Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1881-03-09
1he ked scnoeI hoase.

Grandfather Ezekiel WAS shaking with
aughter. He bobbed his head against the
back of the chair and brought his hands
own on his knees with resoundIng smacks.
He took of his speotacles and rubbed them
with his red handkerchief. He stopped
suddenly. screwed up his face, groaned
''Oh!" and put his hand to his back.
"What is the matter Z" exclaimed the
children; '.just look at Grandpsps; what
can be the matter with him r.
'.It's the rheumatism, said Grandfather
Ezekiel, becoming calm; al laughed 80
hard that fetched up the rascally twitches;
but couldn't help It-these newspapers dc
carry on 30. Here's one that says this Is
the coldest weather since the Revolution.
Why, this isn't circumstance to one win
ter day twhen the Oak Township boys
heid school in the Red School House with
out teacher. This is nothing"
''it's pretty cold OUT SAID Nellie, land,
grandpa, you've been here by the fire all
the week.
Grandfather Ezekiel, who had limped
over 10 the window to take look at the
snow, didn't notice Nellie's defense of
modern weather. Indeed, Grandfather
Ezekiel was deaf every now and then.
please tell US about the school with no
teacher" added Nellie.
The other children chimed in with the
same request, but Grandfather Ezekiel
didu't need much urging He already was
in his chair and as he put coal of fire
into his pipe he began:
"Weil, children, that was when l was
somewhere about twelve years old, and it
was few days after New Year. That
morning my father took his three boys to
for the snow WAS tco deep for horses. We
all had extra coats, but it was terribly
cold, and when father left us at the school
house, which was in the woods a miie from
any dwelling, We were almost frozen. Al
most all the boys were late that morning
and not single girl came. Well, We
waited until nine O'Clock, and then until
ten, expecting the teacher every minute.
We kept the stove red hot, chopping the
wood ourselves and piling it in without
stint. We had jolly time all the morn
ing and at noon ate our dinners, which We
had brought with Us in baskets with great
relish. None Of US could 90 home until
the teams should come after us, and hav-
ing given up expecting the teacher We cast
about for something 10 passa way the after
noon. One Of the boys, Jack Shelton, pro-
posed spelling contest, and We all agreed
Jack said he would be one of the captains,
and Sam Nye, who was Jacks equal in
spelling, said he would be the other. 81
fAr ha firof oh
the SIDES had been chosen Jack had thir-
teen and Sam thirteen, and Will Knight,
who, though nineteen years old, was the
poorest speiler in school, was lett out. Will
didn't mind the slight for he was good
na.ured boy, and SAID he guessed he would
give the words out for US. | was
little shaver compared with
the Others, but was pretty
good In the spelling book, and 90 l was
given out was Odontology,' and San
spelled it without trouble. The next wa:
'skein, and Jack put the proper letters il
shape in twinkling. And 50 the wordi
passed on down the line until ghost, was
gwen out to one of Sans spell. .ers, anl
the boy whose word it was spelled il
'gohst.' Then there was some excitement
and when our ne: boy spelled 1t right W,
hurrahed and Sans boys Kissed. Tn,
boy who missed stepped out and we wer,
one ahead As the spelling continued ant
as the spoilers dropped oul one by one tn,
excitement increased. Finally the line
were reduced to Sam and Jack, the bes
spoilers, and they had it hot and heavy TO
quarter Of an hour. After while Vii
came across tine word 'phthisic' and hurlet
it at Jacks head. Jack hemmed an,
hawed and tugged at his topknot, ant
finally said it wasn't fair. Then Sam
i'oys shouted that it was all right, and on