The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-09-18
MIR. BARGER's INSECTS.

coaSt Known as Dumping Ponds,
which years ago afforded it's few in
habitants a mysterious though per-
fectly honest living. Mysterious be-
cause no MAJ who had not tried it
ever could understand how any one
in that place ever grubbed together
enough to keep soul within the body.
With such precarious means of food
getting Oscar Barger grew mp to man
hood, but though he CLAIMED all his
early days hewas notofthe clammers,
and though he fished he was not ofthe
fishers.
When he was 81, though he had
never been to school in his life, Oscar
astonished the school committee at
Peck's Patent by walking in one day
when they had met to decide upon the
teacher for the winters school.
"Areyougoing to examineth teach
ers?" he asked.
CHATS what brought us together"
"And will the one that has passed
the examination get the placer"
"If he is a respectable character he
WILL" said the minister.
''Then I am 81 candidate" said Os-
car, as he SHE'D his big felt hat in the
corner.
"Where were You dedicated, Mr..
Barger?" was the first question put to
him.
wherever I had the luck to get a
spare half-hour and the fortune to get
a book"
"No, but what school have you been
to-"
"My own. I have been my own
teacher and Scholar"
"Never been to SCHOOL,"
"Never, except as | taught myself. 4"
The school committee whispered
amongthemselves TORS while, and then
the chairman. a man OF importance
who had been three times to the "leg-
islater," said: s'Mr. Barger, it's the
custom to hire only dedicated teach
ers. If you want a Job OF work | cal
late can give you one over to my
place"
"But you don't know whether I am
educated or not. You haven't tried
me. Examine me-"
Very well, since youinsistup it."
said the minister, opening u book.
"What is the square root OF rs, 942?'
Quick as a flash Mr.. Barger gave the
correct answer. The committee was
astonished.
you haven't got this arithmetic
hidden close by you, haveyou?" asked
the chairman.
Oscar stepped out in the middle Of
the room, right in front of the com,
mittee.
"If you think I'm cheating make up
a sum yourselves and ask metodoit.1
Then they took aturn at Geography,
and before many minutes the commit,
tee found that Mr.. Barger was telling
them things they never knew
about the geography OF their own
country, and presenting the picture OF
the world beyond the confines OF theil
own town with such rividness as TIC
cause for the first time something like
a concrete conception of the fact that
there did exist a land with millions o.
acres without Il rock and hill, of thou.
sands OF miles of mountain ranges s.,
900 to $4,000 feet high, of rivers that
would bear bigger ships than
up Mianus river 1000 miles inland.
Had Erasmus himself suddenly ap
peared among them with all his learn
Ing the Peckis Landing school com
mittee could not have been MOI,
dazcd.
Mr.. Barger taught the Peck's Land
ing school for three winters with great
success. At the end OF that time h,
had $500, a fair supply of books, ant
a wife. He had married one of his
scholars, Il bright girl, who looked up
on him as a prodigy OF learning.
For some years Mr.. Barger support
ed his family by teaching and by com
pounding and vending a medicinal pill
which his knowledge of botany hat
enabled him to make with such sue
cess that its virtues We're known fa.
and near. He called it Gall of th,
Ground. But it was only when hi,
rapidly growing family needed none,
that Mr.. Barger turned his attention
to pill-making. He became an entom
ologist, and so utterly absorbed wa
he that he did not notice that hi
family were almost starving.
One day the Oldest child. a girl
whom heespecially loved, saidto him
"Father, we are not old enough tt
earn anything yet, and mother work
SO hard that she is sick most OF tn
time, though she dosen't tell you
Now, / think that a man who know
SO much as you do could make a 10
Of money all at a time; then 70,
wouldn't be bothered about takin
care of us, and could have all you
time with your books, and money t,
buy every book and everything els
you want
Mr.. Barger looked at his child
moment. Then he shut his book an
embraced her.
you are right, Mary. will max
before the year has gone money enoug
= to take care OF us all. Call your me
: ther."
!, The mother came.
Jennie" said ne "can yon PC
!. along without me for a year? 1 hav
!, made agreat discovery, and am goin
to utilize it,"
"What is it, Oscar" She had fait
in him.
! ga discovery that will put an end t
, prospecting. ! have discovered tina
in the ne;ghborhood of all true veins
! outcropping gold there may be foun
/ a microscopic insect that can befoun
nowhere else. l will goto Nevada an
: searchfor these animalcule mott tt lear
their habits but to find gold. l sha