Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1881-06-09
THE HARD SCHOOL.

from one Of the Superintending School
Committee of the town of O., in the
State Of New Hampshire. Ho introduced
himself as Mr.. Brown, and ct once pro-
ceeded with bis business. He wished to
employ teacher for one of the schools in
his town. Ho ran his eyes over my frame,
and saw the result was satisfactory, for he
Immediately expressed desire to secure
my services. asked him what sort of
school it was.
"Wal," he said, with peculiar nasal
twang and pronunciation not set down by
any Of our photographers, 'sit's pooty
hard school, now I tell ye. But you've got
tho bone and muscle, an I reckon as how
yeou might dew it,"
He ogain run his eyes over my largo sin.
ewy frame, and rubbed his hands with evi-
dent satisfaction.
"iIave the scholars been 10 the habit of
gaining control Of the school2' I asked.
"Lord bless ye, yes. Why, no master can
stand it week. Ye see, Square, thar's
somo all fired stout boys in that ERE school
--ye SEQ they work in swamps, and they're
kind O rough in their ways. We hearn
tell o yeou, aud was sent to sec ye. And
was privileged to offer ,ye forty dollars o
month, ef ye'd only come aud keep it.
That's more n twice as much as wo over
paid afore."
"How large is the school2'' l asked.
"Wal-thar's nigh unto sixty Scholars
oil told, when they oome-some boys and
some gals"
I lad heard of tho school before, and
had been acquainted with an excellent
teacher who had been thrown out of tho
oohn III
some of tho larger boys; yet resolved to
go and try it. or personal danger I had
no fear, for 1 happened to possess large
franc and proportional amount of nerve
and muscle. had exercised freely in our
gymnasium, and there was not another ma n
in the place who could at all hold his
strength by the side of mine. Mature had
been lavish in her favors, and evil habits
had not impaired the faculties God had
given me.
/ told Mr.. Brown / would keep the
school. 1t was to commence on the first
day of December, and continue three
months. But I told him / must have nv
own way. That in all things appertaining
to the school must be master--that my
will must be absolute, even to the casting
out Of half Of the scholars. Ho said
should have my own way; and he pledged
his word that the Committee should not
interfere, in any way, nor under any cir
cumstances.
AT the appointed time packed up my
wardrobe and school books, and started for
O.. When I reached the village,
learned that my school was in q distant
part Of the towh-in a rugged region
known as the Rawbone Hollow. On the
following morning Mr.. Brown took mo
"over" in his sleigh. I found my school.
house upon tho edge of quite settlement,
which was located in wide valley, with
high, black mountains upon all Sides
was taken at once to tho place whore was
to board, and in this latter respect was
fortunate.
My host's name was Elias Bonney. He
was we'll to do farmer about forty five
years of age, firm, intelligent man, and
selectmen of tho town. He had five ohil.
dren that were to attend sohool--the oldest
being girl of nineteen, named Lynda, and
the youngest boy Of seven.
Mr.. Brown remained to dinner, and then
took his leave; and as soon as I was alone
with Mr.. Bonney, begaa to enquire par-
tioularly about the school. My host shook
his head with dubious expression.
"You know what boys are,' he said, "es-
pecially If they've had their own way for
a long time. For six winters we've had no
school here that could be called a school
There are quito number of stout bows, and
they generally contrive to get the master
out at the end of week. But I think
they'll find it hard to put you out"
II don't know" replied. But l really
ehouldn't want thom to try it, for I'm not
apt to be very oonsiderate when acting
on the defensive against nero brute force. .
Bonney said he should think twould bo
dangerous for the scholars to mako the at
tempt. "But" he added, with another
dubious shake of the hoaad sstile bows are
not only stout aud hearty, but you must re-
member there's number of thcm. Once
get 'em started, and they don't fear any
thing. They've had some pretty stout mas,
ters to deal with"
"But how many are there in the school,
asked, "who are really bad, who are ready
to 90 ahead in any evil pranks2"
Bonney pondered few moments and
then replied:
"Wby, there's only two of them that art
really ugly; and even they ain't bad neigh
bors. They're kind aud ready in cases o.
need, but they seem determined to resis
the sohoolmaster."
We kept up the conversation at interval
until bedtime, and when retired for tht
night had made up my mind as to th,
nature Of tho work had TO do. I hat