The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1859-10-14
A NOTABLE "SOH0OL EXAMINING
COMMITTEE.

stopping OF tne Train, or by KIND intention
Of tHPseectve good taste of our "Prescott
ths( mith," that we found ourselves in the
~ ale of the forenoon of delicioussnmmer
halting for few momsqts directly in
font of one of these remotea1gses little
bit ofa long scboolhouse, right in the heart
of North western Virginias mountain will
derness. The small low door, and the
glimpses of a row Of little hatless heads, as
we saw them from the car, were we're temp.
ting, and there was an immediate Jump Of
our party for better look at the interior.
A modest and dignified courtesy from
the school-mistress gave us a Welcome
There WAS a spare bench near the door
which accommodated most of US, and Judge
Warren and poet Thompson occupied the
vacant spot on the short seat Of the class,
"up for spelling" Secretary Kennedy leaned
on his stick near the shut up stove in the cen
tre; his kindliest of voices and faces encoura-
ing the interrupted exercises to proceed, and
cloud compelling Maury stroEed the head
Of the nice boy next him in the corner
Bayard Taylor sat, in his quiet observing,
way studying the surrounding rows of boys
and girls faces-some thirty of them alto
gether, and every one barefoot, and all seated
against the rough hewn logs on the one
bench Of narrow plank which lined the room.
Fancy what picture for photographer to
have brought away-the celebrities and
the little ragged problems of humanity, all
combined!
But oh, the tender Providence of God
which has provided for these cradles of the
intelligence of our race, the willing devotion
of womanhood, so selfsacri6cng, so uncom-
planning and affectionate! The school maam
before us was a delicateIy formed young
woman Of twenty or twenty-five years. per
haps, dressed with exceeding pIaiuness. and
of the most unconscious simplicity ofdemca-
nor, but her pale and thoughtfnlIy refined
features had an expression which seemed TO
me the perfection of what VIC recognize as
the beauty of the soul. She looked as if
she felt born only 70 be good and kind to
others, while life should last, and that she
was here in her place, somewhat overtaskeG
but doing good, she hoped, and willing to
be forgotten. At the same time, in her sub
dped gentleness of tone, her exquisite pro-
priety of replies, and her calm sweet man.
ncr to us,a party Of strangers, there was
selfposscssed dignity that it was impossible
not to pay homage to-dificult Il may as
well say not to record for others, as admir-
ingly as one remembers it for ones SELF
AS satin that humbls school room and
looked upon the unconscious beauty of its
patiently presiding spirit,I could not but
thank God for the angels still found dis
tributed through the orld !
We we're to hear class recite, no wevcr,
and you are never surprised, l hope, to find
that fun and pathos come very close together.
A half dozen of the little shock-headcd
barefootlings were called up to spell: and
my friend the Judge, who, moment before
had some trouble to keep his eyes dry with
the sight of the picture have described,
burst into convulsions of laughter at the
succession Of intrepid little voices, each
with its proud pronunciation of the mastered
monosylable. B u-double z, buzz E double
6, egg! Pig, pig Sma.double J, small G
double s, grass! rang ont from the low
roofed temple Of learning into The neighbo.
ring woods, the sturdy little reciters as con-
sequential with the dignity Of their per-
formance as if they were speakers for the
first time on the aoor Of Congress. The
fun was somewhat catching, but the unres.
traiuable laughter of one or two of Our
party had no effect on tie scholars
Bravely they spelt away, book in hand and
eyes turning exclusively from the slow-spelt
wQrd to the approving face looking down
upon theW-our pncomprehended visit,
and our interruptions Of the lesson, being
evidently taken, like the long words at the
end Of the spelling.book, to be mysteries
which it was enough, for the present, that
the school-ma'am should understand be
treated respectfully till they should know
more about them.
Among the bits Of bare feel. doubled up
under the long bench was one very slight
pair, belonging to girl Of perhaps ten
years old, whose natural pride Of form and
feature struck me as something remarkable.
She was ip ragged froek, which appeared
Etohs her ope'siDg'e garment, but the: head
was set on. her sunburnt shoulders like an
infant Faisiaz' 'a,apd the brown lustseef those
great dafb eyes with tho long eye-lashss
booked iiit .sy. ppst have. have been al.erM
through q long sacs Of court beauties. ]
called Bayard Taylor attention o hen ass
hssat. s.s., AZ next mi a y bsscsns % nisrsstsd
intstady;pg she Hstls princess sof iths wooas
Il 49, LIZ a~f 4 Ii