The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1883-02-06
appearance, but not a whit behind in
their aptitude for making trouble at

in the district Four ''masters" had been
"carried out" by the ':boys' and they
declared that they would carry out every
master that the agent coaid hire to come
there.
Their mode of doing the Carrying
out" was commonly to rush Upon the
unfortunate pedagogue and carry him
out of doors, willy-nily, and throw him
into snow DRIFT, or else to put him into
the trap and keep him there during the
rest of the day.
Usually the luckless victim was glad
TO depart-as soon as he could-from
the school house and the district One,
however-a young theological student
mastering courage to retorn to his post
the next morning after being carried out,
was taken 10 the top Of the long hill.
which had given the district its name,
and lashed fast to hand-sled and sci
going, Mszoppa-like, out Of the d strict.
The young rascals left him ;he freedom
Of bis feet to steer with, favor the un-
fortunate man was no doubt duly CRATE
ful for before be reached the bottom of
the hill, after wild ride 4f nearly mile.
He d,d not return ever for his hat, which
flew off his head mid way of the hill.
A still more strocious trick was play
ed on the next master, an itinersnt min
Iis'er OF the Methodist Church, who had
been induced to take the school, and
whose design was to combine religious
with mental teachings for these young
bsrbsrians.
The method gave great ofense 10 the
Ksidger boys, and they played sly, hut
Outrageous, prank to bring him to con-
fusion. For week they pretended to
have great respect for him, some OF
them even pretending to become soon
verted." They so deceived the poor
man, who was certainly well-meaning,
II not very shrewd, that he went about
openly rel ,iclng over the good work he
had wrought upon them. y,
But bis eyes must have been painfully
opened TWO mornings later, when, after
coolly informing him that "this thing
was played out" the young rufflans
seized him, and carrying him into the
woods, bound him fast to the top Of a
young birch tree, which they had bent
down by main strength, and then let it
60
The poor man was hurled upward and
left dangling fifteen feet from the
ground; and it was two or three hours
before his distressed shouts brought him
assistance. Legal punishment was threat
ened for this act, but am sorry to say
the threat was not acted upon.
There vas no more school that winter
A sign "To LIT" was nailed by the boys
on the front door OF the school-house.
and zeseh-ope of the brutal clique made
it point TO smash pane of glass every
time he went past AS q result, the
"temp!a OF science" at Kaidger Hill was
soon in a-deplorable condition.
The following autumn a Young land
surveyor named Arnmi Eray came into
the township to "run" certain lots of
wild land The people liked his appear
ance Ee TGs rather above medium
height and muscular; bet his most dis
'tinguishiug feature Was his eyes, whicl
were very noticeably blue, and had a
habit Of dwelling with unusual steadi-
mesa upon any person with whom he
was speaking. When he had been at
the Hill, few weeks, the school-agent
asked him one day whether he had ever
taught school.
"Never," replied Ammi Bray.
oval, don't keer ef yer never did"
exclaimed the agent; 81 want ye tu take
our scule this winter"
"But, my dear man," replied Mr..
Bray, sit would not be, from all &C.
counts, good place for an amateur :
Besides, though l know something of
mathematics, and once knew a little
grammar and geography, l do not feel
qualified to teach"
81 danno's | keer ei ya don't know
B from bulls foot" exclaimed the per-
picked agent. What want is man
that ken whop them confounded boys
Thar neyerll be no scule here till they're
whorpei and cowed. an l b'lieve
you're the man to do it. But ! tell We
what they're parcel O. hyannys" be
added, almost doubtfully Il dunno.
sometimes, as the man walks as ken
whop UNI"
Anmi Bray took dsv to think OF it;
and then he told the gralihed agent that
he would take the school. This was in
November. The winter term began on
the FIRST Monday in December.
Thus we find the young surveyor on
his way to the log school house thst
Monday morning, Just rounding tie
turn hv the aldere," as Nat Durfee said,
and the Kaidger boys waiting to "s'lute
hin"
And the moment be showed his face
in the doorway they .saluted him !! From
dozen lusty throats was poured forth
o chorus of raspy winnings and hoarse
brays-as personal insult to his pecu-
liar name of Bray.
But Ammi walked In quite coolly, and
seemed not at all disturbed. He paid
no attention to the brayings, but took
possession of the masters desk, and
presently called the school to order,
bidding them all choose sud take their
seats for the term. But his steady blue
eve was so assertive of his authority.
that somehow the riotous Kaidgers we're
little disturbed themselves.
Something, perhaps, in the muscular
ease with which the new master tossed
the great "fore-sticks" sand back-logs"
into the broad fireplace, served to hold
them in check that day. Then, too, his
manner of giving and hearing lessons
was off-hand and manly. For once they
felt hesitation in beginning the "war"
and for the next four days following
their first mutinous salute, ,lhey were i'm
PEELED to behave qnite we'll. But it
would never do to let him rule them a
whole week; their reputation as the
champion master holsters in the country
was ct stake
Tue eighth OF December was one Of
those bitterly cold days which some
times dawn on Northern New England
at this season. A cold wave had come
down over night. That morning the
thermometer stood fourteen degrees be-
low zero, and the wind blew piercingly
keen.
1t was cold walk to the school.
house; and on his arrival there, Master