The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-06-02

Zelma preferred to walk over three miles home rather than put up with Hadley's family, who lived only one mile from the school house, although Mir. and Mrs. Hadley had assured her of cordial welcome to stay with them throughout the entire term.
 "Wife an nell be powerful glad ter hev you-uns board along with we-uns. Our ranch is on'y a mil1 frrm the skule-h house, which's right over wander on thet thar little rise in the purary," Hadley had said to Zeima.
 School opened on Monday. On Sum- day evening Mr. Archer hitched up his mule team and drove Zelma over to Jacob Hadley's 80 she might get an earlier start on the first day of school than if she had to walk from home.
 "It's half the battle, you know" Archer said to Hadley, as he helped Zelma out of the wagon, "to get an early start and head the young ones off ill plotting mischief the first day. Zel's grandfather was mighty brave Yankee soldier in the war of 1872, and 1 hope she will take after him and stand her ground if the young coyotes of Coyote Prairie raise rebellion" he added.
 "They're passel O tough 'uns, miss," said Hadley, before Zelma started for school next morning. q reckon you-uns'll want ter throw up the contract fore night. They're tough as all git out" using figure of speech the girl did not comprehend, but which made her smile in spite of herself.
 "Yes, an quarrelin'er set ye never seed, l know" put in the voice of Mrs. Hadley. 'Oh, you uns'll hey yer h!iaii,;s chuck fa!! with 'em, miss. Now, if l was teacher O the con- twisted Coyote Purary skule, I'd jes' erbout churn the daylights outen some of 'em," and she wagged her head sagely as she rendered this ponderous advice.
 I hope you won't hev any trouble with 'em," Jacob went on, "but, ye see, they're so all-fired rough and heathenish livin' out hyar ermong wild white men and mean Inins, with little or no skulin' ter speak of, for so long spell, Pm kinder skeered fur ye, miss. But don't let Us diskirrige ye. Try yer hand. Lick the very ile O meanness outen lem eff they sass ye. Whop mine like sin eff they don't mind ye."
 And thus equipped with fore warn- ings and most expressive suggestions, Zelma set out across the hazy prairie towards the schoolhouse. She found it a roughly built, uncheerful struc- ture. It had been made of rough, green lumber, from distant sawmill and the fervid sun-rays of three Kan sas summers had warped and shrunken the wide boards until they were an inch and over apart in places, allow ing ample ventilation. The floor was so uneven one was in constant danger of being tripped up while passing across it. The windows were broad slits in the walls, two on each side and covered with bed-ticking tackled to rude framework, all four of which were now loose and creaking and slamming dismally in the high au- tumn blasts. The door was swinging on its rusty hinges as if bent on get ting free. It was decidedly unfa- vorable appearance to greet the eyes of a young teacher, more especially orc who had never taught.
 "Verily, mine is a most 'open' re- ception," exclaimed Zelma, with smile, stepping in and surveying the interior ot her temple of learning on Coyote Prairie. "We shall not want for oxygen. The mudwasps have elaborately festooned the walls, while the spiders, evidently thinking that filmy lambrequins would add beauty to the corners, have been auxiliary in weaving most delicate patterns for my academy. What? A great, un- gainly dry goods box for a teachers desk. Now, won't look queenly and commanding behind that, seated on big, much whitfield bench?
 "Gentlemen of leisure about town are said to find much pleasure in dry goods boxes as seats, so Pll get all the enjoyment possible out of this one as desk. It has not been very well ap- preciated in the past, judging from the jack-k knife defacements and att tempts at hieroglypics on it's sides. We'll, Pll make the best of things as they are, for the present, but when I draw my first months salary we shall behold some public Improvements. But l must not forget the story of the milk-maid, lest l, too, may build too much on the future."
 Zelma's adaptability to circum- stances enabled her to conquer all discouragements that she might otherwise have experienced in the arrangements of the school room.
 Jacob Hadley's numerous children "tuck a powerful likin'" to the new teacher, as Mrs. H. took the mains to