Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-05-22

ruly," said poor Alice, wishing heartily
that she had hired out rs WasherWOman
instead of trying to teach the savages OF
Bear creek.
"Oh, we'll, mebbe it won't be Sc bad this
winter thars Jim Turner, he's one of the
you'll get rid of him; but thar's the Brind-
ley boys, they're mighty nigh as bad"
Poor Alice listened with sinking heart.
The cold, hard duties before her were dreary
enough at best; but to 60 alone and un-
known into strange neighborhood to teach
her first school, and to be met at the outset
by such dark prophecies, made her feel
homeless indeed. She was naturally tim
id, shrinking little thing, and if she had
possessed anywhere on the whole broad
earth a roof to shelter her she would have
turned back from Bear creek school even
then. But she had no home. Her mother
had died when she was but II, and she had
kept house for her father two years, when he
died, leaving her all alone. Before he died
he advised her to expend the little sum he
would be able to leave her in fitting herself
for teacher, and Alice had fulfilled his di-
rections so literally that when she had COM
pleted her course at normal school She had
hardly $40 left, and when she paid Uncle
Zeke for hauling her and her little trunk
from the nearest railroad town to the dis
trict where she was to teach she had but
SIS left.
On Monday moring when she started for
the school house she felt as if she was going
to the scafold. Her course of pedagogics in
the normal institute had included no such
a problem as this school promised to be,
and if it were not for the very shame she
would have given her single $5 bill to any
one to take her back to the railroad and
pay her fare to L., the town where she had
attended school.
When she arrived at the school house
about twenty or thirty pupils were grouped
around taking, but spell of silence fell
upon them as she walked up and saluted
them with "good morning" which was
more like the chirp of frightened bird
than anything else. AS she unlocked the
door and entered what she had already be-
gun to regard as chamber of torture, two
or three slowly followed her into the room,
and depositing their books upon the whit
led desks, took seats, and fixed their eyes
upon her with a stare that did not help to
strengthen her nerves.
All the rules and regulations of her
ssTheory and Practice of Opening School
Upon the First Day" seemed to vanish and
leave her head whirling in dizzy helpless
ness. She tried to think of some cheerful
remark, but her brain refused to form the
thought and her tongue Glove to the roof OF
her mouth. She could see in the faces of
her pupils. most of whom were now in the
schoolroom, that they were aware of her
fright and enjoyed it thoroughly BY a
strong effort she partly recovered herself
and bravely resisted the temptation to lean
her head on the desk and have good cry.
She felt that she must do something or faint,
so she rang the bell, though it lacked fifteen
minutes Of 8. She began taking down the
names and ages of her pupils, and by the
time this was completed she began to feel
more at ease. She then began examining
the pupils in their different branches in or
der to assign them to their proper classes.
She had finished the examination in all the
branches except the advanced reading class,
which was principally composed OF grown
girls and young men, among whom was the
terrible Jim Turner, of whom she lad been
warned.
Several of the members of the class had
read, and it was now the turn OF Moses
Bradley, huge, heavy-set fellow, with!
small malicious eyes and a general air OF
ruftianism. When he was called upon to
read he did not rise from his seat. but began
to read in a thick, indistinct voice from a
book hidden in his lap.
"Mr. Bradley, will you please stand up
NlCu yOQ lCou OohSu 1hAASS'
81 can read Just as we'll sittin' down." re-
piled the fellow with dogged air.
"But it is one of the rules in reading
class to stand up to read," said Alice, her
heart quaking with fear as she foresaW the
incipient rebellion.
"I reckon you will have to make a new
rule for me them" impudently answered
Nose, glancing sideways at his companions
with grin of triumph.
eff you do not obey me shall be obliged
to punish you," said Alice bravely, though
she could scarcely stand up.
81 guess all the Furnishing you could DO
wouldn't break any of my bones," replied
the ruffian, leering at her impudently.
"But can break your bones for you IN
half minute, and I'll do it if you don't
said voice at the other end of the class,
and Alice looked in that direction and saw
Jim Turner step from the class and face
the astonished Nose.
Noses inSOlent manner abated IN an IN
slant, his face turned pale, and he muttered
something about not being "bossed by other
boys" but he stood up as he was COM
manded.
Alice could have kissed her young cham
pion for gratitude, but she mustered all the
dignity she could command, and said:
"Mr. Turner, cannot allow you TO inter-
fere in the management of my school take
your seat"
The youth obeyed without word but
kept his eye on Nose, as if watching for any
delinquency. After this little episode the
exercises proceeded without interruption till
noon.
Alice had no appetite for dinner. She
leaned her throbbing head upon the desk
and wondered YEARLY how long she could
endure this.
She was aroused by one of the little girls
running up to her, eXclaiming: "Teacher,
teacher, the big boys are fightingH' ~ She
followed the child, eXclaiming, "OA, why
did ever come into such den Of wild
beasts? At the rear of the school house
stood Jim Turner engaged in a hand-to-
hand combat with Nose Bradley and his
two brothers, both of whom were grown.
AS Alice stepped around the corner Jim
sent Nose reeling to the earth ard then
turned like lion upon his two remaining
assailants. They rushed at him from two
sides, but Jim was as active as panther,
and Bill Bradley tell as if shot, from a left
handed blow, and his brother Tom followed
him in an instant. BY this time Nose had
secured ball bat and rushed upon Jim, but
the latter evaded the blow, and wrenching
the bat from his hand knocked Nose head
long with blow of his fist.
AS the dscomfited trio arose Jim laughed
lightly, and asked them show they liked it
as far as they had got," picked up the bat
he had taken from Nose and called out,
"Come on, boys, let's have game of ball"
The combat ended so quickly that Alice
had no chance to interfere, but she felt that
it would not do to let this open violation of
school rules pass unpunished, so she rang
the bell. When the pupils were assembled
she called the culprits up to the desk, and
asked what the fight was about and who