The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1881-03-31
THE YANKEE s~cHooLMAsTER

falling into slow decay: whose messy
wooden lane-troughs swung from rusty
irons rudely hung; whose curling shin
giles here and there betrayed the need of
good repair; whose ancient chimney,
capped with stone, with lichens partly
overgrown above the saggihg roof, looked
down upon the spires of Brandon town.
An old gray barn was built near by,
with heavy girths and scaffolds high,
and solid sills and massive beams, and
through the cracks and open seams the
slanting sunshine used to play In golden
CLEANS upon the hay, where oft, with
many q shout, the children jumped and
played about at hide and seek, DR. looked
with care for hidden nests in
there. Where oft at morn they used to
hear the cackling hen. and chandelier,
where, by the broad floor meath the
mows, were cribs and stanchions for the
cows, and strong plank stalls where
horses stood to eat their hay from racks
of wood, and, in a corner slowed away, a
fanning-mill and old red sleigh. Where
Jolly farm-boys husked at night the gold
en- corr by c~andlelight, and hung their
lanterns by the bay on pitchforks thrust
into the hay, where, sheltered from the
autumn rain, with laundering fails they
threshed the grain. a
Each year the hum OF noney-bees was
heard amid the apple tree, the 1ilacs
bloomed, the locusts fair with their sweet
fragrance filed the air; the stubble fields
were plowed and sown; the warm rain
fell; the bright sun shone; the robins
sang; the green grass grew; the roses
blossoaed inthe dew; the tall red holly
hook once more bloomed brightly by
the farmhouse door; the sun-fower 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 tasseled 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; theleayes we're swept about
the air; the fields were brown, the wood
lands bare; the snow-fakes fell; the air
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 a yell: "The teachers comm here
to stay; he's up the road a 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-chair sat down;
then, striving hard to look her best, she
calmly waited for her guest.
Her ruddy, round, and heshy face was
bordered by a cap of lace; her nose was
nearly hid from view by her plump
cheeks of healthy hue: her eyes were
bright, her hair was thin, she had a
heavy double chin; her husbands arms,
when both embraced, could barely CIR
cumscribe her waist.
OF all large women nine in ten viii
most admire the little men, and little
men-whyn none may ten-wM love large
women quite as well. They WOO, they
we'd, the man through life is quite DER
Swallowed by the wife.
Soon, parting from his rustic flame,
the tardy young schoolmaster came. His
eyes were blue, his features fair. his chin
o'ergrown with downy hair; behind his
ears his locks of brown were smoothly
brushed and plastered down; his bony
limbs were large and long; his we'll
trained muscles firm and strong; the tall,
stout boys that years before had thrown
their master through the door his rod
regarded with dismay, and seldom dared
to disobey. The pride and hopeof Hub
bardton was tall Lycurgus Littleiohn,
heap O. larnin' in his head" CThree
him his cheap" of knowledge.)
He often used to sit between the fair
voung girls of sweet sixteen and kindly
brought him fruit and sugar plums; they
had their girlhood hopes and fears; his
words were music in their ears; each
smile he gave them had a charm; each
frown would fill them with alarm.
favorite scholar they would throw.
Her eyes and hair were dark as night,
her skin was soft, and smooth, an6
white; a peach-like bloom her cheeks
oyerspread; her lips like cherries, ripe
and red. What wonder he could not
conceal the glad, sweet thrill he use te
feel through all his palpitating frame
when to his desk she coyly came and,
looking up with eyes OF love, like some
sly, timid little dove, would softly ash
him to expound some knotty problem
she had found? What being in the world
below seemed half as sweet Is Susal
Stow? Her eyes would flash and, in. re
turn, his face would flush and strangely
burn, and, when he tried to calculat,
me long, hard sfsum" upon her slate
the figures danced before his sight hk,
little gobblins, gay and white, and, whel
at night, with cheerful face, he started
for his boarding place, what wonder that
he came so slow In walking home with
Susan Stow?
The woman crossed the kitchen foo
to meet Lycurgus at the door, and, with
a s~crutinizing star, e she said: "Walk il
an take a chair, an be to home while
you are here. Come, Busby, take hi
things, my dear"
Forth from his corner, by the fire, tn
husband came at her desire. His heal
was bald, save here and there, stray Lit
tie tufts of grizzled hair; his shoulder
stopped, his form was thin, his knee
were bent, his toes turned in; he wore
long blue flannel frock, gray trousers
and a satin stock; a cotton collar, tai
and queer, wa rudely rumpled around
each ear; his face was mild, his smile wa
bland. as forth he put his ponderouI
hand, and said: ST think I see you well
1 hope you'll stay a leetle spell; we're
plain folks here I'd have you know, ant
don't go in for pride nor show" Then
after stepping IN the cat, he took tn,
teachers coat and hat; he hung them OF
a rusty nail, and, picking up his milking