The weekly Shasta courier., 1873-03-22
The Wrong Answer.

In the old days. forty years ago, when
country teachers boarded round from family
to family, and when dozen young men aud
women about midway in their teens might be
found in every wellto-do rustic school house
during the winter term, young William
Gladstone, now Judge Gladstone. of the
United States Supreme Court, was school
teacher in the Bound Brook neighborhood.
The young man, then reading law, compre-
hended that school-teaching would replenish
his purse and need not greatly interfere
with his studies.
Our hero, making his way to the best
school district In the adjoining town, found
the principal trustee, and confidently made
application for the vacant situation of peda-
gogue for the four and a half months. au-
tumn and winter.
Yes, young man, yes, know all about
yoa, answered the sharp old trustee
4" You're Squire Gladstone's son, a college
bred, so we can calculate that you've got
learning enough to suit US but that don't
say nothing against flirting! Now last win
ter the whole district was pestered with fly
ing rumors about love making down there to
the school. First it was one girl and then
another the master wanted, and of course
all the great boys followed suit. But come
spring nothing had taken root deep enough
to g. on growing in warm weather. Now
this year, mind, | am going to set my foot
down against all that. You can have the
school, and welcome, if you give me pledge
that you won't introduce courting as fine
art, taught either by precept nor yet by ex-
ample. If you can be sure you have the
nerve to set your face against all billing and
cooling, you are the man we want exactly.
We old fogies are not altogether against a
young mans paying attentions and marrying
at the proper time, when he really means it.
but the trustees, to a man, have made pu
their minds that last years doings can't be
repeated in our school. Now, then. Young
squire. what have you got to say about it ?"
Young Gladstone's face beemed as sunnily
as May morning during this little harancue.
He wheeled about, his open, laughing eye
looking straight into the intensely earnest
face OF the trustee, and answered, frankly,
L" l give you my solemn pledge, Sir, not to
hlrt with the pretty girls, to teach the BOYS
by example to be as exemplary in this re-
sPect as the qu;etest old gentleman in the
nelghborhood, and as far as can consist
emily, don't mind agreeing to add vsry
little precept also now and then."
"That'l do nicely"
T." l intend to 60 on with my studies in
leisure hours, and shall be altogether too
busy myself for firtations or for loye-mak-
ing"
1T is bargain. l engage you out of
hand to begin the school from next Monday
to the last Monday in Octoberl" cried the
delighted trustee, pulling at the great button
on the front of his coat with such vigor that
the weak threads snapped asunder
The young gentleman ratified the con-
tract.
ou mean to get admitted to the bar
next year, l calculate, Mr.. Gladstore,"
So hope, Sir, if am successful"
Exactly, Nothing like real business to
keep youngster busy as steady as is re-
spectacle, and that ia all we old fellows care
about" This time the undermined button
gave way suddenly at the energetic pull of
the trustees great thumb and finger The
good man sat looking down at it little rue
fully Curious" he mused half to himself
"Wife will know now that am pleased. I
generally sacrifice that button on the altar
OF the very highest satisfaction. That, now.
ID trick started with the school lessons, as
low down as the spelling book. Mebby it
came in with the FIRST primer"
In due time the school began. It NAV be
as well to say just here that the new master
was Immensely popular all winter, both with
the pupils and with the all powerful trustees.
Our young friend thought it would be the
easiest thing In the world to keep his agree
ment IN quite exemplary manner. All his
days he had been sufficiently popular with
scores oil charming young ladies without up-
due flirting and at present his thoughts
were not ut all fixed upon mstrimonv
But young Squire Gladstone" had not
yet seen susie Auber. She was his best
and most charming pupil-a distracting lit
ue beauty, with dimples, brown eyes, grace
ful, wlnsome ways, laughter like music, and
voice always sweeter than the ripple of a
meadow brooklet. The very first night of
the hrst school day, Susie Auber stepped
bodily down into his embryo lawyer dreams.
moving about among Higgins rersus Bah
cock" both of her plump white hands full of
deeds, contracts and old wills, which made
him think of the Day of Judgment; and al.
rectly alter she was teaching the children
about legal tenures. which changed to nouns,
verbs, tens, hundreds and all the rest, down
to A B C's; and the g;rlish hands were
much prettier than the law papers which
she held in them though these were cram
med full both of law and learning.
The next night Susie's face was shining
like Transparency in every writing book as
the master set the copies; and when he
thought Of shutting it up in his desk, Susie
herself flew out from the open lid, as bright
and as swift as sunbeam, springing directly