The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1883-06-14

was about to order the lumber foI. this
house from FL Paso, but he didn' know
exactly how much to order.g He gave
the dimensions, and the schoolmarm
consulted her little figures and told him
exactly how nanv feet of plank and
boards and how many bundles of shin
giles it would take to build house of
the dimensions given. Well satisfied
with his shrewdness, Jones dotted down
the answers, and passed the applicant
to Brown. Brown is the cattle king of
the county and had just staked off
ground for a big corral He had en-
ployed an lrishman who had been a
NAVY on the railroad to dig the ditch
for the pickets, at so much per cubic
yard of earth excavated. He wanted
to ind out exactly how much his bill
would be, and he asked Miss Green.
She told him. This closed the exam
nation. The Trustees consulted few
minutes and gave her the school.
g She lasted month Smith mixed
his sheep dip according to her figures
and ran through his flock. The next
day the herders reported sheep dying,
and, despite every effort to save the
woolly animals, they continued to drop
off until his flock was diminished one
third He learned then that the dip
had been made about three times the
requisite strength. The schoolnarm' s
| figures had lied, and Smith was furious.
Jones made out his lumber bill and sent
the order to the merchant. The amount
ordered was large one, but Jones was
good, and, after some little DELAY, his
order was consigned to him. 1t took a
whole train of cars to transport it, and
he nearly went crazy when he found
that there were enough shingles alone
in the consignment to cover half the
houses in the county and ioists and
plank9 enough for the new State Capt.
toll
Two years ago was employed, and
have been here ever since. l like the
place and the people, and, if i say it
myself, have school to be proud OF. F"
The children were beginning to arrive
as he finished speaking, and he invited
me to stay and inspect the school.
There We're about fifty pupils, varying
in age from seven to twenty All over
sixteen were pay scholars. Two-thirds
OF the school were Mexicans or half
breeds. The latter were the brightest
and quickest to learn. Many Of the
children could not understand word
OF English when they first entered the
school and were unable to read and
write Spanish. For my. benefit. several
OF the scholars reeited little memorized
speeches in both languages. / thought
the performance very creditable, and
told the schoUlmaster so that night.
eyes, he answered, they do very
we'll Did you notice that large boy sit
ting at the further left-hand desk?h
1.-THE one who recited The Burial of
Sir John Moore' in English and then
repeated it in SPANISH" aa4 gNul
Yes. Two wears ago he did not
know his A 3. Gs.
*'He must be twenty years old"
just twenty, and at eighteen he was
as large as lrs is now. His father, is "a
wealthy cattle owner, and this boy is
the only child. He had been petted
and spoiled from birth. In the States
that would make a sap here it makes
desperate. He ruled the roost4 at
home, and his father could do nothing
With him. He cursed and Smoked.
gambled and drank, and always went
armed. His father wanted him to en-
ter the school as pay scholar and 1
consented to receive him. He did very
well the first three days aud then was
absent. j sent notesto his father H-
quiring the cause. He replied that the
young ruffian refused to 20 any more,
and adjured me to use nyauthority and
compel him to- GO. $ One of the smaller
scholars informed me. that the. traant
was out on the side Of the mountain
armed with q Winchester and six
shooter. | sent him word to come, into
school and be punished for truancy.
He told the messenger to tell me to go
to hades. / deputized four of the
largest boys to go after him, and or
dered them to bring him into school if \
they had to knock him down and tie /
him. They returned back in about half
an hour and reported that he. had
stood g'em off with his Winchester.
Thereupon placed the sehoolin charge
OF one of the larger scholars, loaded up
my Winchester and walked over to the
mountain. After a littlesearch found
the. young ruffian. He was sitting be-
hind rock, and before he was aware
OF nay approach / had him covered.
Throw up your hands, Thomas!' l
commanded -
tHe hesitated q moment and obeyed.
Then made him step off little dis
tance ana took possession Sof his Win
chester and six-shooter..
What yer goina to doP' he whined. |
81 intend to take you to the school |
house, first, Thomas, and then punish |
you in the presence of the whole school. |
""Gimme MY gun and six-shootern
he yelled, and started toward me.
Il raised and cooked my. rifle and |
halted him. @
Thomas Isaid, you know that l |
am dead shot Do exactlywhat tell |
you to do or | viii kill YOU Y
HE hesitated5 3 moment and then
marched sullenly away toward the
school-house. With the assistance of
two OF the largest boys / tied him up bv
the wrists and administered an adnoni-
tory lecture and good thrashing with
. iiveeoak switch. He beloved like a
mad steer and made all sorts of prom
Ises After the. punishment ended |