Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1858-01-12
SELECTED STORY.
The Old Schoolmaster!
BY sYLvANUS COBB, JR.

story. Iwrite it with the absolute assur-
ance that many will read it who not on
ly know the incident here recorded, but
who also know all parties we'll, and they
will bear me witness that l write these
things as actually happened
Henry LOOMS was young man of not
over five-and-twenty, who had Just OPEN
ed store In his native village. There
was already two dry-goods stores in the
place, but the town was growing, and
Henry believed he could make a good
business by opening a third. He had
been married about year, having taken
for his wife one who had been his school
mate, and who had been brought up fro \
infancy close bv him. Winter had come
and Henry had been in business for him
self six months. Thus far he had done
we'll. People liked him much, and he
had trade enough TO support him, and
something over.
One evening he and his wife sat in
their comfortable parlor, before The we'll
! filled CRATE, and the latter held her in
FAINT upon her knee.
+" How it SHOWS" uttered Henry at the
same time turning his gaze upon the fair
face of his wife.
" 1t is a severe storm, Henry; indeed
it is. Oh, how l pity any one who
has no home on such night as this"
AYE, Sarah, they deserve pity. God
grant there may be none such in our neigh
borhood."
81 By the way, Henry, have you seen
old Uncle Adam?" asked the wife, at the
end of a short silence
No, have not | heard Yesterday
that he had returned. | should really
like to see him. | never think of him
but with gratitude"
Hardly had the young man spoken
when the door bell rung; and in few
minutes more the servant girl announced
that an old man wished 10 see Mr. Loo
mis-. Henry directed her to show him
right in. for the feeling possessed him at
once that this was Uncle Adam. And Sc
it proved.
/ Uncle Adam" the young man cried
starting from his chair and catching the
the old mans hand, chow do you do? |
am happy to see you-I am surely. And
don't you remember little Sarah Jones'
the little blue-eyed girl that used to set
copies for you after your eyes got dim
and your hand tremulous? Here she is
Sarah Loomis, now"
1t was really pleasant meeting, and
the old man clasped the young wife's
hand warmly. He was happy, and yet
there was d tear in his eye. Adam VIII
son had been the village schooi-masterl IN
that town many years. Twenty years
previous to the opening of our story he
was the teacher there; and he had been
a private tutor in the place before that
So that most of the young men in the vii
lage, and some of the older ones, had
been his pupils. Ten years ago he left
! the place. He had become rather old TO
teach, and when the committee hired a
new teacher he went away. None knew
whittier he had gone, and those who
/ thought of him a all thought that he was
dead. And now, at the age of seventy
/ five, he had come back to the town
where he had spent so many year oil his
life.
The young couple made room for him,
and Henry drew great easy chair to the
! fire.
"Now, sit down, and let Us talk over
old times said the young man, as be re-
sumed his own seat. "Where have YOU
been si.Ice we saw you last, Uncle Ad-
am2"
| "Ah, | have been to great many pla-
ces," said the old man, 81 have crossed
the big ocean, and spent some years in
Scotland. You know l was born In
Scotland, though | came over here when
| was very young. But it didn't seem
like home there, and after a while | de-
termined to come back here. l spent
seme time in the city, but all affections
were centerod in this quiet village, and
here l determined TO come And vet
Had no kindred here. But l came, for
here l had spent the best part of my
manhood, and here were those l loved.
Ii was not until | was set down at the
village inn that realized how poor and
friendless was. The thought of COM
ing back here kept my spirits up, but
whtn l came, and found myself once
more in town, l began TO look for the
friend on whom l should call. 1t was
then that chill hand was laid upon me