Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1882-03-09
A SLICK SCHOOL TEACHER.
He was not Much to Look at Int he Weighed Ton
When Nerve was Counted.

When Nerve Counted.
mister. no doubt you have all the
| learnin' that's required in a schoo
! teacher, but it wants more than learnin
to make man able to teach school il
Cranberry Gulch- You'll soon find thai
out if you try. We've had three who
tried it on. One lays there in the grave
yard; another lost his eye and left; the
last one opened school and left before
noontime for the benefit of his health,
He hasn't been back since. Now You re
slender build, and all your learnin'
will only make ii worse, for all our young
folks are roughs and don't stand nc
nonsensen'
This was what one of the trustees Of
the district said to my friend Harry Flo.
toe. when he made application for the
vacant position of teacher.
Let me try. / know | am slender,
but am tough and / have strong
will, = said Harry.
.sJest as YOU like. There's the school
house, and I'll have notice given if you
want it DONE" said the trustee.
II do" said Harry, "and III open
next Monday at a. nj. =
The notice was given, and there was
good deal of excitement in the gulch
/ and along the Yuba flats. More than
fifty young people of both sexes made
an excuse to drop into the tavern to get
a sight at the fellow who thought he
could keep school in that district, and
many contemptuous glance fell on the
slender form and youthful face of the
would-be teacher.
| Eight o'clock on Monday morning
came, and Harry Flotoe went down tc
the school-house with key in one hand
and valise in the other.
Ready to slope if he finds we're toe
much for him, said cross-eyed, broad
shouldcred fellow Of eighteen.
The school house was unlocked and
the new teacher went to the desk
Some of the young folks went to see
what he was going to do, though schoo
was not called.
Harry opened his alise and took out
large belt. Then. after buckling il
around his waist, he put three Colts
navy revolvers there, each six barrels
and . bowie-knife eighteen inches ii
the blade.
! tered the cross-eyed chap.
] The new teacher now took out q
square card about four inches each way
walked to the other end of the school
house and tackled it up against the wal
Returning to his desk he drew a revol
yer from his belt, and quick as thought
sent ball after ball into the card, till there
were six balls in spot not much large
than a silver dollar.
By this time the school house was hal
full of large boys and girls. The little
ones were afraid to come i'll.
Then the teacher walked half way
down the room with bowieknife IN hi!
hand, and threw it with so true hand
that it stuck quiyering in the center o
the card.
He left it there and quietly put two
more of the same kind in his belt and re
loaded his get smoking pistol.
Ring the bell; | am about to oper
school
He spoke to the cross-eyed boy, tn,
bully Of the crowd, and the boy ran4
the bell without a word.
The scholars will take their seats
| open school with prayer" he sait
sternly, five minutes later.
The scholars sat down silently, almos
breathless. After the prayer the teache
cooked a revolver and walked down OF
the floor.
1--WE will arrange the classes" h
said; all who can read, write and spel
will rise OF them we will form the frs
class.
Only six got up. He escorted then
TO upper seats. and then he began to ex
anime the rest. 4 whisper was hear
behind him. In second he wheeled
revolver in hand
No whispering allowed herer' h
Numbered, and for an instant his reyol
yer lay on level with the cross-eye
bows head.
"Tnnot 90 SO any more, gasped til
bully.
See YOU donot Inever give sec
ond warming. said the teacher, and tn
revolver fell
1t took two hours TO organize tn
classes. bat when done they were we
organized.