Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1882-02-22
Amusing Story Of a Teacher.

~
our 'roundabouts, we contracted to
keep school in district No. 5, Tor
twelve dollars per month and boarding
round.' We knew very we'll the little
red schoolhouse, standing at the exact
center of the district, on the borders OF
a mighty swamp, the farmhouses scat
tered about the hills, and we also knew
the nuisance Of that particular school,
a squad of half dozen rough fellows
who had emerged into tall coats, and
who would hardly relish the discipline
of boy pedagogue In roundabout.
After the first flush of elation at our
election, the reflection came back, like
return wave Of ice water, that, in all
human probability, ere our seventeenth
birthday should dawn, we should be
seen vanishing, head foremost, out OF
the schoolhouse window into big snow
drift, propelled by class No. l OF big
boys.
In our anxiety we appealed 10 Aunt
Anna, the general oracle of the house
hold. Aunt Anna was slaltwart mai
den Of sixty summers. gigantic Ia pro-
porlious, but every inch lady in her
dear old heart. She had nursed half
the chlldred in town through the meas
les, mumps and chicken'pox, and was
the mainstay in all family emergencies.
There were sly rumors that the occa'
sional attack OF 'fdgets,' which over
came the good old lady at night, had
some relation to a mysterious black
bottle which she always carried IN her
work bag; but aunt Anna, plus the
fidgets,w was worth regiment OF odlnary
feminines for the home made uses OF
country life.
well, now, you are really going to
keep school In district No. s. sail
Aunt Anna, smoothing down her big
apron, and raising her specta-
cles for good long look at the lncipient
pedagogue seated at the opposite cor
ner of the fire place.
Yes. Aunt Anna, / have promised
to keep that school, but between you
and me, l am dreadfully afraid to tackle
that crowd OF boys. You know what
a rough SET they are, and one OF them
has already gwen out that there will be
no board wanted IN district No. 5 after
the first week
That's a serious matter. Now let's
see if we can't think of something to
help you. Now you see that don't
know anything about book-larnin'. No
doubt you eau CIPHER that back seat OF
boys into the middle of next week. But
they can fling you over the root OF the
10 a iiffy, If they have
mind to. l know every family in the
district. I've nussed in every house,
and taken the measure of every young
ster that will come 10 that school.
There's one thing in your favor.
There'll be ten great gals in school,
and most of 'em are good girls, too.
Now some are head taller than yon'
and Two or three of Of 'em are right
handsome, too. They can twis. that
crowd of great bashful boys round their
little finger, if they want to. Now mind
what 1 tell you do you 20 right to
work aud gain the affections OF them
ten great gals. and they'll manage the
the boys while you keep the school,
That sounded we'll; und, armed with
this panacea against rebellion, we open
ed school the Monday after Thanksglv'
ing. 1t was rough-lookiEg set up on
the high seats-that row of villianous-
looking fellows. any OF them big enough
to throw me over into the big swamp
with one hand !
Happily our first boardIRg-place was
the home of two of the great gals
Never did we lay ourselves OUT to gain
the good graces Of the lovely sex as dur
ing that first week of boarding round.
We rode on the front of the sled with
the tallest girl; we played checkers with
the second; got all snarled up in a cats
CRADLE with The pretty visiting cousins;
and put N word OF explanation for the
hard sums ofall, IN the long evenings
at home.
The first crisis came at the beginning
of The second week when a big loul
'sauced The Lew schoolmaster. Some
how. it crushed us, and for minute the
schoolroom swan round, and the idea
of seizing our fur cap and making for
home fitted across our vision. Just
then the patter of light footstep was
heard down the long slope OF the mar
row aisle leading up to the seat OF the
ten great gals The tallest gllded
down, ostensibely 10 ask the exp!ana-
ton of a hard sum, but, as we leaned
over The slate, with o dimness in the
eyes, we heard a whisper in our cars.
Don't be cast down, we girls Will
shame that seat Of boys into good man.
ners before another week goes BY
A light broke In; we ware gaining
the affections of the ten great gals
So things driftcd for Six weeks, when
dawned the judgment day. We had
cone TO board with a good, motherly
woman. who loved us as her own son.
A BIG Gre in the parlor greeted our
arrival. and supper it for the parson
himself After tea our hostess appear
ee in her best black silk, in her hand a
mighty oak ruler aud sat down be-
fore u. with the air ola Minerva say
lsg.-
Now matters have come 20 a polat
n your school you have been trying