Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-11-17
BOARDING AROUND.
[ From the Methodist. |


When it was customary for school
teachers to board around among the
employers l was among the happy
boarders.
The advantages of the system
were so many and so apparent to
those who sometimes used in their
large fire-places stone "back-logs"
and iron fore-sticks, that it was not
the "thing of day." but condi-
ton of things that lasted several
years, and passed away like some
othor usages of the olden time.
There was no trouble in inquirng
for a place to board the teacher; no
words about price to 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. AS we went
over the hills, or through the woods,
the children would relate what they
thought would please or surprise me,
and l did the same tn them. Rattle
snakes and other tribes of the SER
pent family lived among the rocks,
and large blue huckleberries grew on
the bushes. We picked the berries
and killed the snakes. Variety spic-
ed this kind of itinerant life. More
than necessary preparation was 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-their water wheels
or rabbit traps; after entering the
house, their books, especially any
that had pictures on or were presents.
Pleasant evenings were passed in
many families in conversation and
helping the children along in their
lessons for the next day; the room
was made cheerful by tallow candles
and a blazing fire of pine knots.
With some families the grinding
of the coffee in the morning was the
signal bell to arouse and have lis get
ready for breakfast. At one place,
after going down stairs and out of
doors for while, l motioned as tho
| wanted some water to wash, and
asked the man of the house where l
could wash. "Down to the brook" )"
he SAID, pointing in that direction;
and down to the brook l went, where
was plenty of water, washed and re
turned, seeing that was the way they
did. Sometimes trout from the
streams would be the fare, venison
from the forest or silver eels from
the Delaware, Sullivan county,
Housekeepers knew how to prepare
these for the plate and palate, and
once they gave me some of Bruins
beef, as l was pleased to call it
which was procured at the risk OF
life. A good sized black bear left
his tracks on the snow so plainly as
to arouse hunters valor who with
his rifle pursued the bear to his re
treat in a large hollow tree, in which
he was safe for the time; there wa'
no getting him there. To start hin
out, the hunters boy, who was ont
of my scholars, pounded the tire,
with an axe, until the bear climbed
to the top to survey the coast, ant
see who was disturbing him in THU
way. This was the hunters opportu
nifty. With good aim he sent up thu
ball and gave poor bruin a bleeding
heart, after which it was safe ant
easy to get him down and divide hin
up in liberal proportions among tn
neighbors, and that was how cam
to taste the quality Of bruins beet
One of my best boarding place
was at a log house, not cabin, bu