The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1859-10-06

In the autumn of 1912. received visi,
fiom one of the Superintenling School Com.
mittee Of the town of G., in the State
of New Hampshire. He introduced himself
as Mr.. Brown, and at once proceeded with
his business. He wished to employ teach.
er for one of the schools in this town. lie
ran his eye over my frame, and l saw the
result was satisfactory, for he Immediately
expressed desire to secure my services. |
asked him what sort of school it was.
WAL he said with peculiar nasal twane
and pronunciation not set down by any OF
our photographers, it's pooty tarnation
hard school meow tell We. But yeou've got
the bone an muscle, an reckon as haow
yeou might dew it,
He again ran his eyes overmy large sinewv
frame, and rubbed his hands with evident
satisfaction.
Have scholars been ia the habit Of gaining
control of the school . / asked
Lord bless ye, yes. Why 10 master can
stan'it a week. Ye see, Squire, thar's some
pooty alfred staout boys in that ere school
Ye see, they work in swaplps, an thev'rs
kind o rough in their ways. We hearn
telFe yeou an | was sent to see ye. An
was privileged to offer ye forty dollars q
month eff yeoad only come an keep it,
That's morn twice as much as we've ever
paid aiore'
How large is the school !? aslel
'Wal--thars nigh onto sixty scholars all
told, when they cone--some boys, an some
gals
had heard of the school before. and haen
acquainted with an excellent teacher whc
had been thrown out from the school house
and rolled in snow bank by the large boys
yet resolved to go and try it, Ofpersons
danger had no fear, for happened to pos
sess large frame and proportionate
amount of nerve and muscle had exer
cised freely in our gymnasium, and there
was not another man in the place who could
at all hold his strength by the side of mine
Nature had been lavish in her favors ant
evil habits had not impaired the faculties Goo
had given me.
told Mr.. Brown would keep the school
1t was to commence the first day of Decem
Der, and to continue three months. But
told him must have my own way. Tha
in all things appertaining to the school
must be master-that my will; must be abso
lutte, even to casting out half of the scholars
He said I should have my own way and h
pledged his word that the committee should
not interfere in any way not under any cir
cumstances.
At the appointed time packed up m,
wardrobe and school books, and started fo
O.. When reached the village,
learned that my school was in distant par
Of the town-in rugged region known a
Rawbone Hollow. On the following morn
ing Mr.. Brown took me over in his sleigh
Ifounl my school house onsthe edge of quit
settlement, which was located in wild
valley, with high black mountains upon al
sides. Twas taken at once to the place wher
WAS to board, and in this latter respect
was fortunate.
MY hosts name was Elias Bonny. He wa
awell to-do farmer-about forty-five year
ofage, firm, intelligent man, and one of tn
Select men Of the town. He had FIVE chill
dren that were to attend the school-the old
est being girl Of nineteen, named Lydia
and the youngesta boy of seven.
Mr.. Brown remained to dinner, and thel
took his leave; and as soon as was alon
with Mr.. Bonny, began to inquire particu
larly about the school. My host shook hi
head with dubious expression.
'You know what boys are.' he said, 'espe
cially ifthey've had their own way for lon
time. For six winters we've had no schoc
here that could be called school. There ar
quite number ofstout boys, and they gen
orally contrive to get the master out at tn
end Of the week. But ! think they win fin