The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-10-12
THE SLIM TEACHER.
How he Managed the school at Gran.
berry GuIch.

bFEFJ NWACHs 20
sinister, no doubt you have all the
learnin' that's requiredin a school teacher,
but It wants more than learnin' to make u
man able to teach school in Cranberry
Gulch. You'll soon find that out Il you
try. We've had three who tried It on. One
lays there in the graveyard; another lost his
eye; the last opened school and left before
nOontime for the benefit Of his health. He
hasn't been back since, Now you're a
slender build, and all your learnin' will
only make II worse, for all our yonng folks
are roughs and don't stand nonsense"
This Is what one OF the trustees Of the
district said to my friend Harry Flotoe,
when he made application for the vacant
position OF teacher.
"Let me try. know am slender but |
am tough and have strong will, said
Harry. ~l.'.
"Jest as YOU like. There's the school
house, and I'll have the notice given II YOU
want It done" said the trustee.
II do" said Harry, "and I'll open next
Monday at o ST.
The notice was given and there was n
great deal Of excitement in the gulCh and
along the Yuba flats. More than fifty young
people of both sexes made an excuse TO
drop into the tavern to get sight at the
fellow who thought he could keep school
in that district, and many Contenptious
glance fell on the slender form. and youth
ftil face of the woull.be teacher. 'a.l
Eight o'clock on Monday morning came,
and Harry Flotoe went down to the school
with key in one hand and valise In the
other. .a0..as.. III.
''Ready to slope, II lie finds we're too
much for him." said a Cross.eyed, broad
shouldered fellow Of IS.
The school house was unlocked and the
new teacher went to his desk Some OF
the folkswe to see whit he was going to
do, though school was not called. IN
Harry opened his Valise and took out n
large belt. Id gt',.g.
Then, after buCkling It around his waist,
he put three Colts revOlvets there, each
six barrels, and bowie knife eighteen
inches in the blade. NJ.
Thunder he means business n mutter-
ed tho Cross.eyed chap.
The new teacher now took out d SQUARE
card about four inches each way, walked
to the other end Of the school house and
tucked II up against the wall. Returning to
his desk he drew o revolver from his belt,
and quick as thought sent ball after ball
into the card, till there were six balls In n
spot not much larger than silver dollar.
BY this time the school house wab full OF
large boys and girls. The little ones were
afrald to come In.
Then the teacher walked half way down
the room with a bowie knife in hfshand,
and threw IL with 80 true a hand that IL
stuck, qulverlng, in the centre Of the card.
He left IL there and quietly put two more
oil the same kind In his belt and reloaded
his yet smoking pistol, }r
"Rlng the belli | am about to open
school," ~
bespoke 10 the cross.eyed boy, the bully
OF the crowd, and the boy rang the bell
without word.
1.-THE scholars will take their seats |
open school with q prayer lie said, stern.
j, Eve minutes later,
Tie scholars sat down silently, almost
breathless. After the pnyer the teacher
cooked a revolver and walked down on the
floor. ta
1--WE will arrange the classes" he said;
'all who can read, write and spell will rise.
OF them we will form The first elasa,N
Only sis got up. lie escorted them TO
upper seats, and then he began to examine
the rest A whisper was heard behind
him. In asecohd he wheeled, revolver In
hand,