Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-12-20

A Schoolinaster Who Was Thin aud Illus
trated to His School How Deceptive
Are Appearances.

Bonnie Gibbs is one of the daring,
venturesome boys in my memory of
school days. His pa was school di-
rector, and consequently Bonnie deiicd
the teachers in the Gibbon School to an
extent that made him heroic in our eyes.
1t was always understood that Bennie
was TO test every new teacher to sec
how much sass he would take before
he broke out and left the reservation.
One time old Mr.. Grayson was sick
and substitute took the school for
few weeks. The substitute was a mild
looking man, of middle age. somewhat
bald, with a thin neck. sandy complex
ion. meek voice. and paddock whskcrs.
Not q boy of us was afraid of such
looking man as that; still. Bonnie
Gibbs, as usual, took the field for re-
connaissance the first morning. First
he dropped a book on the floor. Then
he pushed the big dictionary off the
table. Then he whispered Then he
left his seat without permission. Then
he slammed the door like an earthquake
when he went into the recitation room.
Then he whistled once. Then he mewed
softly. like cat Then he whined like
a dog Then he said ma amp very
loudly and pertly when the new teacher
spoke to him very mildly, and we all
laughed ourselves tired. Then Bonnie
coughcd like an old man.
Then it was time for recess, and the
new teacher looked mt his watch and
told US to put away our books. and then
he tiptoed meekly down the aisle to
Bennie Gibbs seat. He took Bennic BY
both shoulders and churncd him up and
down for a while. and then he shook
him until Bennie's hair began to fiy
out, and then he bent over the shrink
ing lad and wore out an ebony ruler on
him. Then he said, in meek. timid
way, ''Ihe school may have recess.
AMI touched the bell for us 10 20 OUT.
We walked out like boys walking to
their own executions.
When Bonnie Gibbs could command
his feelings he said: Boys, there's one
point beyond which it AIM safe 10 go
with this fellow. but mes so sneakin'
mean about it you can't tell whether ii s
droppin' the grammar or sayin'
ma am, but it's somewhere along in
that list" That night Mr.. Gibbs went
to see the new teacher about it, and
that meek man beat him with chair
leg until he had TO be put to bed You
never saw such man. He wasn't
afraid of anybody. One day he put the
President of the Board of Education out
of the school-room because he criticised
the way the new man taught long diyi-
sion.
This teacher, whose name was Moses
IL. Meeker, went into the Union army
soon after the war broke out, and when
one Of our old boys, George Slocum. =
Missouri boy, who had gone into the
Rebel army and was serving under
Price, heard that Meckcr was in Grier-
sons Cavalry. he deserted, and came
North, and shot off three fingers of his
right hand to avoid the draft He said
as soon as he heard that old Mecker
had enlisted he knew the South had no
chance. Meckcr Is preacher now
He has been preaching in the same
church for eighteen years. and never
had but one row with the choir. That
was the first Sunday he preached. and
they do say that now, if he ordered that
choir to sing the longmetrc doxology to
Amsterdam or Silver Street" they
would do it if it burst the organ.-R j.
Burdette, in Brooklyn Eagle.