The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1859-06-30
THE OLD PEDAGOGUE.
BY SYLvANUS COBB, JR.

If the following little picture of real
life lacks thrilling incidents, let the read :
er find interest in the fact that it is a true
story. | write it with the absolute assur-
ance that many will read it who not only
know the incidents here recorded, but
who know the parties well, and they will
bear me witness that write these things
as they actually happened.
Henry Loomis was young man not
over five and twenty, who had just open
ed store in his native village. There
were already two dry goods stores in the
place, but the town was growing and
Henry believed he could make bust
ness by opening third. He had been
married about year, having taken for
bis wife one who had been brought up
from infancy close by him. Winter had
come, and Henry had been in business
for himself 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 their
well-flled CRATE, and the latter held her
infant on her knee.
How it SHOWS, uttered Henry, at the
same time turning his gaze upon the fair
face of his good wife.
1t is severe storm, Henry indeed
it is. Oh, how l pity any one who has
no home on such night as this
By the way, Henry, have you seen
old Uncle Adam y asked the wife, at
the end of short silence.
'No-I have not. heard yesterday
that he had returned. l should really
like to see him. Good old man | new
er 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 to see Mr.. Loom
is. Henry directed her to show him
right in, for the feeling possessed him at
once that it was Uncle Adam. And so
it proved.
Uncle Adam, the youth cried, start
ing from his chair and catching the old
mans hand, how do you do ? lam hap
py to see you-I am surely And don't
you remember little Sarah Jones the
little blue-eyed girl that used to set cop
les for you after your eyes got dim and
your hand tremulous Here she is
Sarah Loomis now
1t was really a pleasant meeting. and
the old man clasped the young wife's
hand warmly. He was happy, and yet
there was a tear in his eye.
Adam Wilson had been the village
pedagogue in that town for many years.
Twenty years previous to the opening of
our story he was a teacher there and
he had been private tutor in the place
some years before that. So that most of
the young men in the village, 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 pedagogue he
went away. None knew whittier he had
gone. and those who thought of him at
all thought he was dead. And now, at
the age ofseventyf five, he had come back
to the town where he had spent SO many
years of 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 he
his own seat. Where have YOU
been sincewe saw you last, Uncle Adam.
All, have been in great many |
places, said the old man l have cross
ed the big ocean, and spent some years
in Scotland. You know | was born in
Scotland, though l came over here when
| was very young. But it didn't seem