The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1879-02-06
OLD.TIME BARRING-OUT.
How Old Hickory and His SchoOlmates
Conquered Their Pedagogue.

How Old Hickory and His schoolmates
Conquered Their Pedagogue.
Judge 10 @. Guild, famous in Ten
nessee as the bosom friend of Andrew
Jackson (and famous also for the saying
I'm reference to the many divorces
granted by him, when two people get
as cold as frogs to each other they ought
to be separated y, has just issued in
Nashville book of anecdotes of jack
son. Among the most entertaining
"reminiscences related in the book is the
following account of barring OUT"
my early life was made miser-
able by one Mulberry Bangs, gentle
nan of the old school, who devoted
himself to reading, writing and arith-
metic, and the general use of stick.
Upon my head and other parts of my
person he imprinted himself so posi-
lively that can see him now as plainly
as If we had parted but yesterday. He
was stout man, who made in his figure,
when made in profile, Hogarth's line of
beauty, being round-shouldered and
crooked in the legs. He was blonde.
The hair Of his head had that sunny
tinge SO much admired to-day. and,
when rubbed down with tallow-candle,
as was his wont to dress it, was SO
smooth and straight that the boys be-
heved that the flies slipped down it
and broke their legs. His eyes were dark
and fierce, and, hid under the cavern
GUS recesses made by his bushy red eye
brows seemed to watch like evil spirits
over his precious nose. The nose was a
ruby one, bottle in shape, and when
Bangs was angry, which appeared to be
all the time, it glowed like the head
light of locomotive. His mouth was
finished without lips, and resembled a
slit in piece Of sole leather. u *
"Old Bangs was famous for his power
OF resistance, and boosted that no
school of his had ever succeeded in
conquering or barring him out. There
we're two big boys in school, named Bill
Henning and Bob Strong. They were
knotty-headed, broad-shouldered, and
manifested fellows, who worked through
the summer for means to attend school
during the winter. Each, in turn, had
been numerically whipped by the mas
Ter, and it was understood throughout
the school that the barring-out of Mas
ter Bangs was to be accomplished and
old scores settled. The evening before
fhe general engagement Bill and Bob,
0ur noble leaders, with few confeder-
:ates, stole. back to the school-house
armed with hickory poles. Breaking
open the door, they whitfield one end Of
OF these tough saplings to point, and
then hardened the points in the fire
linen, placing these III a corner ready
Nor use, with a stout cord, they gave
orders to the boys willing to take part
IN the fight to be on hand at the school
house before daylight the next morning.
Al the time indicated nearly all the
dads were In attendance. Some were
pale and trembling, others we're noisy
and boastful, but l observed that the
zeal leaders and reliable soldiers were
quiet-so quiet, indeed, that one might
6oubt them. Our first
order was to cut and carry in
enough wood TO serve the garrison dur
ing the siege. This was promptly exc
euted. The window shutters were pulled
TO and securely nailed, the door closed
and desks and benches piled against it.
After two portfolios were opened by
removing the chinks and daubing, we
gathered about roaring fire in the
huge place, and waited the approach
OF the enemy. AS the time approached
Gor the masters coming a dread silence
fell upon the little crowd, so that when
me did come we could hear his heavy
tread upon the crushing snow. and
many heart sank and face whitened in
terror. The leaders sprung to their
posts on each side of the door, and. on
being ordered to surrender, boldly de-
manded q weeks holiday and q treat Of
cider and apples. This was sternly re-
&used. Fire! cried Bill and Bob. and
1--WE poles were thrust out with all the
strength the stout arms could give them.
They took the indignant pedagogue in
5kae sides with such force that but for
chick flannel overcoat holes might have
been made in his wicked body. AS
SG was, he staggered back, and for twenty
2nlnutes Or more we saw him sitting
apon log catching his breath and rub
Ding his wounded sides. We gave no
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 large stone
from the snow, he approached and