The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-12-08

From The Couricg-Journai.

many other BOYS have done and are
doing in many other school-houses.
The particular seat Of learning had,
from q dame school, suddenly leaped
into the dignity of an academy, title
assumed to suit the increase of impor-
tance in having & male professor this sea-
son, and only boys for pupils, whereas in
former years il had exhibited a large
sprinkling of girls and lady teacher.
The change WAS so keenly appreciated by
all the boys, as significant Of more
rapid approach TO manhood than usually
occurs in the course Of summer vaca-
ton, that they never failed, in speaking
Of the academy, to give in that sound
ing name. 1t was no longer the School
house."
We felt our Importance in the village
perhaps we felt smaller when the acade-
my door had closed OH Us than at any
other time. Mr. Black may have had
some good about him, but be was
strangely lacking in perception. He
seemed to think that, because we were
not grown men now, we never would be;
and felt himself justified in treating us
like children, as if in n score OF years we
wouldn't be as big and old. too, as he was.
iii had not been for ,hc leaving aside
of our dignity it would have been, |
think, the unanimous resolution OF the
school to recall little Miss Bealc of the
last session. with her gentle ways and
all the girls over whom he had run
ough-shod, and had felt in agreeable
sense of being masters an the school,
that was painfully missing now. Now
all was changed, and however large we
might feel ourselves to be, while
miDgling generally in society, the posi-.
,ion Of master of the situation within the
doors Of the academy was undoubtedly
held by that rough, sour. ugly Mr.. Black
or his constant companion aud co-opera-
tor, very slender, flexible cane not ut
ali suited for cane, and still less so far
rod of correction, rs was thought by
all, except Mr. Black, whose voice. how
ever, carried the day. Much Of our
young energies and brains, which would
have been we'll spent on our lessons,
were employed in connecting plans to
get even with these two powerful and
crty. took leading part i'll all these
to me by the others partly in view Of the
every piece of rascality that had been per.
of the schopi house, and partly, think,
because my abuse of the Professor (be.
hind his back had been 30 conspicuous
ly eloquent and severe as to awaken the
admiration Of my companions and to
make it appear to them that was
worthy to guide their counsels.-
Although my rigorous judgment Of Mr.
Black was so freely expressed, its cause
was buried deep within my own breast.
He was my rival, and, l feared, sue
cessful one. He had dared TO raise his
eyes to Miss Wilhelmina Tompkins, n
lady whom, in spite of triflng dispari.
ty Of some twelve or fifteen years between
us, had selected rs my future bride.
My admiration had as yet taken no other
form than furtive gaze occasionally
directed to the place where she snt in
church, but although our relations were
not so firmly established MS would have
preferred, fancied all would DO right
in few years, and found it more than
could bear to see my lady-love conducted
to church Sunday after Sunday by this
painfully ugly man, who still further
outraged prophecies and our village GUS
toms, to say nothing of my own feelings,
by sitting by her sidc during the services,
instead of over on the mems side Of the
church, as anybody but fool would
have done. Much of the ciphering hour
in school was spent in drawing on the
blackboard or my slnte, as occasion
might offer, tall, bulky, often deformed
man. Very often he would appear on
the black board when Mr. Blacks back
was turned, accompanied by tall fe-
male figure, with stringy looking hair
streaming down her back. His arm wns
always around her waist, and sometimes
the two figures were so closely drawn to-
gether that, ut first sight, one might sup
nose it r. be sketch 0f ono Of Barnnm's
men with two heads. The second head
was often in the most unaccountable
places, sometimes appearing from under
his arm, and sometimes out of the lapel
Of his coat. Perhaps none but q
lovers eye could have detected
in the lady picture resemblance
to the lineaments of Miss Wilhelmina
Tompkins, but no man in his senses
could have failed to recognize for whom
the other was intended. thought Mr..
Black blind that ho did not recognize
his own likeness when presented before
him; but he never seemed to do so.
!3ome men are SO unaccountably stupid
Perhaps it was owing to our assiduous
drawing that we spent so many hours Of
recess, ciphering out sums we knew
nothing in the world about. This grew
more and moro irksome as the warm
weather drew on, and atlast became so un-
beafable that n faction composed ofs.out
hearts began to mediate on using our
right of revolution" This seemed espe-
cially necessary as Mr.. Black did not
confiue himself to keeping in, but fog
ged us rs frequently and as severely as
he had done in colder weather /
thought his bloodthirsty nature must
have been satisfied in the first two weeks
in June, for by my calculation he had
whipped every boy in school in that time,
giving to me double portion, keeping us
induring recess and me after school. Was
there no jealousy in thus singing me
out? One day about this time l had
missed every one of my lessons and could
not do three of my sums. l fell to draw
ing, and, AFR. Black coming up behind
me, and being apparently struck with
the suitability of my head for n trap ball,
dealt with it in manner that seemed to
make any further punishment unnecessa-
ry and which set me to ciphering with
great diligence. When recess came VIC
found that Will Neale and / had to stay
in to do those sums. / sailed my arith-
metic ut the door when knew that MIR.
Black was we'll out of the way saying,
with energy II wish that had hit, you,
you long-legged, big-headed dog, you'll 1
wouldn't do those sums TO save your old
lifeI'
~ don't see why We should be shut
up in this hot old room to do sums, when
the other BOYS can 90 ont 70 ri.-y I"
said Willie Neale, with an air of great
disgust
"f don't either. 1 haven't played
ball for week don't believe" said I.
ar nm poino IN rnnv from, Nad TyIar,s