The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1881-04-01
The YANKEE scHootMasTER

.sIHE, YANKEE sSCH00lMASIER 81
On ''NIiller,s Hill" a farmhouse; a
lowland- structnrea built of Wood; whose
clap-boartls. weather-worn and gray. We're
falling into slow decay; whose messy
wooden lane-troughs swung from sTusty
irons rudely iuing; whose curling shin
Giles here and there betrayed the need of
GOOD repairs whose ancient chimney,
capped with stone, with lichens partly
ovsrgrown above the sagging 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 isiIls and, massive beams, and
through tue cracks and open seams the
sldnfing sunshine used to play in golden
cleans upon the hay, where oft, with
manv a'shout, the children jumped and
PLAYED about at hide and seek, or looked
with care for hidden nests in corners
there. Where oft at morn they used, TO
hear the cackling hen and chapticleer,,
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, I'M a corner slowed away, a
tanning mill aud old rcd sleigh. Where
Jolly farm boys husl1ed at night the gold
EN- corn shy candle-h light, and hung their
hnterns by theibay on pitchforks 1thrplst
nftSth6 haya where, sheltered from the
autuniir rain, with laundering fails they
threshed the grain aafy- isdstEe Etil
Each year me mum OF honey-pe was
heard amid the apple tree, the hlacs
bloOmed. the locusts fair with their sweet
fragrance filled the air; the stubble fields
were plowed and soYn; the warm, rain
fell; the bright sun shone; the robins
sang; the green grass grew; the roses
blossomed IN the dew; thetall red holly
hook once. mere Doomed briglItlyB by
the farmeissiIse door; the sun-foWer bent
it's gaudy head; the cattle in the pasture
fed, thesefiekets -dhirped1 in meadows
near. sounds were waited 20 the ear DER
wavirsa of tasseied corn, of, CHATTER
ing scythe and dinner horn. The reapers
reapea tIieirS golden Shelves: the swallows
left the stuccoed 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; -tlfe-snow-fiakes fell; the air
grew chill; the sleigh=bells rangon Mil.
leFssHin.r GE.4gsIe8 EaTEEGt.Z
The winter sky was overcast, the snow
and sleet were falling fast Twas
Christmas eve: the air was cool: tho
d..
laughter loud and outcries shrill they
reached the farm house 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: 1.-THE teachers comm here
to stay; he's mp 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 chair sat down;
then, striving hard to look her best, she !
calmly waited. for her guest. cd 81 81 /
y Her rIlddy, round, and fleshy face was |
borsleFetbbyl aicap of. lace; her nose was |
nearly hid from view by4sher plump /
checks OF healthy hue; her eyes were. /
snglrc, her, hair was thin, she had
naavy double chin; her husbands arms,
Nzihen both embraced, could barely Cit
etun scribe her waist. Base ia saGer fs 4at
Loo al large swomen nine in tenlwil
mast sadmire the little men, and little
n4eaiLwhy none may tellAwill love large
women quite as well. They WOO, they
we'd, the man through life isquite DER
shsttlbwed by the wife 81 7siiRm f7teT
Sooff, parting from his sfustic. flame,
the tartiy young schoolmaster came. His
eyes were blue, his features fair. his chin
o ergrown with downy hair; behind his
fars his locks of brown were smoothly
bgpshed aud 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
theT- master through the door his rod
regarded with dismay, and seldom dared
N disobey.- The pride. and hope of Hub
harslton was. tall Lycurgus. Littlejohn,
sSho.had, his fellow-townsmen. said: ga
heap o. larnin ins his head. 6Three
terms .inuMidblebury College had given
him hls ssAeap' of knowledGe.)
"a lie often. used to sit between the fair
Solalg girls of4sYeet sixteen and kindly
tIeifs them s'tfo their sums. y They
hssueht him fruit and sugar plums; they
had their girlhood hopes and fears: his
NvtyfNls were music in their ears: each
smile he gave them had charm; each
frown would fill them with alarm.
What envious looks at Susan Stow, his
favdrite scholar they would throw. 40
\ Her eyes and hair were dark as night.
her skin was soft, and smooth, and
tSerspread; her lips like cherries, ripe
]
conceal the, glad. sweet, thrill he use to
feel through all his. palpitating frame
When to his. desk she coyly came. and. \
locking up with eyes Of. love, like some
sly, tnnid little dove, would softly ask
hun 10. expound some knotty problem
she had found? What being in the world
below seemed half as sweet as Susan
Stow? Her eyes would flash and, in re-
turn, his face would flush and strangely
bur n. and, when he tried to calculate
~ nae long, hard sum" upon her slate,
tn e figures danced before his sight like
little gobbhns, gay and white, and, when
1T might, with. cheerful face, hea started
ion his boarding place, what wonder that
hoeanle SO slow in walking home with
susan Stow? "a - s1ih rs 1asi, hn,r
Tie woman crossed the kitchen floor
b meet Lycurgl1s at the door, and, with
scrtl tinizihg star, q She said: walk in
m take a chair, an be to home while
I q are herr Come, Busby, take his
lungs, my dear. -
sEorth from his corner. by the fire, the
husband came at her desire. His head II
yaslald, sayeshere and there, stray lit Fl
leytHfts of grizzledu hair; his shoulders ,
toaped, his form was thin. his knees
Iare bent, his toes turned in: he wore
'ngsblae flannel frock, gray trousers. IL
'iti az satin stock; a cotton collar, tall I,
nchqueer, was'ru6elys rumpled around :
ich ear; his face was mild, his smile was
Ind, as forth he put his rponderous ;
md, and said :ls'.I think see you well, =
hope you'll stay leetle spell; we're
ain folks here I'd have you know, and (,
'h' c go in for pride. nor show Then. +
ter stepping on the cat, he took the Il
aeher's coat and hat; he hung them on n
,uatv nail and r,;cb;nr, -. 4 ). :II. ~