion of pain, and the lesson went on. A
gain. and again that startling sound cam
regularly. echoing up through the forest
and with a heart i'll at ease locked in
n quiringly at the boys for an explanatio
OF the mysterious sound; but they onl
smiled thinking it shout of cheer. SUP
= posing il was his way Of cheering his do
hee when hunting. with which the boys ei
familiar, | tried to think all was rich,
though my heart beat almost audibly.-
But the blood was frozen ia my veins 9
ma Yiape Of the scholars who stood nearest th
window shrieked out "Henry has sht
himself" and loo-ing from the window