The Red Cloud chief., 1876-11-02
Poiidin" Around.
TX. i"ur. II the >choplmast-r "a His
1rau-itory HO n

PoaIdiny Around.
II..,'"u"- II the >chnpImast-r Ia ~
Tra"-i'"'y Ho L
h 1t WAS customary for schOo
teachers To board among Tia. employer:
| Was among the happy boarders.
The advantages of the system were
so apparent to those who sometime.
used III their large 6Icplaces stone
'back-logs" and iron fore-sticks, tina,
1t WAS not the thing of a day" but d
condition of things that lasted several
years, and passed away like some other
usages Of the olden time.
There was no trouble in inquiring
for a plac, 10 board the teacher; no
words about price or pay for board; no
fault To find with any. but merely to
find where the family lived that was
ready TO board the teacher" was all
that was necessary, and this was done
by going home with the children after
school. Az We went e the hills, or
through the woods, the children would
relate what they thought would please
or surprise me, and | did the same to
them. RattlesnakeS and other tribes of
the serpent family lived among the
rocks, and large blue huckleberries
grew on the bushes. We picked the
berries and killed the snakes. Variety
spiced this kind of itinerant life. More
tsan necessary preparation Ia often
made when families expected the
teacher to board with them for a week.
On reaching their homes, the children
would first show me what Interested
them-thelr water wheels or rabbit
traps; after entering the house, their
books, especially any that had pictures
III or were presents.
Pleasant evenings were passed in
many families i'll conversation and help
ing the children along in their lessons
for the next day: the room was made
cheerful 10y tdilow candies and a blazing
tire of pine knots.
With some families the grinding of
the coffee in the morning vas the sig
nal bell To aruuSe and have us get ready
for breakfast. At one place, aft er
g0iisG down stair, and cut of doors a
little while, ] motiDned as though |
wanted sUIle water 20 W;iSl.. and asked
wash. "Nown 10 the brooi." he sad.
pointing IL dat Gir"Ction; and down IL
the brook | Welt. WhpIe Was plenty o.
water, washed and returned, seeing that
was the way they did. Somestimps
trout from the streams would he the
fare, ytniSon from the forest or silver
GELS from the Delaware, Sullivan
county. llouSekeepers knew how
TO prepare these for the plate and the
palaie, and One they gave me soaie of
bruins beef, aS | WAS pleased To call il.
which WAS produced at some risk OF
life. y good sized black bear left his
tracks on the SNOW SO plainly as t.
arouse a hunters valo-. who, with rifle
pursued the bear to his retreat in a hol-
low tree. III which he WAS safe for the
time; there WAS no getting al him there.
To start HIM out. the hunters boy. no
was one "t my scholars, pounded the
tree with an az, untIl the bear climbed
To the top I" survey The coast, and See
who WAS disturbing him in this WAY
Tins WAS the hunters opportunity
Witt good ann he sent up the ball that
gave poor hruln a bleeding heart, after
which II WIS safe aud easy to get him
down and divide him up il liberal
portions among the %neighhors. and that
was how l came 10 taste the qualitieso of
bruins beef.
One of my best boarding places was
a log house, not a cabin. but a good
house. where lived a sturdy Presbyte-
rian deacon. with a large, interesting
family. To reach the house his bows
would row me across the Delaware
river. where we jumped.the bank. and
oon found our way where / ALWAYS
liked to go. The Deacon always had a
hearty way of shaking hands. with
something ready to say that was worth
hearing. He had his rules without their
being in writing or in scolding. In that
family there was order and kindness.
The children PLAYED and worked. or
learned at home if they pleased. till
they were several years old. strong and
healthy. before they went to school. as
some of them did to me. beginning at
the alphabet: and it was easy for them
t. begin. and soon CD by others who had
been to school almost from their in
fancy. 1t seemed a1ittle strange to me
to find that this hardy old PRESBYTERIAN
deacon was in the habit of reading,
by course, with the Bible Clark's
Commentary. OF course. he read
SCOTS and other books with the papers.
In his family the day was begun with
reading the Scriptures and prayer. and
closed with prayer. One of his sons. |
after L knew him, was an able editor of
a paper and Governor of n Of the
Western States. This deacon wanted
all the children to be educated. and the |
churches to thrive. He gave me MANY
an encouraging word.
A different man from him one day |
saw me pass on my way to the school |
house, and to a neichbor expressed his |
regrets that so many persons of health,
with limbs all sound and able to do hard
work. were employed to teach in the
schools; SO much loss to the country!
Schools were well enough, be said, but