Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-04-15
CHE Stptw Te1ler.
THE SCH00L-MA'AM.

school ma'am' week." FOr IN this anti
quated corner of the State of Connecticut
the school teacher 'boarded around" from
house to house, thereby enabling the trus-
tees to save several dollars a month to the
educational fund. And there had gone
a rumor through the scrubby pine woods
lived in the suburbs of Hartford, and car
ried a clean pocket-handkerchief every day.
And although the Mink Hollowites disap-
proved, on principle, of mad extravaganza
and wasteful pride, there was a certain nov
city about Miss Price that commended her
to the public estimation.
"Crimps her hair an wears high-heeled
boots," Milo Dexter, the biggest boy, had
reported.
"Keeps a bottle o. cologne in her DESK"
whispered Mary Barry, mysteriously.
"Style is all very we'll in its place" said
old Mr.. Furbush, "but l dunno's we pay
the teacher for bein' a fine lady! How is
she in Tare and Tret and the rules of Eng
lish Grammar? That's what I'd admire to
know"
And so, spurred on by the breath of these
vague rumors, Mrs. Rixton had washed her
calico ~bedquilt, beaten the tattered breadths
7of her fag-carpet, and killed a chicken, in
order to have chicken pot-pie for supper the
first day.
81 won't be beat by nobody, at house.
keepin'," said Mrs. RiXton, as she sliced up
early green apples to make a turnover"
and sent Billy, her youngest hope, to the
grocery store for New Orleans molasses to
sweeten the same.
When Dolly Price arrived, however,
Mrs. Rixton could scarcely conceal her dis
appointment.
why" said Mrs. Rixton, ''she's just
like any other gal! Here, Benjamin, set
this 'ere turnover on the celler shelf to cool.
Pears to me if a slim thing like her couldn't
be nowaysf fit to teach school,"
"No more she ain'tw said Benjaman,
licking the ends of his fingers where the
New Orleans molasses had eXuded from
the rim of the turnover. "And she won't
teach long, you may bet your head on that!'
"Goin' to be married, ell 2" said Mrs.
Rixton.
"The big boys an gals is goin' to be too
much for her." said Benjamin, winking at
his mother. "You see if we amt! We
amt forgot the day she wouldn't give us a
half-holiday when 'Bijah Lambton found
the big bee-tree on Frost Mountain! Eff
she'd been anyways accommodating we
wouldn't hev cared. But a bee-tree amt
come across every day, an she needn't a
been so hateful.
"Get OUT" said Mrs. RiXton-but in her
secret heart she admired the pluck and spir-
it of her eldest son, Benjamin.
In the School Board opinions were divid-
ed. Old Deacon Burr didn't approve of
women-teachers no how. They hadn't au-
thority enough. 1t took a man to collar the
young fellers in Mink Holler!
Mr.. Ashley did not suppose that the Mink
| Hollow district school was like a reformato-
ry or a lunatic asylum. If the young
people of Mink Hollow could not behave
themselves like ladies and gentlemen, they
had no business to cross the threshold OF the
school-house. He, for one, was for backing
up Miss Prices authority on every point.
Deacon Burr shook his shining bald head.
"Young folks would be young folks" he
said. "And whatthe Mink Hollerites need
ed was a good, square-shouldered Teller like
Lemuel Bucknor, that knowed how to put
'em down and keep 'em there"
Miss Price had comet to the district armed
with testimonials innumerable, flushed with
youth and hope, prepared to conquer all
difficulties. But Il week at Mink Hollow
suficed to change the aspect of things. And
on the very second day Of her ~sojourn at
Mrs. Rixton's yellow farmhouse affairs Gull
minated. The young denizens of Mink
Hollow fatty refused obedience. Billy
Necker flung his slate through the window.
Joab Dart let loose hisdog among the small
er scholars, and a lively cannonade of "spit-
balls" ensued.
"Teacher, Betsy Bliss is pokin' the in the
ribs !" bawled Keturah Rixton.
"Teacher, mayn't John Hovey leave off
whistlin' in my years." whined Sally Top
lift.
"There ain't no woman here big enough
to sass me! !" said Master Hovey, scrambling
into the window-sill, where he straightway
began to execute a double-shutf1e after the
most approved style of negro minstrelsy.
And Miss Price, terrified out of her wits,
climbed on top of her desk, to be out of the
reach of Leo's teeth, and began to cry.
OF course this ended matters. The boots
and howlings became terrifc,-the scholars
burst into uproarious rebellion. Tom Pike
pinched Leo's tail, and HeZekiah Hall fired
off a rusty carbine in the woods at the rear
of the school-house, and poor little Miss
Price, taking refuge in ignominious flight,
fairly ran away from the scene of revolt.
Mr.. Ashley was sitting at his desk in the
little library at Ashley Cottage, when his
sister Mira put her head into the door.
"Are you busy, Frank? :" said she.
Not specially. Why"
"The school-ma'am wants to see you,"
said she,-and close on her words followed
Dolly Price, pale and trembling.
ooh, Mr.. Ashley, l couldn't maintain
ORDER" said she. "They've turned me out
of the school-house. Pm so sorry, but 1
couldn't help
And, with tears and sobs, she told her
story.
Mr.. Ashley listened in silence.
"This won't d." said he. "Mira, be so
good as to tell Sam to put Old Black into
the chaise. Wemust teach these young ras-
Gals the difference between might and
right"
"Must l 60 back" faltered Dolly.
"Of course you must"
"But Pm afraid! !"
"You will not be afraid if 1 60 with you"
"Not-not with you," whispered Dolly.
The uproar was still in mid-career when