Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1866-08-21
(For the GIANT Co. Herald -
A School Master on foot from Darling
ton to Racine Continued.

/ slept We'll anu DIcdhIdSCc1 hot 50
well, but | paid well. This latter
fact was, no doubt, owing to the rail
road which cuts through the place
and gives a city odor in respect to
noise and prices-otherwisc Darling
ton is a small village. Last winter
oats were only ten cents bushcl
there-this was an effect of the rail
road too. Noise, saucy boys, liquor
shops and high prices-for what You
buy-are the special cOncomitants of
rail road, and it takes large town
to stand one and be respectable
From Darlington to Wyota the road
is lOnely-woods not a house for
miles and, by its crooks, forms a
path not unlike that Of chain light
ming. Wyota is another Beetown in
size, in appearance and occupation.
| didn't stop there, tor fear a rain
would come up and ! should get
stuck in the mud. / went a mile be-
yCnd and lunched on bread and
cheese, in thicket of crabs, by the
road side. After an hour and half
of incoming, a mile brought me to
goodly white house environcd with
apple trees.
The apple trees are the largest |
have seen in Wisconsin, the butts
from 10 to II inches through and the
tops from 30 to 40 feet across. From
this place miles through the woods
.@nd came to the brow of the hill,
Wh{ek leads down into the valley of
the Peiatonica.
The change Of country here pro
duced an agreosbIe sensation. 1t
was like being emaneipated, to get
out Of the woods and see IN open
space.
Highway robbery, murder and Il
troupe Of dark thoughts and gloomy
approximations, suggested by the long
stretches Of uninhabited woods, fled
away.
Below was an open valley with
cattle in groups feeding on the short
grass. The road through the valley
is sandy and the soil not very fertile.
1t is uninhabitcd-I was thirsty and
hoped to find spring of cool water
for several miles there was none. /
came to log house deserted, pancs
OF glass were broken from the win
dows and old clothes replaced some
of chem Near this house just over
the fence to the right, all the springs
in the vicinity seem TO have united
together. They boil up through the
sand and unite their cold waters in
stream, which runs off to seek the
PckatOnca. The water is delicious,
and the thought Of not getting any
more, rs we'll as not having had any
for some time, induced me to drink
great quantity of it, Beyond the
springs it is not far to IA bill that leads
out Of the valley, into the woods
again On this hill met a string of
emigrant teams, and these were about
the only conveyances | met from
Darlington to Monroe, n distance Of
% miles ] stopped for the night in
the town Of Cadiz and next morning
ut 8 o'clock, reached Monroe
Schools were opening and | stepped
into one, it was graded school, of
several departments, situated in tho
outskirts of the village. AS | enter
ed, the children of lower depart
mcnt were repeating the Lords pray
er in concert, ! waited till they were
through and went in, there were
some forty scholars, ranging from
ten to twelve years old. The teach
er was preparing to hear the morn
ing lessons, and asked to sec the
register.
The question suggested to her that,
she had not called the roll. After
the roll call little fellow said, he
had forgotten his books, and asked
to go home for them. She allowed
bim to 90, and charged him not to
he careless again. She called out
class in mental arithmetic and put
question like this: "If John has eight
apples and gives James three of them
how many will he then havew The
boy to whom she gave it put on SER
ious look and, finding it beyond him,
changed il to a broad grin and shook
his head, the boy next TO him was
smaller, he looked detected when she
called on him and worried over it
with down east eyes. The next boy
was called on, he was big of his age
had light hair, light eyes aud a full
face, a good natured boy full of play
and practical Jokes, and at home any
where out Of doors The rest of the
class put on knowing smile when
he was called, and the scholars around
the room looked up to see what he
would do When his name was pro
nounccd he started gave most
respectful look toward his teacher
and said, "elevcn." This was met
with burst of laughter from the
scholars. In moment he endeavOr-
ed to remedy the matter and said
fourteen, this brought another vol
ley from his companions, thinking he
was cold, he felt the other way and
said, two His position now was
past all hope of recovery and he low
cred his head and began to scratch,
thus made the teacher laugh in spite
OF herself and putting the question
70 the class, as a torlorn hope, various
guesscs were made, till 4 little dark
eyed girl raised her hand and the
teacher called on her, she gave the
right answer. The teacher child the
4