The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1881-05-04
THE YANKEE SChO0LMASTER.


III" I--,c- .hrl ,-un us I0ll'
THE YANKEE SCHOOL MASTER.
On "NIillcr's Hill" farmhouse; q
.owland structure built Of wood; whose
| ,lap-boar(s, wcathcr-worn and gray, were
| falling into slow decay; whose messy
wooden lane.troughs swung from rusty
IRONS ruicly hung; whose curling shin
glcs here and there betrayed the need Of
good repair; whose ancient chimney,
capped with stone, with lichcns partly
overgrown above the sagging roof, looked
down upon the spires Of Brandon town.
An old gray barn was built near by,
with heavy girths and scatfolds high,
md solid sills and massive beams, and
through the cracks and open seams the
'lanting sunshine used to play in golden
CLEANS upon the hay, where oft, with
many shout the children jumped and
played about at hide and seek, or looked
with care for hidden nests in corHrs
there. Where oft at morn they used %
hear the cackling hen and chanticlecr,
where, by the broad floor meath the
nows, were cribs and stanchions for the
COWS, and strong plank stalls whore
horses stood to eat their hay from racks
of wood, and, i'll corner slowed away, a
tanning mill and old rcd sleigh Where
Jolly farm boys husked mt night the gold
en- corn by candle-light, and hung their
lanterns by the bay on pitchiorks thrust
into the hay, where, sheltered from the
,,,itl, tl,pn1,rtn,, nnilu thn,,
thrcshed the grain.
Each wear the hum OF hOEcy-beeS was
heard amid the apple tree, the lilacs
bloomed, the locusts fair with their sweet
fragrance filled the air: the stubble fields
were plowcd and sown; the warm rain
fell; the bright sun shone; the robins
sang; the green grass grew: the roses
blossomed in the dew; the tall red holly
hook once more bloomed brightly by
the farm house door; the sun-ilower bent
its gaudy head the cattle in the pasture
fed, the crickets chirped in meadows
near, sounds were waited to the ear DER
waving fields of tasscled corn, of clatter-
ing scythe and dinner horn. The reapers
reaped their golden sheaves; the swallows
left the succeed caves; the apples in the
autumn breeze grew ripe and mellow
On the trees; the leaves We're swept about
the air; the fields were brown, the wood
lands bare; the snow-hakes fell; the mir
grew chill; the sleigh bells rangon mil
ler's Hill"
The winter sky was overcast, the snow
and sleet were falling fast. Twas
Christmas eve; the air was cool; the
children hurried home from school, with
laughter loud and outcries shrill they
reached the farmhouse on the hill, they
came across the kitchen floor, nor stopped
to shut the entry door, all striving first
the news to tell, exclaimed, in concert,
with yell: "The teachers comm here
b stay; he's up the road little way; he
stopped to talk with Susan Stow, an we
ran home to let You know"
The mother stopped her spinning
wheel, and put away her creaking reel,
swept up the dusty hearth with care.
rolled down her sleeves and brushed her
hair, smoothed out her rumpled bingham
gown, and in her rocking char sat down;
then, striving hard to look her best, she
calmly waited for her guest.
Her ruddy, round, and fleshy face was
bordcrcd by cap Of lace; her nose was
nearly hid from view by her plump
checks Of healthy hue; her eyes were
bright, her hair was thin, she had
heavy double chin; her husbands arms,
when both embraced, could barely cir
cumscribe her waist.
Of all largo women nine in ten VIII
most admire the little men, and little
| men-why none may tell-wiN love large
women quite rs well. They WOO, they
we'd, the man through life is quite Ger
Swallowed by the wife.
Soon, parting from his rustic flame,
the tardy young schoolmaster came. Ills
ewes were blue. his features fair, his chm
o'ergrown with downy hair; behind his
ears his locks of brown were smoothly
brushed and plastcred down; his bony
limbs were large and long; his we'll
trained muscles firm and strong; the tall,
stout bows that wears before had thrown
their master through the door his rod
regarded with dismay. and seldom darGd
to disobey. The pride and hopeot h,'o-
barlton was tall Lycurgus Littlelohh,
who had his fcIlow.townsmen said: "a
beop o. larnin' in his head. y Clhree
terms in :Nidblebury College had given
him his cheap" of knowledge
He often used to sit between the IAN
Young girls of sweet sixteen and kindly
help them "do their sums" They
brought him fruit and sugar plums; they
had their girlhood hopes and fears; ms
words were music in their ears; eaci
smile he gave them had a charm; cacl
frown would fill them with alarm
What enyious looks at Susan Stow, h.
fayorite scholar they would throw.
Her eyes and hair were dark as night
her skin was soft, and smooth, ant
white: peach-like bloom her cheeks
oyerspread; her lips like cherries, ripe
and red What wonder he could moi
conceal the glad, sweet thrill he use t.
feel through all his FACILITATING franz
when TO his desk she coylv came and
looking MP with eyes of love, like som,
sly, timid little dove, would softly. asl
him to expound some knotty problem
she had found? What being in the worlt
below seemed half as sweet as Susai
stow? Her eyes would flash and, in re
turn. his face would flush and strangel.
bur n. and, when he tried to calculate
so me long, hard "sum" upon her slate
N . figures danced before his sight lk'
little gobblins, gay and white, and, whel
M night, with cheerful face, he started
for his boarding place, what wonder tha'
| n. III