White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1857-11-05

| = 1aaoi iOr mao curiosity 70 see how mueh the
fellow really knew. AZ
Wal-oV course yeouken. But rally, squire,
l doDo butI may be ieetIe mite rusty. Hsin't
brushed up any lsisIy. But rsyther reckon you'll
and nsaaps. Heow'll Yeoa take mel What
said l..
"Wal," he uttered, not quite 80 confidently
as before. go ahead. But mind, 'sQuire--as
l said afOre, may need leetle brushin' up
"What is the capital Of this State1'' asked
ars.
"Port-l-. Let's Portland"
"No, no." said /. Portland used to be, but
Augusta is now the capital
Wall-naow didn't know that. It's been
changed sense studied jografy. HOwsumsver
20 ahead!'
"What is the capital of Massachusetts
"Wal," he replied, slowly and solemnly, at
the same time counting his fingers. as though
the solution were to be arrived al mathematical
ly, meow let me see, that's clean away daown
sumWhar By the eshun. / never was thar, but
49, NP"oe~Af - VIC uoCA " C1AA Aul"te was
thar. By thunder, squire, Joe'd be rayther as.
tonished eff he knew / Sas keepin' scheWl,
wouldn't hel Yer see, Joe--Martin his name
is, but we call i'm Popwhack, caused he used
lew use that word. But Joe don't know much.
But, howsumever, go ahead, squire"
"Well," returned, feeling that he would
not enlighten me on geography, "suppOse we
Try English grammar"
"That's yer sort. Ye see never took much
pains with Biography, cause the master alters has
book, an he can jest tell where all them places
is. But ysou'Il find me to hum in 'rithmatick,
naow tell ye. I've devoted the most Of my
time to fggers, for up in some parts they want
their boys to cipher"
"But frIt," said 1, holding in the laugh that
was trying to burst out, "tell me what grammar
is7''
"Sartin," he responded, with an energy that
led me to look for more understanding of the
matter than I had expected, grammer is the
study what's got nouns-an'-an'-varbs,a an
SIGH sort ov things in it. Yer see han't quite
forgot it yet"
"fo, 1 see not. Can you tell me what noun
isl'' i
oval, I'm afeard you've got me there. But
then you see it's all in the beck. an ken tell
when the scholars recite right But you'll find
me to hum in 'rithmatick."
Every WELL" said /, suppose we try. In a
piece Of land ten rods long and four vide, how
many square rods are therel''
Mr.. Spuggs, for SO call him, commenced to
count his fingers theoretically.
"Wal," he at length uttered, slowly and
thoughtfully, " ten rods long and four deep
Guess we'd better try that by square rewt, hadn't
we. 'squire7'
"Any way you please" l replied, turning my
face towards the window, to hide the smile l
could no longer repreas.
The 1" candidate " studied hard for some mo-
ments, counting his fingers over and over again,
and at length broke out in relieved tone:
"LOOk here, squire. I rsyther think that
ere'll come under the head ov surveyin', an ye
see never studied that. / never had no, wat
d'-ye-call-iti the thing they stick up on three
legs TO look through; never could ford it. Ment
to study it, though. But meow gin US sumthin'
Of q common scheWl kind"
"Wsll," said l, determined to let the fellow
answer one question, if possible, "suppose .
bushel of corn is worth one dollar, how much
are ten bushels Worth7"
Again he went over his fingers.
"Yeou mean shelled corn, s'pose1" he said,
after while.
"Yes," I answered.
"'Cause it makes good deal of difference,
yer see, beout that. Com on the ear'll everun
the bushel eff it's good for anything. Naow the
corn we raise'l oVerrun four quarts to the bush
Ell. Tsy bushels oT ears'll mte NORMA bushel
of shelled corn. Yer see, should be partick'ler
to 'splain this to my scholars, cause ys see,
squire, I mean to ct 'em for the Dizziness ov
life. Naow good many scheSlmasters don't
dew that, but dew. Ginger and Jerewsalen,
squire, Jew ort to see n handle the big boys
when they git onrulJ. tell e they don't try
it morn Eonst."
Idespaired Of getting even one fair answer
from my applicant. and concluded to drop him.
"Mr. spuggs," said I, as politely As 1 could,
" I'm afraid you wouldn't suit Us here. could
not give you certificate without overstepping
the bounds of my duty"
"Yeou don't mean 50, squire" uttered the
poor fellow, in doleful sinking tone. "Why,
KEEP last winter, an got along 6rst-rats. Guess
yew'd better let me try my hand. Nsew tell
ye, it'll be great disappointment to me; I've
got rugged for it."
al couldn't do it."
"But ken brush up, squire. told yer
was kind o. rusty naoW, but l ken overhaul these
things an look 'em up"
"Very WE'LL" / said. "When you have
brushed up and overlooked Jour studies some,
I should be happy 70 examine you again"
He went away with Q sad and sosrowful
countenance; but Whetherh eever brushed up
or not, do not know, for be has never since
shown himself to me.
This may seem overdrswn, but will jus. say
that the fellow did not know one bit more than
have represented, and yet he had . certificate,
in which he was fally recommended Is a suita-
BILE and competent person to be teacher Of
youth, and it was signed by two of the school
committee of his native town! viii simply
add, that the writing Of the certificate betrayed
IS much ignorance Of English grammar on the
part Of the COMMITTEES, a. Mr.. Spuggs had dis
played in bis examination u