The Republican journal., 1872-12-05
Schooimaster of Russian Bar.
From the California Call


.'When is he expected ."
"I'hev said he was coming in to-nieht's
stage"
'lle taught in Frisco, didn't he ?"
"Yes, | Guess he was III the depart
| meut.'
The doctors wife was an authority on
Ali matters in Russian Bar, and on this
I last sensation the coming of a school
maSter-shc freely enlightened her neigh
hor, Mrs. Blunt, a plump widow, whose
miner husband had died a few months
before There was not much to gossip
about in that quiet village. The arrival
and departure of the stage brought the
people TO their doors three times week,
and ii a stranger was noticed, ENJOYS
were Immediately despatched to the hotel
to learn his name and business and the
probable lcngth of his stay. But now
Russian Bar was TO have 4 new school
master, and the folks wondered much if
he would have any trouble with Sam Sey
mour, the butchers boy, or Ike Walker,
IN unrulV spirit, who had knocked down
and pummelled the last preceptOr, who
undertook to teach him school discipline
The trustees Were poWerleSs in these
matters, and declared that il n schoOlmaster
was not able to get away" with the boys
in a squire, stand-up fight, he might rs
we'll pick up his traps and leave Russian
Bar
On the very evening of the expected ar
rival. Seymour and Walker the leading
spirits of the mutinous school boys, met
n pool, from which both were endeavoring
to coax a few speckled trout for supper.
"lIave You heard what the new chap is
like, sam ?' said Ike, AS he impaled
wrigglng worm on his hook.
mo; have you?"
FEATHER told Jake, the barkeeper, that
he was very young" %.
"And small 9'
eyes"
Guess he won't stay long in town.
Ike
Il guess not, Sam. School amt good
for us such fine weather as ths'
The worthless sat and fished in silence
for some time, and then Ike produced a
bunch Of cigarettes, and passed them to
his friend At last they shoulderpd their
poles and stra@gled up toward the village.
THE SCIIOOLMASTER.
Philip IIoughton was schoolmaster
from necessity, and not taste Like many
who have ben educated as gentleman
in one sense Of the word, that is, without
the acquaintance with any special pursuit
that might he turned to good account in
the struggle for bread, he found himself
adrlfL IN California, with nothing to tall
back on. Seeing IN advertisement in
city paper Tor Il competent teacher to take
charge OF the school at Russian Bar, he
answered it and was accepted at a venture.
Putting his few mOvables together pair
Of old tolls and a set of well-worn boxing
gloves, for lloughtOn was an accomplished
boxer and fencer-he bought his ticket
for Russian Bar
lie found the stage-driver q cOmmuni-
cative, pleasant fellow, who, at his re-
quest, described the characteristics of his
future home. Indeed, his descriptions OF
the class of boys whom IIoughton was to
take charge OF was not very encouraging.
you'll find them 4 hard lot" said he,
land they're all on the muscle, too"
''What is about the weight of my old
est ?n asked lloughton, good humoredy.
''1 on see, ii have got to exercise some
thing more that moral suason, want to
get posted on the physique of my men"
"Well, Sam Seymour is about the
strongest"
"And what is about the size of the re-
,loubtLhle Ike?n
We'll, guess he tops you by half a
head"
80, ! expect wen Get along we'll
enough together" said Houghton "and
| suppose this is the first glimpse of Rus
sian Bar" he added, US q turn in the road
brought them in view Of that picturesque
village.
The stage bowed along the smooth
road past the great white oak under whose
friendly branches the teamsters were ac-
customed TO make their noontime halt.
''I'll set you down at the hotel" said
the driver
"There's Perkins, the proprietor; that
fat man smoking on the stoop"
iloughton confessed to himself that the
prospect betole him was anything but
Il prosperous one. He was not Of a very
combptive nature, though he liked little
danger for the excitement; but game of
iistlcui1 with q dirty, mutinous boy had
neither glory nor honor for a man that
had been one OF the hardest hitters in his
college.
The folks were all at their doors when
the stage clattered up the single street,
and the slender, good looking young man
by the driver was measured and canvassed
before that worthy had passed the mail to
the doctor, who with his medical avoca-
tlons, also found time to ''run" the post
office.
The doctors wife was at her window.
| and after a long survey OF the school
master, FASTENED to communicate her
opinionsto Mrs. Blunt Meanwhile Houeh-
ton washed off the red dust OF the road.
and took his seat at the supper table The
driver had introduced him to about n
dozen Of the leading citizens during the
few minutes that interviewed between their
arrival and the evening meal
| How do You like our town, Mr. Hough-
ton ?' asked the landlord, graciously, as
he helped his new guest to a cut of steak
"Well, it seems pretty place"
"Whcn you get acquainted you'll find
yourself pleasantly situated; but you'll
have hard time with the boys"
80 they all tell. Anyhow, am not
unprepared.
After supper the landlord remarked
condentially to the Doctor THAT the
young man had grit in him, and he thought
he'd be able to make the rifle with the
| boys"
THE FIRST DAY.
When Houghton arose next morning.
and opened his window to the fresh breeze.
odorous with the perfume of the climbing
honeY-suckles, he felt that, after all, a
residence in Il remote village, even with
parcel Of rough boys to take care of, was
preferable to the dusty unfamiliar streets
of San Francisco He smiled as he I'M
packed his foils and boxing gloves, lit
tie sadly, too, for they linked with many
| ooip association II hiS do l,,,
days.
"Wcll," he soliloquized, as he straighten-
ed his arm and looked at the finely de-
veloped muscles. Il ought 20 be able to
hold my own in q stand up fight with
| thaoo t,.aub1acano punijc of p,;no rL;,