Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1879-03-04

heart sunk and face whitened in terror.
The leaders sprang to their posts on
each side of the door, and, on being or
dered to surrender, boldly demanded q
weeks holiday and treat of cider and
apples; This was sterAly refused =
Fire = cried Bill and:Bo6, ,Sand two poles
were thrust out with all the strength
the stout arms could give them. They
took the indignant pedagogue in the
sides with such force that, but for a
thick flannel overcoat, holes might have
been made in his wicked body. AS it
was, he staggered back, and for twenty
minutes or more we saw him sitting up.
on 3 log 06to6ing hts bfeatlreand rub
bing his wounded sides. We gave ne
end Of loud cheers, claiming for our
selves the first knock down, If not the
first blood.
"At the end Of twenty minutes the
master arose. Digging a large stone
from the snow, he approached and threw
it with great violence against the door,
The stout oak batting fairly shook under
the blow, but held its own. Another
and another followed. amid jeers and
encouraged by our noble lead
ers to keep up the courage of their fol-
lowers. The fourth stone split the door,
and the fifth broke the upper wooden
hinge, and, but for the barricade within,
the breach would have been available.
The enemy, not being aware of the de-
fense within, suddenly dropped the
stone and ran at the door. We were not
to be taken by surprise. Again were the
sharp lances thrust out. He retreated,
and we saw him fairly dance with rage
and pain. The more of this he INDUCED
in the wilder grew our delight, which
we testified in screams of laughter. He
soon ended this exhibition and disap-
peared around the school house, evident
~ on q reconnaissance. There was q
dead silence, and we realized that which
we have so often felt since, the unknown
movement of silent enemy. This was
ended by noise upon the roof, and soon
volumes of smoke pouring into the room
told us that strategy had taken the place
of assault. We were to be smoked out.
For moment our leaders looked puz.
zIed. Fortunately, I'm the excitement of
the conflict, the fire had not been fed,
and now only few chunks and embers
supplied the smoke. These were scat
tered upon the broad hearth, and water
thrown into to extinguish the remain
der. Then Bill and Bob, selecting four
of the stoutest poles, thrust them up the
chimney, and at the word, we gave. to
use our own phrase, "a bloody hist The
consequences were rafting of falling
boards, with the eunmistakabie thump of
a heavier body upon the ground. We
found afterward that the master had not
only covered the chimney-top with
boards, but had seated himself upon
them the sudden and unexpected hist
had tumbled him off. We heard dismal
groans and cries for relief from the enc
my. Some were in favor Of going at
once to his assistance; others. more eau
tiOus, opposed such q merciful errand.-
He's hoiterin' too loud to- be hurt much,
said shrewd Bob.
1--WE had division in our council of
war. This ended in call for volun-
teer to make q sortie and investigate
Jack Loder, one of the most daring and
active among the younger boys, respond
ed. A shutter on the opposite side to
the cries for help was opened quickly
and Jack thrust out. The result of this
was not only cessation Of groaning,
but a chase that we witnessed through
the port holes. Jack was a good run
ner, and when the two disappeared over
the meadow into the willow thicket,
Jack was gaining on him. and we had
good hopes of his escape. To our dismay
and horror, in half an hour we saw the
master returning with poor Jack in his
grasp. He had hostage, and was swift
in his use of the advantage. Stopping
before the houle, he began whipping the
poor fellow numerically. Jacks cries
were piteous. o! let him in. boys let
him in he's killin' o. me!' rung in
our ears. There was hurried consulta-
tion. The benches and desks were quiet
ly removed from the door. A sortie had
been determined on. The master stood
at the side of the house, south of the
door, and as soon as the opening was
made, Bill Enclosed shutter and pro-
posed a parley. The answer was rush
at the open window by the master, who
began climbing in. Brave little Jack
seized him by the legs, and before he
could kick him off, a dozen stout lads
were clinging to them, while as many
more held him on the inside. Bill seiz-
ed the rope and attempted to pass the
moose over his arms. In the hurry and
confusion of the fight he succeeded only
in getting it over his head. Pulling it
as the boys did, there was fair prospect
of ending the useful labors of the teach
er by strangulation. That he deserved
it, no enc doubted; but Bob, having
climbed over the master in the window,
and with all the school pulling at the
ends of old Bangs, was soon master of
the situation. Getting hold of the rope,
and assisted by Bill. he succeeded in ty-
ing the arms of the almost exhausted
man to his sides. He was then tumbled
from the window as unceremoniously as
a pig.
"'Will you give up?' demanded our
leader.
"'No,' gasped the master.
"'Then we'll put you down the well,
hanged If we don't!'
1.-THE brave old pedagogue still refus-
ing, he was dragged, rolled, and tumbled
to the well curb
"'Will you give up, dern you?' de-
manded Bob.
"'No, / won't!'
"He was showed inside of the bucket,
and orders given to lower. But the
weight proved too much for the lads, and
the crank of the windlass slipped from
their grasp, the learning of our district
went whirling to the bottom with q
laundering noise befitting such an exit.
This was more than we bargained for. =
Had we really murdered the master?-
Bob and Bill, assisted by the stoutest,
began pulling up the unfortunate old
fellow. 1t was hard work. and tugging
at the windlass, they just caught a
glimpse of his blonde head, when wild
cry of Fire y caused them to let go, and
again the venerable Bangs ratified down
with splash in the water. The school.
house was on fire; the chunks pulled
out by the boys had communicate to
the floor, and the dry old concern was
in blaze. A few neighbors, who just
then arrived, gave the alarm, and at
tempted to extinguish the flames: Tc
do this they called for water, and the
first bucket brought up contained the
vanquished teacher. He came up with
teeth chattering, and when lifted out
and united was too weak to stand or sit
The schoolhouse burned down: The
master was carried to a neighbours house
and for few weeks lay between life
and death. We were regarded as heroes
by the country side, and in the burning
of our place Of torture, and the sickness
of the master. we were the happle.t sci
of little animals in the world"
In the Henrjco county court the sui
of Thorpe vs.. Alvis, for SIC, 600 damages