Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1861-12-24
TELL ME NOT MY FORTUNE.
MY SCHOOLMASTER.

My home was in beautiful valley in
Vermont. y lain, nearly circular. smooth
and level as the Vraries of the West but
not more than mile across, is bounded on
three sides by lofty and abrupt hills while
beautiful lake stretches away to the more
distant hills on the remaining, or eastern
side The stream which forms the Quite.
of this lake flows toward the east, and in
the centre of the village is tnet by another
stream from the north.
There are many beautiful elm trees scat
tered about; and beneath their shade are
many small, neat comfurtab houses, while
two or three more stately mansions seem to
assert their superior claims to police by
standing boldly out, unshadn1 by a tree
An old weather stained church--it had once
Ecen painted white, Of which painting. only
d few feeble, gray traces remained and
more plentiful supply of the first coat Of
yellow->tood in the centre Of little CON-
mon. The spire was handsomer than :he
picture of any one | bad ever seen; and the
weather vane iusty corkerel (why wi
Icoule put such images on chuTches?l was
the greatest achievement Of genius, in my
girl.sh eyes. | ought perhaps TO make an
exception in favor of the lightning rod
There was but one, and that was not quite
/ long enough to reach to the utmost hei 5ht
! of that woudruus spire-auuther proof Of
( the Superiority Of the dear old steep!e-so
! II was iSstcRt ed to au accommodating ledge
/ Just below the beifry and though il GER
| tauly did not seem likely to prove a very
( efficient protector to the church, 1t is very
! certain that the el.fire has never been
struch by lightning. For one pHrpsoe the
! lightning ROD was admiral le; and it was
. this which won Tor 1t my childish regard.
Its deficiency III leugth only favored its be
ing rut to this use. The befry formed a
staIle support for any weight that might
susI ended upon l., There are no Symnas
iums in the cUuntry-so FAR back In the
country as my house was-but this light
ming rod was better than al gmynasiums
Could it lot accnGs7nndate Itself TO the
strength and agility of every boy in school.
( frcm the little fellow toiling at his alphabet
in the front seat close 10y the great stove,
up t. the prince of all sch0, boys. Alfred
Murray, who always took his choice IN
=, seats every winter, ana who cnuid do the
hardest sum in the arithmetic with no trou-
| Tie at all; beat all the boys ia race OF
game Of bail, and crOWning exploit Of all
! and which won him the everlasting love
and admiration of every girl Of nine years
in school, myself included, tlimb to the
very top Of this same lightning rod, go int
the belf-y, and astonish the people by Civ
ing a merry tirgle upon the bell, aud de-
4cend again before the clumsy old sextor
had started up from his pipe and almanac
taken down the church key, PREDATORY t.
finding who was the Intruder upon the sa-
cred edifce? All, the lightning rod
was the bane of hoy schOOlmaster.
The church was fianked by range o
! horse sheds and one little red school house
The school house is calculated to contain
forty eight scholars, but sixty Of us used I
find plenty Of room under the reign OF IN.
schoelmaster Times have changed sine
then.
NV father was a new conner in the place
1t was my INST Writer In school. Half tn
eniovment of my Thanksgiving pies an
buildings had been taken away by a mixtur
Of fears and hopes in regard to this schoc
and schoulmaster.
I Could leave of my roguery, for whic
was often in disgrace at homer Mothe
said should get whipped the first day
but maintained that man should neEe
whip me. | knew that l could learn m
lessons, and finally became quite bright an
cheerful started off on Monday morniD
: tOE the SC0OCt UUusS. oucb a. was tuL II
ing corner which shut our little brow
house from my sight, turned for Las
look, and almost wished ! was safely bac
again. / thought | saw mother throw
kiss after me, and all fear left my heart.
/ The school house was full to OVERLOOKING
or every child was running about, choosin
seats and seat mates, driving up nails fc
p the accommodation of bonnets and cloak
coats and caps, re-arranging the master
table and chair, or putting another stick {
wood in the huge box which delighted
the name Of stove, already so full that th
door would not shut. Nobody asked tn
y little stranger to choose seat mate but
did not care for that, for knew the mastt
would give me a seat when he came.
Presently boy rushed IN, and shoute
at the top Of his voice. Masters coming!
4 A hush followed, which was broken by A
, fred Murray.
Take seat, beys and when the mast'
comes in, be sure that you stand ny an
y make bow to him, every one OF y0u!
e Alfred Murray did not tel the girls
take their seats but some seconds beio'
the last boy had complied with the CON
II mand so promptly given each demure gar
: ish face was turned in silent expectatio
from It's own bench to thu open door. A
except the little stranger. l stood still
: the door. and my position seemed to ammo
the company not little. But could M
fud place. There was no vacant sea